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Vote Yes on Measure 115

The Source opinion

The Source Editorial Board Sep 25, 2024 13:00 PM
SW

Vote Yes on Measure 115

Right now, Oregon is the only state that doesn't grant the state legislature the power to impeach the governor. Measure 115 would change that, amending the state Constitution to allow legislators, by a two-thirds majority, to impeach and to also remove executive branch officials, including the secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, governor and Bureau of Labor and Industries commissioner. If state officials engage in behavior that is clearly "malfeasance or corrupt conduct in office, willful neglect of statutory or constitutional duty or other felony or high crime," there should be a way to remove them, beyond them resigning themselves. With the requirement of a two-thirds majority, it would be rare to see this used in a partisan manner. (Even during the recent supermajority by Democrats, that party held 37 of 60 seats in the state House and 18 of 30 seats in the state Senate.) In other words, even if a supermajority should happen again, they'd need support from the other party to impeach someone. Vote Yes on Measure 115.