With a record turnout, Oregonians approved significant health-related ballot measures, elected Democrats in all statewide races and left the balance of power in the Oregon legislature relatively unchanged in Democratic hands. All Oregon congressional incumbents won re-election and Republican Cliff Bentz captured the open 2nd Congressional District seat.
While other states are still counting mail-in votes, Oregon was able to deliver decisive results in most federal, state and local elections, despite a record-shattering 80 percent turnout of 2.369 million Oregonians. Here is an overview of those election results:
Ballot Measures
The open question in this election was whether legislative Democrats could extend their majorities in the House and Senate to give them enough votes to ensure a quorum and blunt GOP strategy to stage walkouts. It doesn’t look like that will happen.
Oregonians approved the nation’s first measures to decriminalize possession of street drugs and allow limited use of psilocybin to treat mental illness and addiction. Voters also approved a sharp bump in the state’s tobacco tax and extended the tax to vaping products. And, voters approved an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to allow campaign financial limits, which the Oregon Supreme Court has already determined to be constitutional.
Metropolitan-area voters soundly defeated a $5 billion transportation funding measure. Multnomah County voters approved a marginal income tax increase to pay for universal preschool. Voters in Union and Jefferson counties narrowly passed measures requiring their county commissioners to explore seceding from Oregon and joining Idaho.
Presidential Race
Democrat Joe Biden collected 1.24 million votes or 57 percent of votes cast over President Donald Trump and three minor-party candidates. The vote was never in doubt as major news networks called Oregon for Biden moments after the polls closed.
Congressional Races
4th District Congressman Peter DeFazio overcame a well-funded challenge from Republican Alek Skarlatos to win re-election. GOP State Senator Cliff Bentz comfortably captured the 2nd Congressional District seat being surrendered by retiring Greg Walden. Senator Jeff Merkley and incumbents Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer and Kurt Schrader coasted to re-election.
Statewide Races
Democratic State Senator Shemia Fagan defeated fellow State Senator Kim Thatcher to become Oregon secretary of state. Bev Clarno, who is the current secretary of state, was appointed to replace the late Dennis Richardson and didn’t seek election to the office. Incumbent Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and State Treasurer Tobias Read were re-elected.
Legislative Races
The open question in this election was whether legislative Democrats could extend their majorities in the House and Senate to give them enough votes to ensure a quorum and blunt GOP strategy to stage walkouts. It doesn’t look like that will happen.
Democrats flipped a Bend House seat and Republicans flipped two House seats on the Oregon Coast. The net one-seat loss still gives House Democrats a three-fifths supermajority, which they need to pass revenue-raising measures without any Republican votes.
Democrats flipped a Salem Senate district and Republicans captured a coastal Senate district held by a retiring Democrat. A Bend-area Senate district in GOP hands is still too close call, with incumbent Senator Tim Knopp leading Eileen Kiely by around 1,500 votes, according to the latest data from the Oregon secretary of state’s website.
Local Races
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler won re-election, becoming the first Portland mayor to win a second term in 20 years. Portland voters also unseated incumbent Commissioner Chloe Eudaly by electing Mingus Mapps. Heading into next year, the Portland City Council will have three new members. Carmen Rubio and Dan Ryan secured their Council seats in earlier elections.
Democrats swept four seats on the six-member Bend City Council, reflecting the evolution of the Central Oregon community from red to blue. Nafisa Fai is the apparent winner for an open Washington County Commission seat and would become the first Black and Muslim to sit on the commission.
