545.007 Voting rights

(1) In any matter requiring or allowing a vote of the owners of land or the electors of a district:

(a) If ownership is in estates by the entirety, tenants in common, or in other cases of multiple ownership, only one vote shall be allowed on behalf of all the owners under each multiple ownership. The vote may be cast by any one of the multiple owners. When two or more persons attempt to cast a vote under this paragraph, only the vote of the person who first casts a vote shall be counted.

(b) Any corporation may vote as a single owner of land through any officer or agent when the officer or agent is authorized to vote by the corporation and the written authorization is filed with the secretary of the board of directors of the district.

(c) Any general partnership, limited partnership or limited liability company may vote as a single owner of land through any general partner, member or agent when the general partner, member or agent is authorized to vote by the entity and written evidence of the authority of the general partner, member or agent is filed with the secretary of the board of directors of the district.

(d) Any trustee of a trust, guardian, administrator or executor authorized to act as such of a person or estate owning land within the district shall be considered an owner of land for the purposes of the Irrigation District Law, when the owner in fee is not otherwise entitled to vote.

(e) An owner of land or elector may vote according to the total amount of acreage within the district owned by the owner or elector that is subject to the charges or assessments of the district on the basis of:

(A) One vote for up to 40 acres;

(B) Two votes for 40 acres or more but not more than 160 acres; and

(C) Three votes for more than 160 acres.

(f) When a district is divided into divisions under ORS 545.033 (Naming and division of districts) or 545.207 (Redivision of district upon increase in directors) and voting is by the qualified electors within a division for a director from that division, an elector who is permitted under ORS 545.207 (Redivision of district upon increase in directors) to vote in that division may cast the number of votes under subsection (1)(e) of this section that represents the total amount of eligible acreage owned by the elector within the whole district.

(2) The weighted voting provisions of subsection (1)(e) of this section do not apply in an election for the formation of a district and for its initial board of directors under ORS 545.041 (Conduct of election) and 545.043 (Qualifications of directors) (1). In such an election, each owner of land is entitled to cast one vote. [1995 c.42 §3; 1995 c.754 §3; 1999 c.452 §4]

Source: Section 545.007 — Voting rights , https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors545.­html (accessed May 26, 2025).