Votes on Impeachment, Rank-Choice Voting, Corporate Tax Measure
The November election will deliver three new statewide Oregon officeholders and possibly renewed Democratic supermajorities in the Oregon House and Senate. Oregonians also will decide on ballot measures to switch to rank-choice voting, allow legislative impeachment of state officers and impose a higher corporate tax to pay for individual rebates.
There will be a new secretary of state, attorney general and state treasurer. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum decided not to seek re-election. Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, who was appointed to replace Shemia Fagan who resigned, had pledged not to seek election to the office. Treasurer Tobias Read was term-limited in his post.
- For secretary of state, Democrat Read faces outgoing Republican State Senator Dennis Linthicum and naturopath Nathalie Paravicini representing the Pacific Green and Progressive parties.
- In the treasurer’s race, Democratic State Senator Elizabeth Steiner faces outgoing Republican Senator Brian Boquist and retired economics professor Mary King representing the Working Families and Pacific Green parties.
- The race for attorney general pits former Democratic House Speaker Dan Rayfield against GOP attorney Will Lathrop.
Observers expect Read and Steiner to prevail over two GOP state senators who were banned from seeking re-election because of Measure 113 penalties for missing more than 10 legislative days during a six-week Republican walkout during the 2023 legislative session. Boquist and Linthicum filed as statewide candidates only after a court ruling confirmed their disqualification from seeking re-election.
The state’s Democratic voter registration edge over Republicans favors Rayfield but Lathrop has mounted a credible campaign, earning endorsements from law enforcement leaders, small businesses and the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation. Rayfield is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, unions, environmentalists, nurses and law enforcement coalitions.
Ballot Measure 118
Competitive congressional races have dominated local TV airwaves except for commercials against Measure 118, which opponents have described as a “costly tax on sales” that would be the “largest tax increase in Oregon history”. Oregon Rebate, the leading proponent, says individual taxpayer rebates would reduce poverty in Oregon.
Democratic Governor Tina Kotek, who opposes the measure, says, “It may look good on paper, but its flawed approach would punch a huge hole in the state budget and put essential services for low-wage and working families at risk.”
Ballotpedia describes Measure 118 as “increasing the corporate minimum tax on sales exceeding $25 million by 3% percent, removing the minimum tax cap and distributing increased revenue to Oregon residents who spend more than 200 days in the state.”
The only other state with a similar taxpayer rebate program is Alaska, which funds its average $1,200 per year payment from oil extraction taxes.
Other Ballot Measures
Measure 115 would amend the Oregon Constitution to authorize impeachment of statewide elected officials by a two-thirds majority in the Oregon House and Senate. Oregon is the only state without an impeachment process.
Measure 116, a legislative referral, would amend the Oregon Constitution to establish an independent compensation commission to determine salaries for statewide officials, lawmakers and state judges. The Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet contains 11 arguments from a broad spectrum of groups in favor of the measure. There is a single opposition argument warning the measure is likely to raise public official salaries.
Measure 117 would implement ranked choice voting for federal and statewide offices in the 2028 election. The legislative referral doesn’t include legislative elections in the switch. The complex measure is explained on 38 pages of the Voters’ Pamphlet. Backers of ranked choice voting claim it will give more options to voters, especially those without a party affiliation.
State Senate Races
Democrats hold 17 of 30 Senate seats and need one more senator to achieve a three-fifths supermajority that can approve tax increases without Republican votes. They have pinned their hopes on flipping a Bend area Senate seat held by Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp who is banned under Measure 13 from seeking re-election.
Democrat Anthony Broadman, who has served on the Bend City Council, and Republican Michael Summers, a Redmond School District board member, are vying to replace Knopp in Senate District 27 that has a slight Democratic voter registration edge.
Democrats also believe they have a shot to unseat Republican Senator Dick Anderson, a Lincoln City banker, with the candidacy of business owner Jo Beaudreau.
Republicans think they can defeat Democratic Senator Chris Gorsek in East Multnomah County. Republican Raymond Love, an Army Reserve colonel, has mounted an aggressive challenge and put up TV ads accusing Gorsek of voting repeatedly for tax increases. Gorsek, a former teacher and police officer and co-chair of a legislative task force exploring increased transportation funding in the 2025 legislative session, also have TV ads. GOP operatives say the race is a statistical toss-up, with Love equaling Gorsek’s campaign contributions.
State House Races
In this election cycle, competitive Oregon House races are scarce. Many of them are uncontested. A few have candidates who won both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Observers have focused on House races in Salem, Bend, Happy Valley and East Multnomah County.
One of the most competitive races is House District 53 that includes Bend where Democratic Rep. Emerson Levy, an attorney, is challenged by Republican Keri Lopez, a Redmond School District member. Levy boasts the endorsement of OBI, the state’s leading business lobby group, while Lopez has benefitted from fundraising by former Oregon GOP Congressman Greg Walden through his Bring Balance to Salem PAC. Levy and Lopez have each spent around $500,000.
Walden has raised $5.8 million for his PAC since early 2023, much of it from Nike founder Phil Knight. Insiders credit Walden’s fundraising with helping Republicans win an additional House and Senate seat in the 2022 election.
House District 22 that includes parts of Salem and Woodburn is held by Republican Rep. Tracy Cramer, who flipped the seat in a high-priced contest in 2022. Cramer will face Lesly Munoz, an organizer in Woodburn for the Oregon Education Association. Democrats view this as their best shot to return the seat to Democratic control.
Janelle Bynum’s decision to run for Congress turned House District 39 in Happy Valley into an open seat. April Dobson, a member of the North Clackamas school board, is the Democratic nominee. Republican Aimee Reiner is a former Army reservist who works as a customer service manager for glass bottle manufacturer. OPB reported Republicans have made an issue of Dobson’s arrest for shoplifting when she was 18. Democrats accuse Reiner of being a MAGA extremist.
Political veteran Kevin Mannix, who flipped a Democratic seat in Salem in 2022, is seeking re-election against Democrat Virginia Stapleton, a Salem city councilor. Mannix has lambasted Stapleton for her support of failed Salem payroll tax proposal. Stapleton has blasted Mannix for his views on abortion.
In the shadow of the Gorsek-Love Senate battle, Republicans also hope to oust two Democrats holding House seats in east Multnomah County. Democratic Rep. Zach Hudson faces GOP businessman Terry Tipsord in House District 49. Democratic Rep. Ricki Ruiz is challenged by Republican Paul Drechsler. Campaigns for Tipsord and Drechsler received a last-minute cash infusion, presumably from Walden’s PAC.
