Elections in Oregon
Encyclopedia
Elections in Oregon are all held using a Vote by Mail
(VBM) system. This means that all registered voters receive their ballots via postal delivery and can vote from their homes. A state Voters’ Pamphlet is mailed to every household in Oregon
about three weeks before each statewide election. It includes information about each measure and candidate in the upcoming election.
statistics are published by the Oregon Secretary of State
.
allows for a broader right to free speech than at the federal level including the topic of political campaign donations. The Oregon Supreme Court
has consistently ruled that campaign contribution limits are a violation of free speech and has struck down many laws and ballot measures that enacted contribution limits. As a result of these rulings, Oregon is one of the only six states that have no campaign contribution limits of any kind.
The most recent attempt to enact campaign contribution limits was Ballot measures 46 and 47
in 2006. Measure 47 passed, but 46 did not, and in the absence of the kind of Constitutional support it would have provided, 47 did not take effect.
, who founded a weekly newspaper, The New Northwest
, in part to promote voting rights for women. The National Women's Suffrage Association recognized Duniway as a leading women's advocate in the American West in 1886.
Women became eligible to run for the state legislature in 1914; within a year, women had won seats in both its houses.
and referendum
process dates back to 1902, when the efforts of the Direct Legislation League
prompted Oregon to amend its Constitution
for the first time since 1859. The process of initiative and referendum became nationally known as the Oregon System.
There are three types of ballot measures that may appear on statewide ballots: initiatives, referendums, and referrals. Initiatives and referendums may be placed on the ballot if their supporters gather enough signatures from Oregon voters; the number of signatures is a percentage based on the number of voters casting ballots in the most recent election for the Governor of Oregon
.
initiative: Any issue may be placed before the voters, either amending the Constitution or revising or adding to the Oregon Revised Statutes
. Constitutional initiatives require the signature of 8% of recent voters to qualify for the ballot; statutory reforms require 6%.
referendum: The public may act to undo any bill passed by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
, by putting a referendum on the ballot. A referendum requires 4% of recent voters to qualify for the ballot.
referral: The Legislative Assembly may refer any bill it passes to the public for approval, and must do so for any amendment to the Constitution. Additionally, the Legislative Assembly may refer revisions to the Constitution; a revision differs from an amendment in that it may alter multiple provisions of the Constitution.
The constitutional foundation for ballot measures (and legislation produced by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
) may be found in Article IV of the Oregon Constitution, and Chapter 250 of the Oregon Revised Statutes
relates to initiative and referendum as well.
vetoed the bill. However by January 1996, Oregon became the first state to conduct a general election totally by mail to fill a vacancy in a federal office when it elected Senator Ron Wyden
to replace Bob Packwood
with a 66 percent turnout.
In June 1998 supporters of expanding VBM to primary and general elections used the initiative to put the issue on the November general election ballot as Measure 60
. No paid signature gatherers were used to put the measure on the ballot – a first since 1994, and on November 3, 1998 Oregon voters decide to expand VBM to primary and general elections by a vote of 757,204 to 334,021.
In the 2000 election cycle, Oregon for the first time used VBM in a Presidential Primary election and then a Presidential General election, with a 79 percent turnout.
For each statewide election, the Voters' Pamphlet is also available in an accessible online format at the Oregon Secretary of State's Election Division Website. An audio Voters' Guide is also available for each statewide election.
Copies of historical voters' pamphlets from Marion County
(containing most statewide races and ballot measures) are online at the Oregon State Library.
After filling out the ballot the voter then places the ballot in the secrecy envelope, then inside the return envelope and must then sign it in a space provided on the outside return envelope. This is then either mailed back through the US mail with first class postage, or dropped off at any County Elections Office or a designated dropsite. Ballots must be received in a County Elections Office or a designated dropsite by 8pm on Election Day (postmarks do not count). If the ballot arrives at the County Elections Office after 8pm on Election Day, it is not counted.
Once received, an Elections Official at the elections office where the ballot is received will compare the signature on the ballot return envelope to the signature on the voter registration card to verify that the voter is registered to vote. Once verified, the secrecy envelope containing the actual ballot is removed and polled with the other ballots. Once the "polls" close at 8pm on Election Day, the ballots are removed form their secrecy envelopes and counted.
