Oregon Supreme Court Expects to Release Decision on Nick Kristof’s Ballot Eligibility Feb. 17

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan disqualified the Democratic candidate for governor Jan. 6.

Nicholas Kristof on his Oregon Farm Nicholas Kristof on his farm in Yamhill, Oregon, September 11, 2021. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Center for Creative Photography/University of Arizona) (David Hume Kennerly)

By Nigel Jaquiss

The Oregon Supreme Court this morning posted notice that it plans to release its ruling Feb. 17 whether Democratic candidate Nicholas Kristof will appear on the May primary ballot.

Kristof appealed to the state Supreme Court after Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, a fellow Democrat and the state’s top elections official, notified Kristof on Jan. 6 that he did not meet the three-year residency requirement for gubernatorial candidates. Her ruling turned on the fact, first reported by WW, that Kristof voted in New York in November 2020.

The former New York Times journalist, who grew up in Yamhill, maintained a home in Westchester County, New York, for most of the past 20 years and sent his three children to school there. He argued, however, that because he’d owned property in Yamhill County since the 1990s, spent chunks of nearly every year here, and had always considered himself an Oregonian, even when living in other places, that he did meet the residency requirement.

In fundraising, Kristof, a first-time candidate, has far outpaced his two leading rivals for the Democratic nomination, former House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland) and current State Treasurer Tobias Read. He’s raised $2.75 million, more than the other two combined. That won’t matter if the court upholds Fagan’s ruling.

The court began considering Kristof’s appeal of Fagan’s decision after final briefings on Kristof’s appeal concluded Jan. 29. It will release the ruling by 8:30 tomorrow morning.

At Willamette Week, we are committed to producing high-quality journalism that informs, educates, and engages our readers. Our journalism is funded, in part, by our readers, who support us through their subscriptions, contributions, and other means. We deeply appreciate this support, which enables us to continue providing independent and objective reporting on the issues that matter most to our community. Thank you for being a part of our mission to keep our readers informed and connected. Support WW's journalism.