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Prof. Justin Levitt's Doug Spencer's Guide to Drawing the Electoral Lines

State Summary

Oregon’s state legislature has primary responsibility to draw both congressional and state legislative districts, subject to gubernatorial veto. If the legislature fails to meet its deadline, responsibility falls to a panel of judges (congressional) and the Secretary of State (state legislative) to draw the lines.

In the 2020 cycle, several ballot initiatives (including the lead measure, Petition 57) proposed creating an independent redistricting commission, but after litigation failed to reduce the signature threshold during COVID-19, they failed to collect enough signatures to make the ballot.

The Oregon legislature passed congressional (SB 881) and legislative (SB 882) plans on Sept. 27, 2021, which were signed by the Governor the same day.  Court challenges to the congressional map were rejected.

In the 2010 cycle, the state legislature passed a congressional plan (SB 990) on June 30, 2011, which the Governor signed on the same day.   The state legislature passed a state legislative plan (SB 989) on June 10, 2011, which the Governor signed on June 13, 2011.

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Institution:

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Plan Status:

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Key Info for 2000 Cycle

Primary governing law

Key Info for 2010 Cycle

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Primary governing law

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The Latest Updates

Nov 24, 2021
The Oregon Supreme Court dismissed a legal challenge to the state's congressional districts, holding that the petitioners did not demonstrate the legislature "made choices that no reasonable legislative assembly would have made."
Oct 11, 2021
Oregon's former Secretary of State filed a lawsuit challenging the state's new congressional map as an unlawful partisan gerrymander under the state's constitution and the criteria laid out in state law ORS 188.010(2).
Sep 30, 2021
The Oregon state legislature adopted two bills establishing new congressional and state legislative districts after a protracted debate. Gov. Kate Brown signed both bills into law just hours before the midnight deadline that would have shifted authority to a panel of judges (congressional districts) and the Secretary of State (state legislative districts).
Sep 3, 2021
Republicans and Democrats on the state House and Senate committees on redistricting released a set of maps (one by each party) for state legislative and congressional districts. Final maps from the legislature are due by Sept. 27.
Apr 19, 2021
Initiative Petition 16, which would create an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, was filed with the Oregon Secretary of State.
Sep 1, 2020
The Ninth Circuit acknowledged that a Supreme Court stay of litigation over signature thresholds would keep an Oregon redistricting initiative off of the 2020 ballot.
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Institution

Oregon’s congressional lines are drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.

For state legislative lines, the legislature has primary responsibility to draw a plan, but if it fails to do so, responsibility falls to the Secretary of State to draw district lines.  [Or. Const. art. IV, § 6]

The Oregon constitution vests original jurisdiction in the state Supreme Court for review of state legislative lines in state court.  The Marion County Circuit Court has jurisdiction to hear challenges to congressional lines, with appeal to the state Supreme Court; a special panel of one judge from each congressional district will be convened to hear any dispute. [Or. Const. art. IV, § 6; Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.125]

Timing

Oregon state law does not impose a particular deadline for drawing congressional lines, though it allows voters to request that the Marion County Circuit Court panel draw lines in the first instance if no plan has been passed by July 1, 2021.  [Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.125(2)(b)]  The 2021 legislative session began on Jan. 21, 2021, and is currently scheduled to end on June 28, 2021; candidates must file for congressional primary elections by Mar. 8, 2022.  [Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 249.037, 254.056]  Any judicial challenges must be resolved by the Marion County panel by Oct. 1, 2021.  [Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.125(10)]

For state legislative lines, if the state legislature does not enact a redistricting statute by July 1, 2021, the process will fall to the Oregon Secretary of State, who must file a plan by Aug. 15, 2011. [Or. Const. art. IV, § 6]  Candidates must file for state legislative primary elections by Mar. 8, 2022. [Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 249.037, 254.056]  Any judicial challenges must be resolved by the state Supreme Court by Sept. 15, 2021, if the plan is drawn by the legislature, or Nov. 1, 2021, if the plan is drawn by the Secretary of State.

The Oregon constitution ties the drawing of state legislative lines to the Census, and might therefore be construed to prohibit redrawing lines mid-decade; there is no similar provision pertaining to congressional lines. [Or. Const. art. IV, § 6]

Public input

The legislature must hold at least ten public hearings, including one hearing in each congressional district, before proposing a congressional or state legislative plan.  After a plan is proposed, either by the legislature or the Secretary of State, there must be five public hearings (if practicable before the final deadline), in different congressional districts or via videoconference.  At least one hearing before releasing a map and one afterward must be in “areas that have experienced the largest shifts in population” over the last decade.  [Or. Const. art. IV, § 6(3)(a); Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.016]

The legislature has announced public input hearings for each congressional district within the state.  Past meetings are archived here.

Criteria

Like all states, Oregon must comply with constitutional equal population requirements. By statute, Oregon further asks that its congressional and state legislative districts be of equal population, “as nearly as practicable.” [Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.010]

Oregon must also, like all states, abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.  Oregon statutes also provide that no district shall be drawn for the purpose of diluting the voting strength of any language or ethnic minority group. [Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.010]

The state constitution requires that state Senate lines be contiguous, and protect county boundaries.  Oregon statutes establish additional criteria for both state legislative and congressional districts: as nearly as practicable, districts must be contiguous, utilize existing geographic or political boundaries, not divide communities of common interest, and be connected by transportation links. The law also declares that districts will not be drawn for the purpose of favoring a political party, incumbent, or other person.  The legislature may modify these statutes at any time.  [Or. Const. art. IV, § 7; Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.010]

The Secretary of State has promulgated rules clarifying that, at least when the Secretary of State must draw district lines, she will comply with statutory criteria “to the maximum extent practicable”; these rules further focus “geographic or political boundaries” on county and city lines, focus “transportation links” on the presence of county roads in populated areas, and note that media markets will be considered in “determining communities of common interest.” [Or. Admin. R. § 165-008-0060]

Oregon districts are “nested,” with every state Senate district containing two state House districts. [Or. Const. art. IV, § 6; Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.010]

2020 Cycle

In the 2020 cycle, litigation over one ballot initiative (Petition 5) establishing an independent commission for state legislative lines yielded an amended ballot title; litigation over others (Petition 57, Petition 58, Petition 59) left summaries unchanged.  [Fletchall v. Rosenblum, 448 P.3d 634 (Ore. 2019); Fletchall v. Rosenblum, 442 P.3d 193 (Ore. 2019); Uherbelau v. Rosenblum II, No. S067451 (Ore. 2020); Uherbelau v. Rosenblum III, No. S067457 (Ore. 2020); Uherbelau v. Rosenblum IV, No. S067458 (Ore. 2020); Uherbelau v. Clarno, No. 20CV13939 (Ore. 2020)]  However, none of the petitions made it to the ballot: proponents did not succeed in reducing the signature threshold required during COVID-19, and the measures failed to get enough signatures during the pandemic to make the 2020 ballot. [People Not Politicians Oregon v. Clarno, No. 20-35630 (Ore. 2020)]

The Oregon legislature passed congressional (SB 881) and legislative (SB 882) plans on Sept. 27, 2021, which were signed by the Governor on the same day.  Challenges to the congressional and legislative redistricting plans were rejected.  [Clarno v. Fagan, No. 21CV40180 (Ore. 2021); Sheehan v. Or. Leg. Assembly, 499 P.3d 1267 (Ore. 2021)]

 

2010 cycle

The state legislature passed a congressional plan (SB 990) on June 30, 2011, which the Governor signed on the same day.

The state legislature passed a state legislative plan (SB 989) on June 10, 2011, which the Governor signed on June 13, 2011.

It does not appear that either plan was challenged in court.

Materials and maps are available here.

2000 cycle

The Oregon legislature passed a congressional plan (SB 500), which was vetoed on June 28, 2001. An Oregon state trial court was then asked to draw congressional districts, which it did on Oct. 19, 2001. [Perrin v. Kitzhaber, No. 0107-07021 (Or. Circuit Ct. Oct. 19, 2001); Or. Rev. Stat. § 188.140]

The legislature also passed a state legislative plan (HB 2001), which was also vetoed on June 28, 2001. When July 1, 2001, passed without a valid legislative plan, the Secretary of State submitted a state legislative plan. That plan was challenged in state court, and upheld.  [Hartung v. Bradbury, 33 P.3d 972 (Or. 2001)]

Redistricting Cases in Oregon

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Oregon | Congress
Clarno v. Fagan
State court rejected challenge to congressional maps: alleged partisan gerrymander, violations of state criteria
Last Updated Nov 24, 2021
Case No. 21CV40180 (Or. Cir. Ct., Marion Cnty.)
Cycle 2020
Oregon | State Lower
Calderwood v. Or. Leg. Assembly
State court rejected challenge to two state House districts: alleged unlawful benefit to incumbent
Last Updated Nov 22, 2021
Case No. S068989 (Or. S. Ct.)
Cycle 2020
Oregon | State Upper | State Lower | Process
Sheehan v. Or. Leg. Assembly
State court rejected challenge to state legislative maps: alleged partisan gerrymander
Last Updated Nov 22, 2021
Case No. S068991 (Or. S. Ct.)
Cycle 2020

2020 Oregon Maps Available for Download

Search all Cycles for Oregon Maps >

Oregon | 2020
2020 Oregon Maps
The Oregon state legislature has primary responsibility to draw new congressional and state legislat...
Number of Maps 3
Last Updated Oct 22, 2021
Cycle 2020