, senatorial
and congressional elections in Oregon were held on November 4, 2008, to determine the President
, Oregon's Junior United States Senator
, and who would represent the state
of Oregon
in the United States House of Representatives
.
Democratic
Presidential candidate Barack Obama
won 56.7% of Oregon
's vote in 2008, soundly defeating Republican
candidate John McCain
. Most rural counties favored McCain, though Obama improved the Democratic tickets performance than John Kerry
did in 2004, and Obama's strong support in the more urban Willamette Valley
allowed him to win the state decisively.
Senator
Gordon Smith was seeking re-election. Smith was the only Republican Senator from the west coast (excluding Alaska) and the only Republican currently holding statewide office in Oregon
. He was opposed by Democrat
Jeff Merkley
, the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
and David Brownlow of the Constitution Party of Oregon
. Merkley won by a narrow margin, with Smith conceding two days after the election.
of Oregon
in the United States House of Representatives
, coinciding with the presidential
and senatorial
elections. Oregon's five seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Both prior to and following the election consists of four Democrats
and one Republican
. This remains unchanged although CQ Politics had forecasted district 5 to be at some risk for the incumbent party.
The only competitive race was the Oregon's 5th congressional district
which had been represented by Democrat Darlene Hooley
since 1996. In February 2008, she announced that she would not seek re-election in 2008. The race to replace her was expected to be one of the most competitive in the nation, since the district contained about 2,000 more Republicans than Democrats at that time.
Despite the initial closeness of the race, Democratic nominee Kurt Schrader
won against Republican nominee Mike Erickson
, 166,070 (54.5%) to 116,418 (38.2%) who had been winner of a contentious primary in which an opponent, Kevin Mannix
, raised an allegation that Erickson paid for a former girlfriend's abortion. The girlfriend subsequently went public with the information, but Erickson denied knowledge of the event. Mannix refused to endorse Erickson in the general election.
Postal voting
Postal voting describes the method of voting in an election whereby ballot papers are distributed or returned by post to electors, in contrast to electors voting in person at a polling station or electronically via an electronic voting system....
(VBM) system. This means that all registered voters receive their ballots via postal delivery and can vote from their homes. A state Voters’ Pamphlet is mailed to every household in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
about three weeks before each statewide election. It includes information about each measure and candidate in the upcoming election.
Voter registration
Residents of Oregon can register to vote with or without a political party. Monthly and annual voter registrationVoter registration
Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
statistics are published by the Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
.
Online voter registration
On March 1, 2010 Oregon became the fourth state in the country (along with Arizona, Washington, and Kansas) to allow online voter registration.Campaign finance
The Oregon ConstitutionOregon Constitution
The Oregon Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, originally enacted in 1857. As amended the current state constitution contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights. This contains most of the rights and privileges granted in the United States Bill of...
allows for a broader right to free speech than at the federal level including the topic of political campaign donations. The Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
has consistently ruled that campaign contribution limits are a violation of free speech and has struck down many laws and ballot measures that enacted contribution limits. As a result of these rulings, Oregon is one of the only six states that have no campaign contribution limits of any kind.
The most recent attempt to enact campaign contribution limits was Ballot measures 46 and 47
Oregon Ballot Measures 46 and 47 (2006)
Oregon ballot measures 46 and 47 were two ballot measures presented as a single package to voters; 46 would have amended the Constitution to allow limitations on campaign financing ; and 47 detailed specific limitations...
in 2006. Measure 47 passed, but 46 did not, and in the absence of the kind of Constitutional support it would have provided, 47 did not take effect.
Women's suffrage
In 1912, Oregon became the seventh U.S. state to permit women to vote. The amendment to the Oregon Constitution, passed by ballot initiative, was largely the result of decades of advocacy by Abigail Scott DuniwayAbigail Scott Duniway
Abigail Scott Duniway was an American women's rights advocate, newspaper editor and writer, whose efforts were instrumental in gaining voting rights for women.-Biography:...
, who founded a weekly newspaper, The New Northwest
The New Northwest
The New Northwest was an American weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon from 1871 to 1887 by Abigail Scott Duniway, an active voice of reform and suffrage on the West Coast of the United States. Its motto was Free Speech, Free Press, Free People.The paper included news reports, essays,...
, in part to promote voting rights for women. The National Women's Suffrage Association recognized Duniway as a leading women's advocate in the American West in 1886.
Women became eligible to run for the state legislature in 1914; within a year, women had won seats in both its houses.
