Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 251.255 (2026)

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

✓ current as of May 2026

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251.255 Filing 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]

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1986–2024 · leading case: Knopp v. Griffin-Valade, 543 P.3d 1239 (Or. 2024).

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Knopp v. Griffin-Valade, 543 P.3d 1239 (Or. 2024). · cites it 2× “ORS 251.255(1)-(2); ORS 251.255(4); OAR 165-022-0050(5).”

June v. Roberts, 797 P.2d 357 (Or. 1990). · cites it 2× “5 Arguments about effects of the measure, including speculation as to when, if ever, the federal government will have a permanent disposal site available to receive radioactive, spent fuel from Trojan and other nuclear generating plants around the nation, may still be put before…”

Homuth v. Keisling, 837 P.2d 532 (Or. 1992). “” Possible effects, particularly those whose occurrence is in dispute, are properly put before the voters through the use of arguments printed in the Voters’ Pamphlet pursuant to ORS 251.255. Id. The inclusion of effects that are only possible in the explanatory statement…”

Teledyne Wah Chang Albany v. Powell, 724 P.2d 319 (Or. 1986). “The committee filed the statement with the Secretary of State pursuant to ORS 251.255. Petitioner Tele-dyne Wah Chang Albany (TWCA) seeks review of the statement under ORS 251.”

Linn Cnty. v. Brown, 461 P.3d 966 (Or. 2020). “245, and arguments for and against the measure, submitted by interested persons, ORS 251.255. 8 We express no opinion as to whether any specific programs in the general areas of government policy identified in the Voters’ Pamphlet arguments would or would not be subject to…”

— Or. Rev. Stat. § 251.255(1) — 1 case

Knopp v. Griffin-Valade, 543 P.3d 1239 (Or. 2024). “ORS 251.255(1)-(2); ORS 251.255(4); OAR 165-022-0050(5).”

— Or. Rev. Stat. § 251.255(4) — 1 case

Knopp v. Griffin-Valade, 543 P.3d 1239 (Or. 2024). “ORS 251.255(1)-(2); ORS 251.255(4); OAR 165-022-0050(5).”

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