SB 1509
Plain-language analysis
Generated analysis, not an official summary or legal advice. Confirm with linked Oregon documents.
SB 1509 mandates that Oregon presidential electors sign a pledge to vote for their party's nominees (or a replacement selected by the party if a candidate dies or withdraws) and requires the Secretary of State to invalidate and replace any elector who votes otherwise. The bill adds security features to the certificate of ascertainment, clarifies elector qualifications for unaffiliated candidates, sets a 70-day deadline for parties to certify electors and pledges, and provides mileage reimbursement to validly voting electors.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Official sources do not state why this measure was proposed.
Sponsor testimony, staff summaries, committee materials, or statutory findings may explain it.
Inferred from cited text; not a stated purpose.
Aligns Oregon with the Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act and 37 other states to prevent faithless electoral votes, ensuring the Electoral College reflects the state's popular vote outcome.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Staff Measure Summary A; Staff Measure Summary A
Must sign a pledge to vote for party nominees or replacement; face immediate vacancy and replacement if they vote otherwise; receive mileage reimbursement only if their ballot is valid.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Must certify elector names and signed pledges to the Secretary of State by the 70th day before the election; must select replacement candidates per party rules if a nominee dies or withdraws after Election Day.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Presides over the elector meeting; examines ballots against pledges; invalidates and declares vacancies for non-compliant ballots; issues amended certificates with security features; prepares certificates of vote.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Co-issues the certificate of ascertainment and any amended certificates with the Secretary of State.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Indirectly affected by assurance that electors will vote per popular vote; no direct obligation change.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
Parties must manage pledge collection and certification by a strict 70-day pre-election deadline.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Secretary of State gains authority to examine ballots for pledge compliance and invalidate non-compliant votes, requiring new administrative procedures.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
No fiscal or revenue impact; mileage expenses for electors are administrative costs.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Fiscal Impact Statement A; Revenue Impact Statement A
Vacancy filling occurs immediately at the meeting via voice vote, minimizing disruption.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Electoral Integrity
In a tight election where a single elector defects, SB 1509 ensures their vote is nullified and replaced instantly by a pledged elector, preserving the state's electoral votes for the popular vote winner without federal intervention or litigation.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
Electoral Disenfranchisement/Confusion
A legitimate protest vote (e.g., writing in a candidate) could be invalidated as 'not completed in accordance with the pledge,' potentially disenfranchising that specific ballot and causing confusion if the replacement process is delayed or contested, though the text mandates immediate voice vote filling.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
The text ties replacement to party rules and requires pledges, but relies on the Secretary of State's verification and the party's internal processes. If the Secretary of State does not rigorously check qualifications during the immediate vacancy filling, or if parties exploit bylaws to bypass pledge requirements, the mechanism could be abused.
Sources · Enrolled
Ensures electoral votes strictly reflect the state's popular vote and party directives at the cost of removing individual elector discretion and imposing strict administrative compliance burdens on parties and the Secretary of State.
Predictability and alignment with national trend to prevent faithless votes.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Reduces risk of federal intervention or litigation over electoral votes.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
Eliminates elector independence and imposes rigid deadlines on parties.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Increases Secretary of State workload with ballot examination and certificate security features.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Potential for partisan disputes over pledge interpretation or party rules.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
The enrolled version incorporates the Senate Committee's amendments and refines the text. Key changes include fully adding the qualification for electors of unaffiliated candidates (must not be affiliated with any party), inserting 'immediately' to require prompt issuance of amended certificates, clarifying ballot completion requirements, and aligning language regarding pledge signing and vacancy filling.
Adds requirement that electors for unaffiliated candidates must be registered as not affiliated with any political party.
Closes potential loophole allowing affiliated individuals to serve as electors for unaffiliated tickets.
Sources · Enrolled
Adds 'immediately' to the requirement for issuing amended certificates of ascertainment upon vacancy.
Reduces window for uncertainty or manipulation regarding the list of electors.
Sources · Enrolled
Clarifies that electors must complete two ballots and vote per pledge, with SOS examining compliance.
Strengthens enforcement mechanism by explicitly tying ballot validity to pledge compliance.
Sources · Enrolled
Aligns language on vacancy filling and pledge requirements for replacements.
Ensures replacements are subject to the same pledge and oath requirements.
Sources · Enrolled
Tradeoff: The enrolled version tightens eligibility for unaffiliated tickets and strengthens enforcement timing, reducing ambiguity but increasing compliance precision requirements.
high confidence. Analysis based on enrolled bill text and official staff/fiscal summaries. Rationale is inferred due to lack of express purpose statement in sources.
Possible effects if adopted; not current bill text.
