ABSTRACT
The participation rate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) varies significantly among states. In 2018, the national participation rate was 82%, and only three states (Delaware, Illinois and Oregon) enrolled all eligible households in the program. This article investigates the causes behind Oregon’s success in reaching a 100% SNAP participation rate starting in 2009 and maintaining this percentage till the present time. A combination of policy, political, administrative, governance and demographic variables have all contributed to making Oregon a national leader in SNAP participation rates.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. Governor Kitzhaber was Oregon’s longest-serving governor, having served as the state’s 35th and 37th governor between 1995 and 2015. The fact that he was the only governor in the state to be elected for a fourth term made his fourth inaugural speech “historic..”