Oregonians Vote YES to Impeaching Public Officials and Allowing the Creation of Labor Unions in the Cannabis Industry
Oregonians have voted to impeach public officials and to allow labor organizations to talk to cannabis industry employees while retailers and processors remain neutral.
These were two of five ballot measures seeking approval from voters.
Voters Rejected Ranked Choice Voting and Extra Corporate Taxation Measures
However, Oregonians rejected three measures, including the much publicized and controversial Ranked Choice Voting and Increasing Minimum Corporate Taxes.
The fifth measure put to the vote, which was also unsuccessful, was the Establishment of a Commission to Determine Officials’ Salaries.
Here is a breakdown of the five ballot measures.
Measure 115 – Impeach Public Officials
This measure will allow the Legislature to impeach elected officials but must obtain a two-thirds vote from each house.
Impeachment will apply to malfeasance, corrupt conduct in office, willful neglect of constitutional duty, or felony and other high crimes.
The impeachment measure will now apply to the offices of the Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, and Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries.
Measure 116 – Establish a commission to determine officials’ salaries
This measure sought to revise the Oregon Constitution to create an ‘Independent Public Service Compensation Commission’ to set salary scales. Currently, state-paid salaries for many public officials can only be changes through legislation.
Measure 117 – Ranked Choice Voting
This measure sought to allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference for specified federal and statewide offices.
It would have applied to the nomination and election of President, United States Senator, Representative in Congress, Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General, and election of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries and would have been enforced for the 2028 elections.
Measure 117 would have cost the state $6.5 million to implement, and an estimated $2.3 million for local governments. It would also have added $2.2 million to election costs.
Legislative opponents wrote in the voter’s pamphlet that Measure 117 would ‘tilt the odds in favor of the party in power,’ adding that it would open ‘new paths for cheaters.’
See also: Oregon’s Attempt to Introduce Ranked-Choice Voting With Measure 117 Takes a Dive at the Polls
Measure 118 – Increases highest corporate minimum taxes
This highly contentious measure wanted to implement a 3% tax on corporations with sales exceeding $25 million, starting next year.
The revenue from this additional taxation would be distributed to Oregonians in the form of tax rebates.
Proponents of Measure 118 said tax rebates of between $1,160 and $1,686 would put food on the table and keep a roof over the heads of Oregonians who rent their homes. Rebates declined by eligible individuals would fund health care, early childhood education, and services for senior citizens.
Measure 118 would have cost $60 million between now and 2027, and $30.7 billion from 2027-29.
Opponents said the measure would cause indirect cost hikes and hurt consumers. From the result of the vote, it appears that Oregonians agree.
Measure 119 – Cannabis retailers/processors must remain neutral while labor organizations talk to their employees.
The measure requires cannabis retailers to ‘have an agreement’ with a labor organization to obtain or renew a license to operate in the state. The cost of Measure 119 is given as $600,000 during the first year, increasing to $800,000 in subsequent years.
Measure 119 will protect people employed in the cannabis industry by legalizing the formation of representative unions.