The amendment would require Oregon electors to be unaffiliated with any political party if presidential and vice-presidential candidates lack party affiliation, mandate that electors vote for replacement nominees selected by their party if a candidate dies or withdraws after Election Day, and require the Secretary of State and Governor to immediately issue amended certificates of ascertainment when vacancies occur. Materially, it standardizes elector eligibility, reduces post-election certification ambiguity, and accelerates administrative timelines without altering the popular vote outcome.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Official sources do not state why this measure was proposed.
Sponsor testimony, staff summaries, committee materials, or statutory findings may explain it.
Inferred from cited text; not a stated purpose.
The amendment likely aims to close a qualification gap for non-party candidates and ensure electors follow party-directed replacements, reducing administrative delays in certification.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Must meet stricter non-affiliation criteria if candidates are independent or unaffiliated; must vote for party-selected replacements if a nominee dies or withdraws post-election; face immediate ballot invalidation and vacancy declaration by the Secretary of State.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Gain explicit authority to direct replacement votes via their rules and bylaws when a nominee dies or withdraws after Election Day.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Must immediately issue amended certificates of ascertainment upon vacancy declarations, increasing administrative timing requirements but clarifying procedural duties.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Indirectly affected by reduced ambiguity in electoral vote counting and faster certification, though no change to popular vote mechanics.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Electors must verify candidate affiliation status and follow party succession rules; parties must maintain clear succession protocols. The Secretary of State gains explicit authority to invalidate non-compliant ballots and declare vacancies, with accelerated certification timelines.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
No state or local revenue impact. Administrative costs may shift slightly due to immediate certificate issuance but are likely negligible.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Fiscal Impact Statement A; Revenue Impact Statement A
Stricter alignment between elector registration and candidate status. Enforcement relies on Secretary of State examination of ballots and declaration of vacancies.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Post-election nominee death scenario
A major party nominee dies days after Election Day. The amendment ensures Oregon electors automatically follow the party's bylaws to select a replacement, preventing a constitutional crisis or contested certification while guaranteeing timely submission of valid electoral votes.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Independent/minor-party winner scenario
An independent or minor-party candidate wins the popular vote in Oregon but lacks a formal party structure with clear succession rules. Electors might face conflicting directives or be forced to abstain or submit invalid ballots due to the strict non-affiliation requirement and lack of party-bylaw guidance, potentially delaying certification or triggering repeated vacancy fills.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
The amendment legally permits party-directed succession and ballot invalidation but does not establish federal oversight mechanisms or verification standards for party bylaws, leaving room for procedural overreach if administrative safeguards are absent.
Sources · Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
The amendment prioritizes administrative certainty and party-directed succession in post-election nominee changes at the cost of increased procedural rigidity for electors and potential certification delays if party structures lack clear succession protocols, offering clearer vacancy handling and faster certification as upsides but reduced elector flexibility and dependency on potentially opaque party bylaws as downsides.
Clearer vacancy handling and faster certification timelines reduce post-election uncertainty.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Reduced elector flexibility and increased dependency on potentially opaque or unverified party succession rules.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
high confidence. Analysis is grounded exclusively in the supplied proposed amendment text and official legislative revenue/fiscal documents. No enacted status, litigation speculation, or unverified stakeholder claims are included.
The proposed amendment would tighten Oregon elector qualifications to require unaffiliated electors when running on an unaffiliated ticket, clarify that electors must vote for the nominating party’s candidates (or their legally selected replacements), and mandate immediate issuance of amended certificates of ascertainment when vacancies occur. Materially, it standardizes Oregon’s electoral college procedures to align with the Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act model, reduces ambiguity around faithless voting and vacancy replacement, and accelerates administrative timelines for federal certificate submission.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A; Staff Measure Summary A
Official sources do not state why this measure was proposed.
Sponsor testimony, staff summaries, committee materials, or statutory findings may explain it.
Inferred from cited text; not a stated purpose.
The amendment likely aims to close a qualification gap for unaffiliated tickets and accelerate administrative processing to prevent delays in federal certificate submission.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Must meet stricter affiliation requirements for unaffiliated tickets and adhere to clarified voting and pledge rules; faces potential disqualification if registration status does not match ticket affiliation.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Must ensure selected electors match ticket affiliation status; faces clearer, party-rule-driven replacement protocols if a candidate dies or withdraws post-election.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Face accelerated deadlines for issuing amended certificates and must enforce ballot validity examinations without delay, increasing administrative oversight duties.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Eligibility is narrowed for unaffiliated tickets, potentially disqualifying previously eligible party-affiliated individuals. Enforcement shifts to the Secretary of State, who gains explicit authority to invalidate non-compliant ballots and declare vacancies. Administrative timelines are compressed by the immediate certificate issuance requirement, though no new state or local expenditures are projected.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Fiscal Impact Statement A
Electoral administration and federal compliance
A sudden candidate withdrawal on Election Day triggers a seamless, legally unambiguous replacement process, preventing electoral college deadlock or federal rejection of Oregon’s certificates.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Electoral administration and federal compliance
An elector on an unaffiliated ticket is disqualified mid-process due to a technical registration mismatch, forcing a rushed vacancy fill that delays certificate submission and risks noncompliance with federal deadlines.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
The text legally permits party-driven replacements and ballot invalidation but creates risk if administrative deadlines override verification protocols or if affiliation definitions are applied inconsistently.
