Press Release

Referendum #310 Signature Gathering Campaign Draws to a Close

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

CONTACT:  503.435.0141 - OFIR line –Jim Ludwick

Oregonians for Immigration Reform and Protect Oregon Driver Licenses will, at 4:00pm on Thursday, October 3, and again at 4:00pm on Friday, October 4th, be turning in signatures to the Secretary of State's office for the purpose of qualifying their citizens' referendum #301 for the Nov. 2014 ballot.

On May 1, 2013 the Governor signed SB833 into law. The new law would provide a state-issued ID in the form of a driver privilege card to people who cannot prove legal presence in the U.S., using nothing more than a matricula consular card and a utility bill.

Shortly after the bill's passage, Protect Oregon Driver Licenses filed a citizens' referendum. Chief Petitioner Rep. Sal Esquivel will be present for the signature delivery on Thursday, and Chief Petitioner OFIR VP Rick LaMountain will be present for the Friday delivery.

PODL had less than 4 months to gather the signatures of over 58,142 registered Oregon voters.

Activists from every corner of the state have volunteered hundreds of hours over the summer to collect signatures. If the signatures are accepted and verified by the Secretary of State's office, the new law will not go into effect on January 1, 2014 as scheduled, but instead, will be on the ballot of the general election in Nov. 2014.

Every effort has been made to purge the collected signatures of duplicates, unregistered voters, and other ineligible signatories. The OFIR/PODL goal is to turn in signature sheets with the highest validity rate possible.

The Oregon Legislature introduced SB833 in the Senate on April 2, held only one public hearing, sent it to the Ways and Means Committee and on to the floor of the House for a vote and the next day to the steps of the Capitol where it was signed into law -- all in less than one month.

OFIR/PODL wants Oregon voters to have the opportunity to learn about potential problems surrounding such a law, and then be given the chance to vote on the issue.