The Oregon System
In Oregon, the initiativeInitiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
and referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
process dates back to 1902, when the efforts of the Direct Legislation League
Direct Legislation League
The Oregon Direct Legislation League was an organization of political activists founded by William S. U'Ren in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1898. U'Ren had been politically activated by reading the influential 1893 book Direct Legislation Through the Initiative and Referendum, and the group's...
prompted Oregon to amend its Constitution
Oregon Constitution
The Oregon Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, originally enacted in 1857. As amended the current state constitution contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights. This contains most of the rights and privileges granted in the United States Bill of...
for the first time since 1859. The process of initiative and referendum became nationally known as the Oregon System.
There are three types of ballot measures that may appear on statewide ballots: initiatives, referendums, and referrals. Initiatives and referendums may be placed on the ballot if their supporters gather enough signatures from Oregon voters; the number of signatures is a percentage based on the number of voters casting ballots in the most recent election for the Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
.
initiative: Any issue may be placed before the voters, either amending the Constitution or revising or adding to the Oregon Revised Statutes
Oregon Revised Statutes
The Oregon Revised Statutes is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative...
. Constitutional initiatives require the signature of 8% of recent voters to qualify for the ballot; statutory reforms require 6%.
referendum: The public may act to undo any bill passed by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
, by putting a referendum on the ballot. A referendum requires 4% of recent voters to qualify for the ballot.
referral: The Legislative Assembly may refer any bill it passes to the public for approval, and must do so for any amendment to the Constitution. Additionally, the Legislative Assembly may refer revisions to the Constitution; a revision differs from an amendment in that it may alter multiple provisions of the Constitution.
The constitutional foundation for ballot measures (and legislation produced by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
) may be found in Article IV of the Oregon Constitution, and Chapter 250 of the Oregon Revised Statutes
Oregon Revised Statutes
The Oregon Revised Statutes is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative...
relates to initiative and referendum as well.
History
The VBM system was first approved for testing by the Oregon Legislature for local elections in 1981. The system met with fairly widespread success and was made permanent for the majority of counties for local/special elections in 1987. It was used for the first statewide special election in 1993. The Oregon Legislature approved a proposal to expand VBM to primary and general elections in the spring of 1995, but Governor John KitzhaberJohn Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber is the 37th Governor of Oregon. He served as the 35th Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003 and became the first person to be elected to the office three times when he was re-elected to a non-consecutive third term in 2010...
vetoed the bill. However by January 1996, Oregon became the first state to conduct a general election totally by mail to fill a vacancy in a federal office when it elected Senator Ron Wyden
Ron Wyden
Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996....
to replace Bob Packwood
Bob Packwood
Robert William "Bob" Packwood is a U.S. politician from Oregon and a member of the Republican Party. He resigned from the United States Senate, under threat of expulsion, in 1995 after allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and assault of women emerged.-Early life and career:Packwood was born in...
with a 66 percent turnout.
In June 1998 supporters of expanding VBM to primary and general elections used the initiative to put the issue on the November general election ballot as Measure 60
Oregon Ballot Measure 60 (1998)
The U.S. state of Oregon established vote-by-mail as the standard mechanism for voting with Ballot Measure 60, a citizen's initiative, in 1998. The measure made Oregon the first state in the United States to conduct its elections exclusively by mail...
. No paid signature gatherers were used to put the measure on the ballot – a first since 1994, and on November 3, 1998 Oregon voters decide to expand VBM to primary and general elections by a vote of 757,204 to 334,021.
In the 2000 election cycle, Oregon for the first time used VBM in a Presidential Primary election and then a Presidential General election, with a 79 percent turnout.
Voters' Pamphlet
A state Voters' Pamphlet is mailed to every household in Oregon about 3 weeks before each statewide election. It includes information about each measure and candidate in the upcoming election. If a voter does not receive a Voters' Pamphlet, they can order or pick one up from any County Elections Office, or the Secretary of State's Office. Some counties may print a voters’ pamphlet with local measures and candidates as well and these may be included with the state pamphlet or mailed separately.For each statewide election, the Voters' Pamphlet is also available in an accessible online format at the Oregon Secretary of State's Election Division Website. An audio Voters' Guide is also available for each statewide election.
Copies of historical voters' pamphlets from Marion County
Marion County, Oregon
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...
