Oregon's fifty-first state house district is represented by Democratic Representative Janelle Bynum.

Oregon state representatives represent an average of 63,851 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 57,023 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Oregon House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Oregon legislators assume office the second Monday in January.

Qualifications

Article 4, Section 8 of the Oregon Constitution states:

• No person shall be a Senator or Representative who at the time of election is not a citizen of the United States; nor anyone who has not been for one year next preceding the election an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen. However, for purposes of the general election next following the operative date of an apportionment under section 6 of this Article, the person must have been an inhabitant of the district from January 1 of the year following the reapportionment to the date of the election.
• Senators and Representatives shall be at least twenty one years of age.
• No person shall be a Senator or Representative who has been convicted of a felony during:
  • The term of office of the person as a Senator or Representative; or
  • The period beginning on the date of the election at which the person was elected to the office of Senator or Representative and ending on the first day of the term of office to which the person was elected.
• No person is eligible to be elected as a Senator or Representative if that person has been convicted of a felony and has not completed the sentence received for the conviction prior to the date that person would take office if elected. As used in this subsection, “sentence received for the conviction” includes a term of imprisonment, any period of probation or post-prison supervision and payment of a monetary obligation imposed as all or part of a sentence.
• Notwithstanding sections 11 and 15, Article IV of this Constitution:
  • The office of a Senator or Representative convicted of a felony during the term to which the Senator or Representative was elected or appointed shall become vacant on the date the Senator or Representative is convicted.
  • A person elected to the office of Senator or Representative and convicted of a felony during the period beginning on the date of the election and ending on the first day of the term of office to which the person was elected shall be ineligible to take office and the office shall become vacant on the first day of the next term of office.
• Subject to subsection (4) of this section, a person who is ineligible to be a Senator or Representative under subsection (3) of this section may:
  • Be a Senator or Representative after the expiration of the term of office during which the person is ineligible; and
  • Be a candidate for the office of Senator or Representative prior to the expiration of the term of office during which the person is ineligible.
• No person shall be a Senator or Representative who at all times during the term of office of the person as a Senator or Representative is not an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen or has been appointed to represent. A person shall not lose status as an inhabitant of a district if the person is absent from the district for purposes of business of the Legislative Assembly. Following the operative date of an apportionment under section 6 of this Article, until the expiration of the term of office of the person, a person may be an inhabitant of any district.

Salaries

The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate receive twice as much salary as other legislators. These salaries have been determined by statute.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the House, the Board of County Commissioners representing the vacant seat must select a replacement. This can only be done when the Legislature is in session or the vacancy happens more than 61 days before the next scheduled general election. The board must select a person from the political party that last held the vacant seat. Three candidates who are members of the party that last controlled the seat must be considered by the board. A replacement must be selected within 30 days of the vacancy. The person selected to fill the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Oregon House of Representatives will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for May 19, 2020. The filing deadline is March 10, 2020.

2018

2016

Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 17, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 8, 2016. Incumbent Shemia Fagan (D) did not seek re-election.

Janelle Bynum defeated Lori Chavez-DeRemer in the Oregon House of Representatives District 51 general election.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 51 General Election, 2016

Janelle Bynum defeated Randy Shannon in the Oregon House of Representatives District 51 Democratic primary.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 51 Democratic Primary, 2016

Lori Chavez-DeRemer ran unopposed in the Oregon House of Representatives District 51 Republican primary.

This district was included in the Republican State Leadership Committee's list of "16 in '16: Races to Watch." Read more »
This district was included in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's list of "2016 Essential Races." Read more »

2014

Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2014. Incumbent Shemia Fagan was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Jodi Bailey defeated Brandon Miles in the Republican primary. Bailey ran on the Libertarian party and Independent tickets and Fagan ran on the Working Families Party ticket. Fagan defeated Bailey in the general election.

Oregon House of Representatives District 51, General Election, 2014

Oregon House of Representatives, District 51 Republican Primary, 2014

2012

Elections for the office of Oregon House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on May 15, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 6, 2012. Shemia Fagan (D) defeated incumbent Patrick Sheehan (R) in the general election. Neither candidate faced opposition in their primary.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 51, General Election, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2012 to 2016, candidates for Oregon House of Representatives District 51 raised a total of $4,439,741. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $554,968 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Oregon House of Representatives District 51