Roy Wallace Ritner (February 13, 1876 – December 3, 1942) was an American politician and farmer from Pendleton, Oregon.

Ritner was also a successful wheat farmer and served as the business manager for the Pendleton Round-Up for many years.

In California, he organized pack trains to and from gold mining areas for the Wells Fargo Company before moving to Oregon.

While he lost the vote for clerk, the experience of working at the legislature aroused a lifelong interest in state government.

Therefore, Ritner and Hinkle both advanced to the general election while Umatilla County Democrats nominated H. J. Taylor and A. W. Simmons for the two district 23 seats.

After the general election, he helped secure support from other House members before the legislative session began.

[21][25] Ritner took his seat in Oregon's House of Representatives when the legislative session began on January 8.

[26][27] In early 1918, Ritner announced he would run for the Oregon State Senate's District 20 seat, representing Umatilla County.

[28][29] By 1918, the United States had entered World War I. Ritner had been active in the local Red Cross chapter for a number of years.

Shortly after filing for the state senate seat, Ritner volunteered for an unpaid Red Cross position serving on the front line in France.

[1][32][33][34] Ritner returned from France just in time to join the 1919 legislative session, which began on January 13.

He was also a member of the federal relations, game, military affairs, public lands, and resolutions committees.

[38][39] Since Oregon's state senators served four-year terms, Ritner did not have to run for re-election prior to the 1921 legislative session.

Six months before the 1921 legislative session began, Ritner was an announced candidate for senate president.

Prior to the session, Ritner met with fellow senators, actively seeking their support.

However, half of the incumbent senators were running for re-election and some were unwilling to officially announce their support until after the general election.

[43][44][45] At the close of the legislative session, fellow senators praised Ritner for his fairness and impartiality.

In recognition of his service, his senate peers presented him with a diamond ring bearing the image of the Oregon state capitol.

[46] Later that year, Ritner presided over the senate during a special legislative session that began on December 19.

[47] In late November 1922, as his two-year term as senate president was coming to an end, Ritner became acting governor for 35 days.

[48][49][50][51] As he ended his two-year stint as president of the state senate, Ritner announced he would run for re-election in Umatilla County.

[56][57] Due to his four-year term, Ritner did not have to run for re-election prior to the 1925 legislative session.

Ritner served as temporary chairman of the senate while the chamber was organized, and officers were elected.

[66] After losing the election, Ritner returned to his Umatilla County farm and continued his civic work in the Pendleton area.

In 1928, Ritner decided to run against the incumbent Democrat, Joseph Scott, for the District 22 House seat.

[67][68][69] However, Ritner withdrew from the state House race at the last minute when Congressman Nicholas J. Sinnott resigned on short notice to take a federal judge position.

[70] Sinnott's resignation left Oregon's 2nd congressional district vacant with no Republican candidates on the primary ballot.

As a result, Republicans who were interested in the second congressional district seat needed to seek write-in votes and that is what Ritner did.

[77] The other four were C. D. Nickelson of Hood River, Clarence Phillips of Burns, R. A. Tull of La Grande, and Phil Yates of Pendleton.

He served as secretary of the Oregon Farm Bureau beginning in 1941 and was vice president of the Rodeo Association of America.