(containing most statewide races and ballot measures) are online at the Oregon State Library.
Balloting
Ballots packs are mailed to every registered voter 14 to 18 days before the election. When the ballot pack comes in the mail, it includes:- An official ballot
- A secrecy envelope
- A ballot return envelope
After filling out the ballot the voter then places the ballot in the secrecy envelope, then inside the return envelope and must then sign it in a space provided on the outside return envelope. This is then either mailed back through the US mail with first class postage, or dropped off at any County Elections Office or a designated dropsite. Ballots must be received in a County Elections Office or a designated dropsite by 8pm on Election Day (postmarks do not count). If the ballot arrives at the County Elections Office after 8pm on Election Day, it is not counted.
Once received, an Elections Official at the elections office where the ballot is received will compare the signature on the ballot return envelope to the signature on the voter registration card to verify that the voter is registered to vote. Once verified, the secrecy envelope containing the actual ballot is removed and polled with the other ballots. Once the "polls" close at 8pm on Election Day, the ballots are removed form their secrecy envelopes and counted.
1996 elections
- United States presidential election in Oregon, 1996
- United States Senate election in Oregon, 1996United States Senate election in Oregon, 1996The 1996 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 5, 1996 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of Oregon. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield decided to retire after thirty years in the Senate...
- United States Senate special election in Oregon, 1996United States Senate special election in Oregon, 1996The 1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon was held on January 30, 1996 to fill the seat vacated by Republican Bob Packwood, who resigned from the Senate due to sexual misconduct allegations. Democrat Ron Wyden won the open seat. Smith would win election to the Senate later that year...
- United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 1996
1998 elections
- United States Senate election in Oregon, 1998
- United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 1998
- Oregon gubernatorial election, 1998Oregon gubernatorial election, 1998The 1998 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998. Democratic nominee John Kitzhaber defeated Republican Bill Sizemore to win a second term.-Results:Official results from the Oregon Secretary of State are as follows:...
2000 elections
- United States presidential election in Oregon, 2000United States presidential election in Oregon, 2000Oregon has been mostly been a blue state over recent years as it has voted Democrat in every presidential election since 1984. Although in 2000, the state unusually voted for Al Gore by a small margin, mostly because of its strong showing for Ralph Nader. Over the next two election cycles, the...
- United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2000
2002 elections
- United States Senate election in Oregon, 2002United States Senate election in Oregon, 2002The 2002 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Gordon Smith ran for re-election to a full second term.- Campaign :...
- United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2002
- Oregon gubernatorial election, 2002Oregon gubernatorial election, 2002The 2002 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2002 for the post of Governor of Oregon. Democratic candidate Ted Kulongoski defeated Republican Kevin Mannix.-Democratic primary:...
2004 elections
- United States presidential election in Oregon, 2004
- United States Senate election in Oregon, 2004
- United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2004
2006 elections
- Oregon's statewide elections, 2006
- United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2006United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2006The United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2006 were held on November 7, 2006 to select Oregon's representatives to the United States House of Representatives. All five seats were up for election in 2006, as they are every two years...
- Oregon gubernatorial election, 2006Oregon gubernatorial election, 2006The 2006 gubernatorial election in the U.S. state of Oregon took place on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democrat Ted Kulongoski defeated Republican Ron Saxton, winning his bid for a second term as Governor of Oregon....
Presidential race
The 2008 presidentialUnited States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, senatorial
United States Senate election in Oregon, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Gordon Smith decided to seek re-election. Smith was the only Republican Senator from the west coast and the only Republican holding statewide office in Oregon...
and congressional elections in Oregon were held on November 4, 2008, to determine the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Oregon's Junior United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, and who would represent the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
won 56.7% of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
's vote in 2008, soundly defeating Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
. Most rural counties favored McCain, though Obama improved the Democratic tickets performance than John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
did in 2004, and Obama's strong support in the more urban Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
allowed him to win the state decisively.
U.S. Senate race
The Oregon Senate Election of 2008 was held on November 4, 2008. RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Gordon Smith was seeking re-election. Smith was the only Republican Senator from the west coast (excluding Alaska) and the only Republican currently holding statewide office in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He was opposed by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jeff Merkley
Jeff Merkley
Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley is the junior United States Senator from Oregon. A member of the Democratic Party, Merkley was a five-term member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly representing House District 47, located in eastern Multnomah County within the Portland city limits...
