WASHINGTON — Franking — the privilege that allows members of Congress to send mail as part of their official business with taxpayers footing the bill — may be dropping off in the face of electronic communication, but it is still used by members, particularly during election years.

Since the start of 2010, the current members of the House of Representatives from Oregon have incurred more than $774,000 in costs for mass mailings, electronic newsletters, automated calls and certain newspaper ads, all of which are covered by the franking privilege. More than two-thirds of the total spending — 68 percent — occurred during election years, according to The Bulletin’s analysis of congressional records.

The tradition dates back to 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized its members to send mail with their own signature serving as postage. Since then, the practice has been reformed and refined, but members of Congress continue to enjoy the ability to send certain types of mail at no cost.

Franked communications are not allowed to include campaign materials, and each mass mailing or other communication must be preapproved by a panel of other members of Congress to make sure it is suitable. Nevertheless, the language that incumbents use to keep their constituents up to date on various issues often strikes a self-congratulatory tone.

“Farm bill programs have a large impact on our rural communities, and I am pleased that Congress has finally acted to provide certainty to our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities where economies rely on a thriving agricultural activity,” Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, wrote in a franked letter to constituents in February.

“In April, I introduced two bills that will lower healthcare costs for veterans, make it easier for veterans to get help from the Veterans Administration (VA) Healthcare System, and prevent older veterans from unexpected out-of-pocket healthcare costs,” Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield, wrote in a newsletter in 2012.

Franked material is not allowed within 90 days of a primary or general election. The current blackout before November’s election began Aug. 6.

Senators are limited to $50,000 per term of Congress, while House members deduct their franking costs from the funds they are given to maintain their offices.

Oregon’s senators almost never use their franking privilege. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., hasn’t used it since 2001, when he sent a mass mailing to 662 Oregon business people. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has not used it at all since he took office in 2009, according to Senate records.

The practice is more widespread among House members. In 2012, House members spent $30.3 million on franked materials, and an additional $20.9 million last year. This is far from the peak of $113.4 million in 1988, but still accounted for more than 1.1 billion pieces of mass communication in 2012.

Since 2010, DeFazio has incurred the most franking expenses in the Oregon delegation at $314,290, with 60 percent coming during election years. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, has the next highest total at $196,102, with 72 percent incurred during election years.

Walden’s total is $161,925, and 69 percent came during election years. At $47,233, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Portland, had the lowest overall total in the Oregon delegation, but he also had the highest percentage — 92 percent — during election years.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Beaverton, has only been in office since 2012, and since then has incurred $54,857 in franking expenses, 75 percent in election years.

In today’s social-media driven environment, where many people can be reached via email on their cellphones, mass mailings still remain an effective way of reaching a targeted group of voters, said Jim Moore, an assistant professor of politics and government at Pacific University in Forest Grove.

“It does reach the people who you want to reach, because the people who read these pieces of mail are going to be older, and older people vote,” Moore said. “On the other side of the coin, the franked mass mailings, even though they’re not campaign literature, look exactly like campaign literature,” and may get tossed directly into the recycling bin without a second thought, he said.

“It’s very hard to differentiate a mass-mailing franked from your member of Congress to someone trying to sell you a new mortgage,” he said.

While politicians are becoming more adroit at reaching voters through email and other electronic means, digital communications have not made franked mass mailings obsolete, Moore said.

“There’s definitely a shift towards electronic (communications), but there’s no way it replaces actual mail,” he said. “With the franking privilege, at least you get an envelope or something that’s going to catch your reader’s eye, whereas in email you get a subject line.”

— Reporter: 202-662-7456, aclevenger@bendbulletin.com