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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 3907
Sponsored by COMMITTEE ON RULES (at the request of Representative Ben Bowman)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act requires the Governor to appoint a U.S.Senator when a vacancy happens in
the office. The Act states when the appointment ends and when a special election must occur.
(Flesch Readability Score: 62.8).
Requires the Governor to call a special election within a specified period after a vacancy in
election or office of United States Senator occurs.
Requires the Governor to appoint a United States Senator when a vacancy in the office occurs.
Requires that the appointed Senator be of the same political party as the elected Senator who va-
cated the office. Requires the appointment to end when a replacement is elected.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to vacancies in the United States Senate; amending ORS 188.120.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 188.120 is amended to read:
188.120. (1) If a vacancy in election or office of Representative in Congress or United States
Senator occurs before the 61st day before the general election, the Governor shall call a special
election to fill that vacancy.
(2) If a vacancy in election or office of United States Senator occurs after the 62nd day before
the general election but on or before the general election, and if the term of that office is not reg-
ularly filled at that election, the Governor shall call a special election to fill the vacancy [as soon
as practicable after the general election].
(3) For any special election called by the Governor under subsection (1) or (2) of this
section to fill a vacancy in election or office of United States Senator, the special election
must occur not less than 80 days and not more than 150 days after the vacancy occurred.
[(2)] (4) If a special election to fill the vacancy in election or office of Representative in Con-
gress [or United States Senator] is called before the 80th day after the vacancy occurs, each major
political party shall select its nominee for the office and certify the name of the nominee to the
Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall place the name of the nominee on the ballot.
[(3)] (5) If a special election to fill the vacancy in election or office of Representative in Con-
gress or United States Senator is called after the 79th day after the vacancy occurs, a special pri-
mary election shall be conducted by the Secretary of State for the purpose of nominating a
candidate of each major political party. A declaration of candidacy or nominating petition may be
filed not later than the 10th day following the issuance of the writ of election.
(6)(a) For a vacancy in election or office of United States Senator, the Governor shall fill
the vacancy by appointment. The Governor shall make the appointment required under this
subsection no later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs.
(b) A person appointed under this subsection must:
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 3294 HB3907
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(A) Be a citizen qualified to hold the office; and
(B) For at least 180 days before the date on which the vacancy occurred, be affiliated with
the same political party as the person who vacated the office of United States Senator.
(c) The political affiliation of a person appointed under this subsection shall be deter-
mined in accordance with ORS 236.100.
(d) An appointment made under this subsection shall expire when the term of office ends
or a successor to the office is elected and qualified under this section, whichever occurs first.
[2]