Timing blocks some, but not all, Oregon legislative candidates from getting an early start on 2025

Reps. Khanh Pham, D-Portland, and David Gomberg, D-Otis, and Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, take questions during a press conference on June 6, 2023. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Deadlines in state law won’t let one pair of uncontested legislative candidates from Portland get a head start on the 2025 session, but another Portland legislative candidate might. 

Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, announced this summer that he planned to retire from the Legislature more than three months ahead of schedule to give his presumptive successor, Rep. Khanh Pham, an early start on the session. That, in turn, would enable Pham’s presumptive successor in the House, Willy Chotzen, to also be appointed early. Neither Pham nor Chotzen have opponents in the general election.

Dembrow planned to retire Sept. 30. But this week, after attorneys with the Department of Justice took a closer look at state law governing appointments, he learned that the plan wouldn’t work, he said in his regular newsletter to constituents.

Under state law, county commissioners appoint replacement lawmakers when a representative or senator dies, is recalled or resigns. Those appointed lawmakers need to live in the same district and be a member of the same political party as the prior lawmaker, and county boards draw from a list of three to five nominees selected by precinct committee persons, the elected local party officials who vote on party business. 

But that law only applies if a vacancy occurs at least 61 days before a general election – otherwise, the seat remains vacant until after the election.

“Leaving the seat unrepresented is not an option for me, so it looks as if my time in the Legislature will continue for another few months (until Khanh is sworn in on January 13th),” Dembrow wrote in his newsletter. 

While the timing prevents a domino of appointments in southeast Portland legislative districts, the Democratic nominee for a state House seat in downtown and northwest Portland might get an early start on her legislative work. Incumbent Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Portland, resigned Aug. 30 – 67 days before the election – for the same reason Dembrow gave: She wanted to give her successor as much time to prepare as possible.

Democrats in the 33rd House District met this week to nominate Shannon Jones Isadore, who won the Democratic primary in May. Isadore, the CEO of the Oregon Change Clinic, faces token opposition in the November general election from Republican Stan Baumhofer and Libertarian Thomas Busse. 

Because local Democratic precinct committee persons only nominated Isadore, county commissioners in Washington and Multnomah counties can look at other candidates. They haven’t yet scheduled their meeting to appoint a new representative, but it’s not expected until later this month, after several days of legislative committee meetings next week.