Voters’ guide controversy: "Yes" invades "no" on tax measures

SALEM, Ore. - It’s not a misprint.

The "Vote Yes for Oregon" campaign that’s in support of tax increases on higher wage earners and on corporations intentionally printed two arguments in the section of the voters’ pamphlet reserved for the other point of view, and this has some people outraged that Oregon’s secretary of state would allow it.

When asked why the organization did it, Scott Moore, spokesman for "Vote Yes for Oregon" on Measures 66 and 67 said: "There are people that think they are automatically supposed to vote ‘no’."

He said the arguments in opposition - those against raising taxes - are full of misinformation, and he said his organization is not creating confusion by printing the "yes" arguments in the "no" section.

"We are clearing up the confusion by laying out the facts as direct as possible by making sure the people who read the ‘no’ side get clear information," Moore said.

Oregon Republican Chairman Bob Tiernan said Secretary of State Kate Brown is hurting and confusing voters by allowing these "yes" arguments to be printed on the other’s side in the voters’ pamphlet.

"This is clearly shenanigans by the other side, and the secretary of state is saying, ‘I can’t do anything about it?’ Well, that’s your (Brown’s) job!"

He said it could change people’s vote. "I think it will confuse people," Tiernan said.

According to the secretary of state’s office, under state law it can’t keep someone from printing their argument on the opposing side because it would infringe on their freedom of speech.