Socialist Party of Oregon
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| Socialist Party of Oregon | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Party Chairman | Michael C. Marino |
| Senate Leader | None |
| House Leader | None |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Portland |
| Political ideology | Democratic socialism |
| Political position | Fiscal: Social: |
| International affiliation | none |
| Colour(s) | Red and Black |
| Website | thesocialistparty.org |
The Socialist Party of Oregon (SPO) is a minor political party in the U.S. state of Oregon affiliated with the Socialist Party U.S.A. (SPUSA).[1] As of November 2006, the party was recognized by the Oregon State Elections Division as a "less than statewide" nominating party, having failed to retain certification outside of Oregon's Third Congressional District.[2] Party organizers have announced a plan to expand ballot access in other areas of the state by circulating petitions to qualify for nominating privileges in individual state house districts.[3]
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[edit] History
The Socialist Party of Oregon traces its origins to the Social Democratic Party. Eugene V. Debs and Job Harriman gained 1.76% of the presidential vote in Oregon during the 1900 election.[4] The Oregon state party was then founded cotemperaneously with the original Socialist Party of America in 1901. Debs and Benjamin Hanford appeared on the ballot as Socialists in the 1904 presidential election receiving approximately 8.5% of the vote.[4]
The party continued to field candidates for public office throughout the first three decades of the 20th century. The party lost the ability to place candidates on the ballot as "Socialist Party" candidates in the 1940s. Norman Thomas ran for President variously as an 'independent' or as an 'Independent Socialist Principles' in the 1940s. The party did not field Socialist candidates until nearly a half century later, and effectively ceased to exist as an association of electors mid 20th century.
The party was re-organized in 1992 by at-large members of SPUSA (including 2004 Presidential candidate Walt Brown and others) and is recognized as both an activist organization and an electoral vehicle. The Socialist Party of Oregon was a supporter early on of the Health Care for All-Oregon ballot measure, a participant in the successful unionizing effort at Powell's, a continuing presence in the peace movement, and Oregon's electoral arm for democratic socialist electoral politics. The party has, since reforming, been both a state recognized association of electors and a dues paying membership organization.
The party regained electoral ballot status through acquisition of ballot lines previously held by others; the No Sales Tax Party was acquired circa 1994 (changing its name to the Socialist Party thereafter) and the Representative Party was acquired in the same year (also changing its name). In 1995, the ballot line of the New Alliance Party was acquired, giving the Socialist Party of Oregon statewide minor party status. The Socialist Party has run candidates for partisan office regularly since that time although in 1998, the party failed to achieve 1% of the state wide vote under then existing state election law, and lost statewide ballot access.[5]
The Party has achieved a few recent electoral successes (although has not won a partisan elective office since re-organization):
- Bill Smaldone, elected to Salem City Council, 1998
- Michael C. Marino, elected to Northwest District Association, 1998-2004, 2006-present
- Ballot measure to remove white supremacist language from Oregon Constitution (referred to as the "White Out Act"), 2002, carried by Oregon voters
[edit] Structure
The Socialist Party of Oregon (minor political party), currently occupying a small but densely-populated geographical area, has no "chapters" or other subdivisions. Despite its small size, it maintains a bicameral system in order to take advantage of asymmetric strategy.
The officers and members overlap with the SPUSA affiliate, which is unicameral and has Locals throughout the state, most of them in or near the Willamette Valley.
[edit] References
- ^ State and Local Organizations: Oregon (HTML). Socialist Party USA (Official website). New York, NY: Socialist Party USA (2008). Retrieved on 2008-02-11.
- ^ Political Parties in Oregon (PDF). Salem, Oregon: Elections Division, Oregon Secretary of State (November 29, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-19.
- ^ Maximova, Alexandra (Autumn 2006). Losing Ballot Access – And Getting it Back! (PDF). Oregon Socialist. Portland, Oregon: Socialist Party of Oregon. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.
- ^ a b US Election Atlas.
- ^ Abstract of vote
