• After GOP walk outs in the legislature in 2019, 2020, and 2021 a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment disqualifying legislators from reelection passed

  • Passed with 68.3% of the vote

• The new amendment bars anyone with 10 or more unexcused legislative floor sessions from seeking reelection

• Oregon's walk out this year was the second longest in US history

  • The longest walk out in US history was in 1924 when GOP senators in Rhode Island fled to Massachusetts for six months

• 9 GOP and one independent had at least 10 absences this session

  • This was done to block bills. The walk out prevented quorum

  • Bills were held up for 6 weeks

  • In order to end the walk out 1 week before the session ended Democrats agreed to change the language on an abortion bill and a gun control bill

  • There are 12 GOP state senators

• There are 6 senators who have at least 10 absences whose term is up in January 2025 and are up for reelection in 2024

  • Sen Bill Hansell has announced he is retiring when his term ends

  • The Sens. suing to run are:

    • Tim Knopp (GOP senate leader)

    • Dennis Linthicum 

      • He has already started on a back up plan

      • His wife and chief of staff also filed to run for the same seat

    • Lynn Findlley

    • Daniel Bonham (not up until 2026)

    • Suzanne Weber (not up until 2026)

• Thursday was the first day for candidates to file with the Oregon Secretary of State

  • They have until March to file

• GOP Sen Leader Tim Knopp, who lead the walk out and has more than 10 absences, went to the election office and submitted the candidate filing form for the 2024 primary election

• Knopp and other lawmakers who walked out insist the amendment was written in a way where they can seek another term

  • The amendment says the lawmaker is not allowed to run “for the term following the election after the member’s current term is completed.”

    • They argue that since their current term ends in January 2025 but the election is in November 2024.

    • They argue that the penalty wouldn't take effect until after they have served another term so they would be able to run in 2024 but not 2028

• The Oregon Secretary of State disagrees

  • Announcing on Aug 8 that senators with 10 or more unexcused absences are disqualified from running in the 2024

• There is an ongoing court case

  • Several of the affected senators and attorneys for the state have asked the state supreme court for a quick resolution

    • They do agree on one thing. They need a quick answer

    • The court will decide whether to take the case, bypassing the state court of appeals by Sept 29

    • Both sides have agreed on a briefing schedule that would allow for oral arguments by Dec 8

PC: AP and Knopp's Campaign site