ORS 248.006: Qualification and maintenance of status as major political party; loss of status as major political party; calculation of number of party members.

(1) An affiliation of electors becomes a major political party in this state and is qualified to make nominations at a primary election when a number of electors equal to at least 10 percent of the number of electors registered in this state are registered as members of the party not later than the 275th day before the date of a primary election. An affiliation of electors satisfying the requirements of this subsection shall be subject to the provisions of ORS 248.007 on the date the Secretary of State determines the registration requirements are satisfied. (2) The number of electors described in subsection (1) of this section shall be calculated based on the number of electors registered in this state and eligible to vote, as reported on the official abstracts of the election, at the general election immediately preceding the deadline specified in subsection (1) of this section. (3) After an affiliation of electors becomes a major political party under subsection (1) of this section, in order to maintain status as a major political party subject to ORS 248.007, the party must satisfy the registration requirement of subsection (1) of this section not later than the 275th day before each primary election. (4) An affiliation of electors ceases to be a major political party if the registration requirements of subsection (1) of this section are not satisfied by the 275th day before each primary election. The affiliation of electors ceases to be a major political party on the date the Secretary of State determines that the registration requirement is not satisfied. (5) When an affiliation of electors has not satisfied the registration requirement of subsection (1) of this section for the first time, at the request of a representative of the affiliation of electors, the Secretary of State shall determine not less than once each month whether at least 10 percent of the number of eligible electors registered in this state are registered as members of the party. After an affiliation of electors has qualified as a major political party, the Secretary of State shall determine on the 271st day before each primary election whether the major political party has satisfied the registration requirements described in subsection (3) of this section. [1979 c.190 §69; 1993 c.797 §1; 1995 c.712 §14; 2001 c.721 §1; 2017 c.749 §6; 2025 c.514 §1]