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VICTORY: Oregon Fusion.

July 19, 2009

When Oregon Governor Ted Kulogonski signed the 'fusion' bill, he made history. It marked the first time in one hundred years that any state had restored fusion (also known as "cross-endorsement" and ''open ballot" voting in parts of the country) to the voting system.

Fusion is a simple reform. Under a 'fusion' system, two (or more) parties may endorse the same candidate. The candidate appears on the ballot as the nominee of both parties. All candidates' votes from all parties are added together to determine the winner.

Throughout the early part of American history, cross-endorsement was a common way for disenfranchised communities, like Western farmers and Eastern industrial workers to make their voices heard. The Progressive Party, the Grange Party, the Free Soil Party, and the American Labor party all used this system to inject their issues into the mainstream political debate and demonstrate support for their ideas. Across the nation, many candidates were elected to office as the nominee of two parties.

After William Jennings Bryan narrowly lost the Presidency in 1896 as the nominee of the Democratic and Populist parties, elites and business interests sought to ban the practice. And they succeeded in most of the country. Fusion remain legal in a mere handful of states today.

But now, this old idea is timely again. Fusion gives voters more information and increases participation, especially among down-ballot races, it helps disenfranchised communities inject ideas into the mainstream, and it makes it easier to hold politicians accountable. And under the leadership of PAF's National Open Ballot Project there's a growing movement behind bringing fusion back,

In 2007, Connecticut expanded and improved it's fusion laws. And now, Oregon has become the first state in a century to reverse the ban. It's an exciting victory. We'll keep spreading the word.