§ ORS § 251.255Filing arguments for or against measure; fee or petition; size of argument space; verification of signatures; electronic filing; rules

(1) Not sooner than the 120th day
and not later than the 70th day before a general election or the 68th day
before a special election held on the date of any primary election at which a
state measure is to be voted upon, any person may file with the Secretary of
State an argument supporting or opposing the measure.

(2)(a) A person
filing an argument under this section shall pay a fee of $1,200 to the
Secretary of State when the argument is filed or may submit a petition in a
form prescribed by the Secretary of State containing the signatures of 500
active electors. Each person signing the petition shall subscribe to a
statement that the person has read and agrees with the argument.

(b) The
signatures on each petition shall be verified by the county clerk or the
Secretary of State.

(c) The Secretary
of State by rule shall establish procedures for verifying whether a petition
submitted under this subsection contains the required number of signatures of
active electors.

(3) An argument
filed under this section must be filed using the electronic filing system
adopted by the Secretary of State under ORS 251.014.

(4) The Secretary
of State by rule shall establish the size and length of arguments permitted
under ORS 251.245 and this section, except that the length of an argument may
not exceed 325 words. The size and length limitations shall be the same for
arguments submitted under ORS 251.245 or this section. [Formerly 255.415; 1989
c.646 §1; 1995 c.712 §45; 1999 c.318 §18; 2005 c.797 §55; 2009 c.817 §3; 2011
c.646 §8; 2013 c.518 §6; 2017 c.749 §26]