Abstract
On November 8, 1994 Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass legislation allowing terminally ill patients to end their own lives with the assistance of a physician. Ballot Measure 16, the Death with Dignity Act, removes criminal penalties for assisting a terminally ill suicide, but does not allow lethal injection. In August 1995, U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan ruled the Death with Dignity Act violates the equal protection clause ofthe 14th Amendment. The ruling is being appealed. This paper investigates electoral voting patterns regarding Measure 16 in the 36 Oregon counties. It explores the relationships between votes cast opposing Measure 16, votes cast for the Republican party, percentage of a county's population in a church opposing assisted suicide, and voters' geographic location in the state. Most of the variability of Measure 16 returns can be explained by Oregon's 1992 Republican presidential vote.
Recommended Citation
O'Reilly, Kathleen
(1997)
"The Electoral Geography ofOregon's Ballot Measure 16:The Death with Dignity Act,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 39:
Iss.
2, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol39/iss2/2