[3] Grattan Kerans' unusual first name was in honor of a grandfather who had been a prominent official in the Democratic Party and who had worked in the presidential administration of Franklin D.

[3] In 1969 Kerans moved to the American West, relocating to attend the University of Oregon to study political science.

[2] In November 1974, Kerans won election to the Oregon House of Representatives from Lane County, a position he continued to hold through five terms of office.

[2] In 1983, Kerans was elected by his peers as the Speaker of the House for the biennial legislative session held in that year.

[3] Finding himself outside of government for the first time in a decade, Kerans took a position as a lobbyist for the City of Eugene, holding the post for one year.

[5] In 1987, he was the lone dissenter in a 24–1 vote appointing Richard G. Reiten as the new director of the state Economic Development Department.