Lane County is governed by a Home Rule Charter that establishes how the local county government operates. It can only be changed by a countywide vote. Every 10 years, a committee of residents is appointed to review the Lane County Charter and suggest changes to the Board of County Commissioners.
This year, a committee of seven residents is reviewing the Charter. Committee members have created a survey to help them learn more about the priorities of residents.
The survey is available at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/CharterReviewCommittee or scan the attached QR code.
The survey asks residents to weigh in on commissioner districts, local campaign finance limits, and more; it also includes opportunities to provide open-ended suggestions.
Past Home Rule Charter amendments recommended by a committee and approved by voters include reducing county commissioner terms from six years to four in 1972; required review of commissioner district boundaries every 10 years in 1982; and allowing more flexibility in County structure to provide services across departments in 2010.
The current Home Rule Charter is available online.
More about the Home Rule Charter
A 1958 amendment to the Oregon Constitution reserved the right for voters to adopt charters prescribing how their county governments should be organized, what powers they should have, and what procedure they should follow in administering county affairs. The Home Rule Charter for Lane County was approved by voters in 1962.