IPO Secretary Sal Peralta reports that he contacted the secretary of state's office on Monday to get a check on the party's registration numbers in preparation for testimony on the Motor Voter bill. The secretary of state's staff informed him that the IPO has 108,744 members as of February 2, 2015. That is 6 members over the 5 percent threshhold for major party status.

The IPO has asked the secretary of state for a determination of major party status. It is unclear if Secretary of State Kate Brown (D) will be willing to make this determination prior to August 2015, as that is the last day major party status must be determined to be included in the 2016 primary.

Major party status means that the IPO candidates will be on the May 2016 primary ballot and in the primary voters pamphlets along with Republicans and Democrats. But major party status also comes with some obligations, both legal and moral.

Following is the release from the IPO:

Sal Peralta, IPO Secretary503.437.2833 Feb. 2 – SALEM – The Independent Party of Oregon has reached the membership requirement to achieve major party status, joining the Democratic Party and Republican Party as just the third major political party in Oregon history. Under Oregon law, a political party becomes a “major” party when it’s membership is equal to 5% of the number of voters eligible to vote at the most recent general election. According to the Secretary of State’s office, IPO membership now stands at 108,744. That is six more members than the number of voters required. “We will be contacting the Secretary’s office shortly requesting that they make a formal determination that the party has met the statutory requirement,” said party secretary, Sal Peralta.

This article originally published on OregonOutpost.com on February 2, 2015, and has been edited for publication on IVN.

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