Walker v. Oregon
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
2010 WL 1224235 (2010)

- Written by Joe Cox, JD
Facts
The state of Oregon (defendant) mandated that paid ballot-initiative petition circulators register with the state, obtain permits, and complete required training. Those paid circulators also were required to utilize colored signature sheets, and their sponsors were required to maintain documents including employment contracts, training materials or employment manuals, payroll records, and signature sheets. Russ Walker (plaintiff) filed suit alleging that these requirements, as impermissible restrictions on freedom of political speech, did not pass constitutional muster. The state argued that even if some impingement on free-speech rights had occurred, the consideration of such rights should proceed under a standard less demanding than strict scrutiny. In essence, the state argued that the requirements were content neutral and were related to Oregon’s legitimate interest in banning the per-signature payment of paid petition circulators. The parties brought cross-motions for summary judgment.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Hogan, J.)
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