Sources · Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
The amendment prioritizes administrative certainty and pledge enforcement over elector flexibility, which reduces vacancy-related delays but may inadvertently disqualify eligible individuals or create compliance bottlenecks during rapid candidate changes.
Clearer federal compliance pathways and reduced ambiguity around faithless voting and vacancy replacement.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Stricter eligibility barriers for unaffiliated tickets and accelerated administrative deadlines that could strain office capacity during high-turnover election cycles.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
high confidence. Analysis is grounded in the supplied proposed amendment text and official staff summaries. Fiscal determinations are explicitly stated as no impact. Inferences regarding administrative feasibility and eligibility effects are bounded by the text and standard electoral administration principles.
35 records currently loaded
Records available in the current snapshot.
Earliest loaded signal
Introduced bill text posted
Posted Jan 28, 2026, 3:25 PM PST
Follow the official text for SB 1509 and every amendment branch. Connections come from each amendment's stated base. Horizontal position shows when each document was first posted, when available.
Click a card to isolate its connected lines; use View summary to jump to its details. Horizontal position shows first posting time in Pacific Time. Drag or use the arrow keys to pan. Pinch with two fingers on mobile, or zoom with the controls, +/− keys, or Control/Command + scroll; press 0 to reset. Dashed branches remained proposals.
Selected document summary
Substantial replacement
What the document says to change
Delete lines 35 through 41 and insert:
Oregon records no individual sponsors.
Presession filing record
Printed pursuant to Senate Interim Rule 213.28 by order of the President of the Senate in conformance with presession filing rules, indicating neither advocacy nor opposition on the part of the President.
LC 104 draft
Date printed on LC draft: January 7, 2026
LC 104 became SB 1509
Mapping document posted: January 12, 2026 at 1:19 AM PST
LC0104_DRAFT_2026_Regular_Session
Senate Interim Committee on Rules and Executive Appointments introduction work session
Committee meeting: January 13, 2026 at 11:30 AM PST
HR C
Committee introduction motion
Committee meeting: January 13, 2026 at 11:30 AM PST
A motion was made to adopt the listed legislative concepts as committee bills.
Official vote: 5-0-0
Committee introduction allows consideration; it does not imply every member supported the introduced or final text.
Senate carrier
Senator James Manning Jr.
Third Reading Of Senate Measures · Version A
Senate carrier
Senator Bruce Starr
Third Reading Of Senate Measures · Version A
House carrier
Representative Dacia Grayber
Third Reading Of Senate Bills · Version A
A carrier presents the measure or report but is not necessarily its sponsor or author.
Records already listed in Activity are not repeated here.
35 events
Full timeline
35 entries shown.
Effective date, July 1, 2026.
Chapter 130, 2026 Laws.
Governor signed.
Speaker signed.
President signed.
Third reading. Carried by Grayber. Passed.
Ayes, 51; Nays, 2--Evans, Nelson; Excused, 4--Hartman, Javadi, Levy B, Valderrama; Excused for Business of the House, 3--Chotzen, Diehl, Owens.
Second reading.
Recommendation: Do pass.
Staff Measure Summary · Version A
Work Session held.
Work Session
Heard and Reported Out · Agenda item 1 · Room HR D · Establishes the qualifications of an elector of President and Vice President of the United States.
IS_Impact SB 1509 A
Revenue Impact Statement
Public Hearing held.
Public Hearing
Heard · Agenda item 1 · Room HR D · Establishes the qualifications of an elector of President and Vice President of the United States.
Referred to Rules.
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
Third reading. Carried by Starr, Manning Jr. Passed.
Ayes, 27; Excused, 3--Drazan, Frederick, Linthicum.
Second reading.
Senate Amendments to Introduced bill text posted
Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)
Work Session held.
Work Session
Heard and Reported Out with Amendments · Agenda item 1 · Room HR C · Establishes the qualifications of an elector of President and Vice President of the United States.
IS_Impact SB 1509 1
Revenue Impact Statement
Amendment -1 adopted
Public Hearing held.
Public Hearing
Heard · Agenda item 1 · Room HR C · Establishes the qualifications of an elector of President and Vice President of the United States.
Amendment -1 proposed
Referred to Rules.
Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
tting a certificate of ascertainment identifying the state’s electors. In 2024, House Bill 4019 was enacted to update Oregon law to align with federal requirements for appoint
“Effective date, July 1, 2026.”
Confirm with the official record.
Supplemental, source-linked analysis from project researchers and community contributors. It is separate from Oregon's official record.