Politics of Oregon
Encyclopedia
Like 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. The state has voted Democrat, by relatively small margins, since 1988 in Presidential elections but also is showing a Libertarian streak in recent years.
The state is broken up into two main geographically separate political areas: the Portland metropolitan area
and Eugene
, liberal centers of the state, and the rest of the state, whose voters are moving from conservative to libertarian vs democrat. While roughly three fifths (~57%) of the population of Oregon (Total population 3.8 Million plus) lives in the Portland area, the state has a rural population with generally conservative views on gay marriage
and state taxes
. On most other issues however, the state leans considerably left, including public health care, medical marijuana
, euthanasia
and environmental protections.
west coast
state. In 1954, the upset of incumbent Republican Senator Guy Cordon
by Democrat Richard L. Neuberger
, along with Democratic wins in the U.S. House and statewide races and pickups of 14 and two seats in the state House and Senate, respectively, signaled a strong shift towards the Democratic Party.
Similar to the West Coast states of California and Washington, Oregon has a high percentage of people who identify as liberals. A 2010 Gallup
poll that surveyed the political ideology of residents in every state found that people in Oregon identified as:
Another study on the state's resident's political ideology noted that the state's conservatives were the most conservative of any state (more so than Utah or Tennessee) and that the state's liberals were more liberal than any state (more so than Vermont or D.C.).
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...
leans Democratic as a state, with both U.S Senators
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...
from the 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...
party, as well as four out of Oregon's five U.S. Representatives. The state has voted Democrat, by relatively small margins, since 1988 in Presidential elections but also is showing a Libertarian streak in recent years.
The state is broken up into two main geographically separate political areas: the Portland metropolitan area
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area , also known as the Portland metropolitan area or Greater Portland, is an urban area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered around the city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S...
and Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, liberal centers of the state, and the rest of the state, whose voters are moving from conservative to libertarian vs democrat. While roughly three fifths (~57%) of the population of Oregon (Total population 3.8 Million plus) lives in the Portland area, the state has a rural population with generally conservative views on gay marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and state taxes
Oregon tax revolt
The Oregon tax revolt is a political movement in Oregon which advocates for lower taxes. This movement is part of a larger anti-tax movement in the western United States...
. On most other issues however, the state leans considerably left, including public health care, medical marijuana
Medical cannabis
Medical cannabis refers to the use of parts of the herb cannabis as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy, or to synthetic forms of specific cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine...
, euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
and environmental protections.
History
For the first half of the 20th century, Oregon was the most consistently 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...
west coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
state. In 1954, the upset of incumbent Republican Senator Guy Cordon
Guy Cordon
Guy F. Cordon was a U.S. politician and lawyer from the state of Oregon. A native of Texas, he served in the Army during World War I and later was the district attorney of Douglas County in Southern Oregon...
by Democrat Richard L. Neuberger
Richard L. Neuberger
Richard Lewis Neuberger was a U.S. journalist, author, and politician during the middle of the 20th century. A native of Oregon, he would write for The New York Times before and after a stint in the United States Army during World War II...
, along with Democratic wins in the U.S. House and statewide races and pickups of 14 and two seats in the state House and Senate, respectively, signaled a strong shift towards the Democratic Party.
Key issues
Key issues in Oregon include:- Employment
- Environmental protection
- Native American relations (particularly in respect to gambling and casinosGambling in Oregon-Lottery:The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution approved by 66% of voters in the 1984 general election. A statutory measure passed in the same election, and by about the same margin, providing for a state lottery...
) - Public health care
- Public transportation
- School funding
- Taxes
- Land useLand use in OregonLand use in Oregon are the evolving laws affecting land ownership and its restrictions in the U.S. state of Oregon.- Timeline :* 1822: Henry Schenck Tanner's map of the U.S...
Population's political ideology
| Year | 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... |
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... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 40.40% 738,475 | 56.75% 1,037,291 |
| 2004 | 47.19% 866,831 | 51.35% 943,163 |
| 2000 | 46.46% 713,577 | 47.01% 720,342 |
| 1996 | 39.06% 538,152 | 47.15% 649,641 |
| 1992 | 32.53% 475,757 | 42.48% 621,314 |
| 1988 | 46.61% 560,126 | 51.28% 616,206 |
| 1984 | 55.91% 685,700 | 43.74% 536,479 |
| 1980 | 48.33% 571,044 | 38.67% 456,890 |
| 1976 | 47.78% 492,120 | 47.62% 490,407 |
| 1972 | 52.45% 486,686 | 42.33% 392,760 |
| 1968 | 49.83% 408,433 | 43.78% 358,866 |
| 1964 | 35.96% 282,779 | 63.72% 501,017 |
| 1960 | 52.56% 408,060 | 47.32% 367,402 |
| 1956 | 55.25% 406,393 | 44.75% 329,204 |
| 1952 | 60.54% 420,815 | 38.93% 270,579 |
Similar to the West Coast states of California and Washington, Oregon has a high percentage of people who identify as liberals. A 2010 Gallup
The Gallup Organization
The Gallup Organization, is primarily a research-based performance-management consulting company. Some of Gallup's key practice areas are - Employee Engagement, Customer Engagement and Well-Being. Gallup has over 40 offices in 27 countries. World headquarters are in Washington, D.C. Operational...
poll that surveyed the political ideology of residents in every state found that people in Oregon identified as:
- 40.3% moderateModerateIn politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
- 33.4% conservative (the 10th least conservative state)
- 26.3% liberalLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
(the 4th most liberal state)
Another study on the state's resident's political ideology noted that the state's conservatives were the most conservative of any state (more so than Utah or Tennessee) and that the state's liberals were more liberal than any state (more so than Vermont or D.C.).
Political parties
As of September 1st, 2011 there were 2,034,589 registered voters in Oregon and their political party affiliations were:- 41.3% Democratic PartyDemocratic Party of OregonThe Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party...
- 31.7% Republican PartyOregon Republican PartyThe Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
- 20.9% "Non-affiliated" with any party
- 3.4% Independent PartyIndependent Party of OregonThe Independent Party of Oregon is a political party in the U.S. state of Oregon. The IPO is Oregon's third-largest political party and the largest minor party of the state, with 68,516 registrants since its inception in January 2007 making up 3.37% of Oregon's registered voters...
- 2.7% with other political parties