(1)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, not sooner than the 120th day and not later than the 68th day before the primary election, a candidate or agent on behalf of the candidate for nomination or election at the primary election to the office of President or Vice President of the United States, United States Senator, Representative in Congress or a state office as defined in ORS 249.002 may file with the Secretary of State a portrait of the candidate and a statement of the reasons the candidate should be nominated or elected. A candidate or agent on behalf of the candidate for nomination or election to a county or city office, or to an elected office of a metropolitan service district organized under ORS chapter 268, may file a portrait and statement under this subsection if permitted under ORS 251.067.
(b) A portrait and statement may be filed not later than the 63rd day before the primary election in the event of a vacancy described in ORS 249.037 (2).
(2) Not sooner than the 120th day and not later than the 70th day before the general election, a candidate or agent on behalf of the candidate for election at the general election to the office of President or Vice President of the United States, United States Senator, Representative in Congress or a state office as defined in ORS 249.002 may file with the Secretary of State a portrait of the candidate and a statement of the reasons the candidate should be elected. A candidate or agent on behalf of the candidate for election to a county or city office, or to an elected office of a metropolitan service district organized under ORS chapter 268, may file a portrait and statement under this subsection if permitted under ORS 251.067.
(3) In the case of a special election to fill a vacancy as described in ORS 251.022, the Secretary of State by rule shall set the deadline for filing with the secretary a portrait of the candidate and a statement of the reasons the candidate should be nominated or elected.
(4) All portraits and statements described in this section must be filed using the electronic filing system adopted by the Secretary of State under ORS 251.014.
(5) Subject to the requirements of this section, the Secretary of State by rule shall establish the format of the statements permitted under this section.
(6) A portrait or statement filed under this section must be accompanied by a telephone or electronic facsimile transmission machine number where the candidate may be contacted for purposes of ORS 251.087.