Ore. secretary of state rules on presidential ballot spots

Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne P. Atkins announced Fri day that Oregon law does not require candidates for president to be declared members of the political party for which they seek to be nominated.

Under Oregon law, a candidate for president can be listed on the primary ballot if the secretary of state determines that the person’s candidacy is “generally advocated or is recognized in national news media,” or if the candidate obtains sufficient signatures on a nominating petition from voters throughout Oregon.

As in past presidential elections, Atkins will announce a preliminary list of candidates who meet the requirement of being generally advocated or recognized in the national media. The preliminary list will be announced Tuesday , Jan. 5, 2016.

Friday’s statement was in response to inquiries by the media and others regarding the candidacy of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is not a registered member of a political party in his home state of Vermont but who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.