In a press release today, Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade addressed the ongoing effort to remove former President Donald Trump from the Oregon presidential primaries. Emphasizing adherence to established procedures, Griffin-Valade declared that she will not exercise authority to remove Trump from the ballot for the Oregon Republican Party primary.
“Oregon law does not give me the authority to determine the qualifications of candidates in a presidential primary,” asserted Secretary Griffin-Valade. “I will follow our usual process and expect to put Donald Trump on the primary ballot unless a court directs me otherwise.”
The former President’s eligibility has been a focal point in national media, prompting a surge in Oregon voter engagement on the matter. Griffin-Valade acknowledged the public interest, noting the significant volume of inquiries received by her office.
“In recent months, scholars and advocates have argued that, as a result of his role in the January 6 insurrection, Donald Trump is barred from serving as President under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In light of this controversy, you ask whether you should omit him from the upcoming presidential primary ballot. We conclude that Oregon law does not charge the Secretary of State with determining whether a major party candidate in a presidential primary election will be qualified to serve as President if ultimately elected.” – Benjamin Gutman, Oregon Solicitor General
Presidential primary elections in Oregon are unique in that they operate differently from other elections where the Secretary possesses the authority to disqualify candidates. In the presidential primary context, voters express their preferences to party delegates who ultimately select a nominee at the party’s nominating convention, rather than directly determining who will appear on the general election ballot.
Legal counsel from the Oregon Department of Justice has affirmed that the Secretary lacks the authority to disqualify a candidate in a presidential primary. This limitation arises from the absence of a defined set of qualifications for candidates considered at a party nominating convention.
Secretary Griffin-Valade clarified that her decision exclusively pertains to the primary election and does not influence the November general election. “I understand that people want to skip to the end of this story. But right now, we don’t even know who the nominee will be,” she added. “When the general election comes, we’ll follow the law and be completely transparent with our reasoning.”
As the debate on Trump’s eligibility continues, Secretary Griffin-Valade’s remarks the state is committed to procedural adherence underscores the importance of established frameworks in the electoral process, maintaining transparency and legal integrity.
Source: State of Oregon
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