Oregon eyes 14 names for presidential primary ballot

Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins released a preliminary list Tuesday of three Democratic and 11 Republican presidential candidates expected to appear on the ballots for the May primary election.

Oregon law gives the Secretary full discretion to place names on the ballot. Candidates who are not placed on the ballot by the Secretary have the opportunity to petition for inclusion by gathering signatures of 1,000 party members in each of five Oregon Congressional districts

“The upcoming election cycle is shaping up to be dynamic and exciting for Oregon voters,” Atkins said. “As with any election, I encourage Oregonians to educate themselves on their choices and engage in the democratic process. Every Oregon voice should be heard at the ballot box.”

Atkins noted that there are an unusually large number of candidates actively campaigning this presidential election year, as compared to previous election cycles.

“It was my judgment that all candidates who continue to receive support from a minimum of 1 percent of party voters, as reflected in national tracking polls, should have the opportunity to be placed before Oregonians,” Atkins said.

The preliminary lists are as follows, in alphabetical order:

Democratic candidates : Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders

Republican candidates : Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum, Donald Trump

Atkinssaid she will issue a final list of candidates once Oregon’s March 8 candidate filing deadline has passed.

State elections staff will communicate relevant filing requirements and deadlines to those candidates named above. Names will be removed from the list if a candidate suspends their campaign or otherwise publicly announces that they are no longer running for President in the 2016 election.

If additional candidates submit appropriate petition documents, they will also be placed on the ballot.

Oregonians who wish to vote for a candidate in the Democratic or Republican Primary, to be held May 17, must be registered with said party. Voters are able to register to vote or change their party affiliation up to three weeks before an election. More information on voting and a link to register to vote online can be found here: