April 03, 2003
Legislatures and Sessions
Well, it looks like the basic nut is that Oregon State Law doesn't specifically disallow preference voting, but that state election officials are unwilling to say these voting methods are allowed because state law doesn't explicitly allow them.There was a lot of work done on this in 2001 and 2002 with a recommendation that a law be passed in the 2003 session, but no one got around to lobbying the legislature. My rep says it is too late to introduce in the 2003 session, which convened in January. Sessions last about six months and are biennial.
Which is a bummer because while I don't know much about it yet, it looks like the next chance to clarify this would be in 2005, for passage on 1/1/2006. I don't see the point; by then Saddam Hussein will be president and IRV will be the last thing on our minds. ;-)