, the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
and David Brownlow of the Constitution Party of Oregon
Constitution Party of Oregon
The Constitution Party of Oregon is a political party organized as a minor party pursuant to state election law, and recognized by the State of Oregon as a state-wide nominating party....
. Merkley won by a narrow margin, with Smith conceding two days after the election.
U.S. House races
The 2008 congressional elections in Oregon were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the stateU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, coinciding with the presidential
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
and senatorial
United States Senate election in Oregon, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Gordon Smith decided to seek re-election. Smith was the only Republican Senator from the west coast and the only Republican holding statewide office in Oregon...
elections. Oregon's five seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Both prior to and following the election consists of four Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and one Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. This remains unchanged although CQ Politics had forecasted district 5 to be at some risk for the incumbent party.
The only competitive race was the Oregon's 5th congressional district
Oregon's 5th congressional district
Oregon's 5th congressional district represents Oregon's central coast through Salem, north to the southern Portland suburbs, and east to the summit of Mount Hood. It includes Lincoln, Marion, Polk, and Tillamook counties, most of Clackamas County, and part of Benton and Multnomah counties...
which had been represented by Democrat Darlene Hooley
Darlene Hooley
Darlene Kay Olson Hooley is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon who represented the state's . A native of North Dakota, she spent eight years teaching high school before entering politics when she was elected to the West Linn, Oregon city council in 1975...
since 1996. In February 2008, she announced that she would not seek re-election in 2008. The race to replace her was expected to be one of the most competitive in the nation, since the district contained about 2,000 more Republicans than Democrats at that time.
Despite the initial closeness of the race, Democratic nominee Kurt Schrader
Kurt Schrader
Kurt Schrader is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly.-Early life, education, and early career:...
won against Republican nominee Mike Erickson
Mike Erickson
Mike Erickson is a businessman and politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. He ran unsuccessfully for two different seats in the Oregon House of Representatives in 1988 and 1992, and was the Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives in Oregon's 5th congressional district in...
, 166,070 (54.5%) to 116,418 (38.2%) who had been winner of a contentious primary in which an opponent, Kevin Mannix
Kevin Mannix
Kevin Leese Mannix is a politician, business attorney, and former chairman of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Oregon.Mannix has served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, as a Democrat and, later, a Republican...
, raised an allegation that Erickson paid for a former girlfriend's abortion. The girlfriend subsequently went public with the information, but Erickson denied knowledge of the event. Mannix refused to endorse Erickson in the general election.
- Oregon's statewide elections, 2008
2010 elections
- Oregon state elections, 2010
- Oregon legislative elections, 2010Oregon legislative elections, 2010The 2010 elections for the Oregon Legislative Assembly determined the composition of both houses for the 76th Oregon Legislative Assembly. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were on May 18, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010...
- United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2010United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2010The United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2010 were held on November 2, 2010, to determine who would represent the state of Oregon in the United States House of Representatives. Oregon has five seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. All...
- United States Senate election in Oregon, 2010United States Senate election in Oregon, 2010The 2010 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 2, 2010 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S...
- Oregon gubernatorial election, 2010Oregon gubernatorial election, 2010The Oregon gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, to elect the Governor of Oregon, who will serve a four-year term to begin on . The incumbent governor, Democrat Ted Kulongoski, was ineligible to run due to term limits barring him from being elected to more than two consecutive...
See also
- Politics of OregonPolitics of OregonLike many other U.S. states, the politics of Oregon is centered mostly around regional concerns. Oregon leans Democratic as a state, with both U.S Senators from the Democratic party, as well as four out of Oregon's five U.S. Representatives...
- Political party strength in OregonPolitical party strength in OregonThe following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Oregon:*Governor*Oregon Secretary of State*Attorney General*State Treasurer*Commissioner of Labor and Industries*Superintendent of Public Instruction...
- Elections in the United StatesElections in the United StatesThe United States has a federal government, with elected officials at the federal , state and local levels. On a national level, the head of state, the President, is elected indirectly by the people, through an Electoral College. In modern times, the electors virtually always vote with the popular...
with notes on all changes related to voting and elections
External links
- Elections Division at the Oregon Secretary of State official website
- Elections at the Oregon Blue BookOregon Blue BookThe Oregon Blue Book is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. As Governor Ted Kulongoski notes in his introduction for the 2005–2006 edition, it "provides...