The 2018 Democratic Party of Oregon Platform
Article 5 - GOOD GOVERNANCE: Election Integrity; Campaign Finance Reform; Voting
Rights; Tax Fairness
Rights; Tax Fairness
Oregon Democrats are committed to open and responsive government. We recognize that the task of sustaining our democracy and responding to the challenges posed by evolving technology and the world economy requires a common effort, compromise, and diligence. We are guided by the wisdom and genius of our founding principles and the Constitution. We believe corporations are not people and money is not speech. We are committed to the basic truth that humans have inherent rights while the rights of corporations are derived from, and defined by, government of the people. We believe that participation and influence in the political process should not be determined by one’s economic status. We hold the right and responsibility of all eligible persons to vote is an essential foundation of our democracy.
Planks:
1. We are committed to 100% accuracy in all election tabulations and support full hand counts in as many elections
as are necessary to limit the risk of any possible intrusion into software used by tally machines or of human manipulation. The most recent electoral research should be applied.
2. We believe in publicly funded candidate election campaigns, with duration limits for campaign contributions and
disbursements, to ensure democratic elections at all levels.
3. We consider some goods and services so essential to society that they must be offered and managed by the
public for general good, including, but not limited to: the internet, libraries, public utilities, highways, education,
incarceration, postal services, fire protection, police, social security, health care, and other forms of social
insurance.
4. We believe personal income should be taxed at a progressive rate so that people with lower income pay a lower
percentage of that income in tax than do those with higher income to help mitigate income inequality.
5. We believe money is not speech and government at all levels shall regulate, limit, or prohibit campaign
contributions and expenditures to restrict the influence of private or corporate wealth in the election of candidates
or passage of ballot measures. Any permissible contributions and expenditures shall be publicly disclosed.
6. We believe, in order to maintain a high level of public confidence in our voter registration databases, there should
be a separate, viewable, online, personal voter registration databases that tracks all changes to the databases and
includes tracking of all authorizations for such changes to detect wrongful manipulation.
7. We support the right of political parties to nominate candidates by means of instant-runoff voting, thereby
ensuring nominees are supported by a majority of electors.
8. We believe corporations and other purely legal entities are not granted the same rights as natural persons by the
Constitution.
9. We believe a government of the people must not be unduly influenced by special interests, corporate power,
religious beliefs, or money.
10. We believe Oregon’s corporate income tax policy currently results in an inequitable share of general fund
revenues derived from individual income taxpayers.
11. We believe corruption and conflict of interest, including but not limited to post-employment remuneration to
elected and appointed public officials, is damaging to public trust and our public institutions.
12. We are committed to protecting and ensuring our constitutional rights and freedoms, including the right to
assemble peacefully without penalty or threat of violence and to receive due process and equal treatment under
the law.
13. We believe eminent domain should never be used for the benefit of a private or corporate entity in the absence of
a clear and demonstrable public need.
14. We are committed to transparency, accountability, oversight, integrity, competence, fairness, honesty, and citizen
participation at all levels of government.
15. We support the highest level of security, accuracy, confidence, and transparency throughout the voting process
and clarity of instructions in the voters’ pamphlet.
16. We affirm the critical value of religious freedom and the principle of separation of church and state.
2018 Democratic Party of Oregon Platform 7
17. We believe elected or appointed public servants, and those employed in our government agencies, deserve
increased respect, support, and appreciation for the vital work they perform in maintaining efficient and effective
government services for the public good.
18. We support efforts to adopt a national vote by mail standard which will increase voter turnout, reduce voter
suppression, and provide secure paper trails for vote verification.
19. We believe in fair access to voting, specifically in underserved communities and communities of color. We believe
in monitoring and evaluating any possible racially motivated gerrymandering in Oregon. It is essential that
Oregon assess racial bias and thoroughly investigate purging of votes and voters in minority populations.
20. We believe in promoting nutritious food safety and security through local, state, and national level programs,
especially in this time of climate change.
21. We believe the emergence of “alternative facts” in the media erodes the integrity of governing of our democracy.
22. We believe in the freedom to vote, access to participation in our democracy, removal of barriers to participation,
debates in legislative races, and the ability to be more informed members of the electorate through vote by mail
systems. We support the right to vote enshrined in the 15th Amendment.
23. We acknowledge the contributions of the cannabis industry to the needs of the state economy and believe it
should be protected from federal intervention.
24. We support providing adequate state and federal monies for counties to compensate for the impact of lost tax
revenues related to public lands.
25. We affirm medical decisions must be made with respect for patients’ rights to privacy, and freedom to have control
over their lives based on fully informed consent.
26. We assert no one should be subjected to interference with their privacy, family, home, or correspondence, and we
oppose the broad violations of these principles by any government agency, including for purported purposes of
national security.
27. We defend every individual’s right to freedom from surveillance, search, or seizure unless authorized by a specific
“probable cause” warrant.
28. We believe as the head of government of the United States of America, the President and Vice President should
be elected by whomever wins the most votes nationwide.
29. We support the enactment of voting improvements that eliminate vote splitting and more accurately reflect the
preferences and will of the voters.
30. We believe state level districting, redistricting, and voter eligibility rules should be determined by a politically
neutral entity.
31. We believe in democracy. Therefore, we expect our legislators to support the legislative priorities expressed in this
document. If they are unable to support that legislation, they must not use their position to block votes without a
good rationale and consensus of Democratic legislators
as are necessary to limit the risk of any possible intrusion into software used by tally machines or of human manipulation. The most recent electoral research should be applied.
2. We believe in publicly funded candidate election campaigns, with duration limits for campaign contributions and
disbursements, to ensure democratic elections at all levels.
3. We consider some goods and services so essential to society that they must be offered and managed by the
public for general good, including, but not limited to: the internet, libraries, public utilities, highways, education,
incarceration, postal services, fire protection, police, social security, health care, and other forms of social
insurance.
4. We believe personal income should be taxed at a progressive rate so that people with lower income pay a lower
percentage of that income in tax than do those with higher income to help mitigate income inequality.
5. We believe money is not speech and government at all levels shall regulate, limit, or prohibit campaign
contributions and expenditures to restrict the influence of private or corporate wealth in the election of candidates
or passage of ballot measures. Any permissible contributions and expenditures shall be publicly disclosed.
6. We believe, in order to maintain a high level of public confidence in our voter registration databases, there should
be a separate, viewable, online, personal voter registration databases that tracks all changes to the databases and
includes tracking of all authorizations for such changes to detect wrongful manipulation.
7. We support the right of political parties to nominate candidates by means of instant-runoff voting, thereby
ensuring nominees are supported by a majority of electors.
8. We believe corporations and other purely legal entities are not granted the same rights as natural persons by the
Constitution.
9. We believe a government of the people must not be unduly influenced by special interests, corporate power,
religious beliefs, or money.
10. We believe Oregon’s corporate income tax policy currently results in an inequitable share of general fund
revenues derived from individual income taxpayers.
11. We believe corruption and conflict of interest, including but not limited to post-employment remuneration to
elected and appointed public officials, is damaging to public trust and our public institutions.
12. We are committed to protecting and ensuring our constitutional rights and freedoms, including the right to
assemble peacefully without penalty or threat of violence and to receive due process and equal treatment under
the law.
13. We believe eminent domain should never be used for the benefit of a private or corporate entity in the absence of
a clear and demonstrable public need.
14. We are committed to transparency, accountability, oversight, integrity, competence, fairness, honesty, and citizen
participation at all levels of government.
15. We support the highest level of security, accuracy, confidence, and transparency throughout the voting process
and clarity of instructions in the voters’ pamphlet.
16. We affirm the critical value of religious freedom and the principle of separation of church and state.
2018 Democratic Party of Oregon Platform 7
17. We believe elected or appointed public servants, and those employed in our government agencies, deserve
increased respect, support, and appreciation for the vital work they perform in maintaining efficient and effective
government services for the public good.
18. We support efforts to adopt a national vote by mail standard which will increase voter turnout, reduce voter
suppression, and provide secure paper trails for vote verification.
19. We believe in fair access to voting, specifically in underserved communities and communities of color. We believe
in monitoring and evaluating any possible racially motivated gerrymandering in Oregon. It is essential that
Oregon assess racial bias and thoroughly investigate purging of votes and voters in minority populations.
20. We believe in promoting nutritious food safety and security through local, state, and national level programs,
especially in this time of climate change.
21. We believe the emergence of “alternative facts” in the media erodes the integrity of governing of our democracy.
22. We believe in the freedom to vote, access to participation in our democracy, removal of barriers to participation,
debates in legislative races, and the ability to be more informed members of the electorate through vote by mail
systems. We support the right to vote enshrined in the 15th Amendment.
23. We acknowledge the contributions of the cannabis industry to the needs of the state economy and believe it
should be protected from federal intervention.
24. We support providing adequate state and federal monies for counties to compensate for the impact of lost tax
revenues related to public lands.
25. We affirm medical decisions must be made with respect for patients’ rights to privacy, and freedom to have control
over their lives based on fully informed consent.
26. We assert no one should be subjected to interference with their privacy, family, home, or correspondence, and we
oppose the broad violations of these principles by any government agency, including for purported purposes of
national security.
27. We defend every individual’s right to freedom from surveillance, search, or seizure unless authorized by a specific
“probable cause” warrant.
28. We believe as the head of government of the United States of America, the President and Vice President should
be elected by whomever wins the most votes nationwide.
29. We support the enactment of voting improvements that eliminate vote splitting and more accurately reflect the
preferences and will of the voters.
30. We believe state level districting, redistricting, and voter eligibility rules should be determined by a politically
neutral entity.
31. We believe in democracy. Therefore, we expect our legislators to support the legislative priorities expressed in this
document. If they are unable to support that legislation, they must not use their position to block votes without a
good rationale and consensus of Democratic legislators
