With this year’s particularly contentious midterm elections coming to a close, you may be wondering who your new representatives are and which local ballot measures passed. Here’s a quick overview of everything you may have missed this election cycle and what it means for the future of our city and state.
Governor
Who won: Tina Kotek (Democrat)
What this means:
Kotek, a veteran progressive politician who served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, is now slated to succeed current Governor Kate Brown, also a Democrat. Many Oregonians were fed up with the status quo this election cycle, evidenced by Brown being the least popular governor in the country. Kotek faced the strongest challenge for the governorship of any Democrat in recent memory, with many believing that Oregon would have its first Republican governor since 1959. Christine Drazan united Republicans while independent Betsy Johnson siphoned off a large percentage of the Democratic voting base. Crime and homelessness proved to be the biggest issues this cycle, with Kotek advocating for a more compassionate approach to those issues while Drazan adopted a hard-line stance. In the end, Oregon voters resonated most with Kotek’s platform of protecting abortion, slowing climate change and providing affordable housing.
U.S. Senate
Who won: Ron Wyden (Democrat, Incumbent)
What this means:
Long time incumbent Wyden will stay on for a fifth term as a senator for Oregon, after defeating Republican challenger Jo Rae Perkins. Perkins posed no real threat to Wyden—she has never held elected office before and her embrace of far-right views alienated many voters. Wyden chairs the influential Senate Finance Committee and has a track record of voting for liberal policies, and helped pass the recent Inflation Reduction Act.
Portland City Council Position 3
Who Won: Rene Gonzalez
What this means:
Political newcomer Gonzalez handily defeated incumbent Jo Ann Hardesty to win a seat on the Portland City Council. Gonzalez painted himself as a centrist who would be pro-police and tough on homelessness and crime, committing himself to revitalizing downtown Portland. Hardesty, in sharp contrast, has been the most vocal critic of the Portland Police Bureau on the city council, and galvanized voters to pass measures to expand the department’s accountability in the wake of the 2020 protests. Hardesty’s, at times, antagonistic relationship with the bureau did not resonate with voters this time around, after soaring crime and homelessness further impacted the city in the following two years.
Multnomah County Chair
Who Won: Jessica Vega Pederson
What this means:
Both candidates in the race served as county commissioners prior to the election, but it is Pederson, not Sharon Meieran, who will succeed incumbent Deborah Kafoury to become chair of the Board of Commissioners. In her new role, Pederson will be in charge of the county’s massive $3.3 billion budget, and will oversee important programs, namely the county’s homelessness response. Pederson stated her desire to work more closely with the city of Portland to combat the crisis, but also said she was focused on meeting homeless people where they were at, which is in contrast to the city’s increasingly strict approach.
Measure 111
Did it pass: (Too close to call)
What this means:
This bill aims to enshrine affordable health care as a right in the Oregon Constitution, but is too close to call in early returns. What affordable health care means and how it will be provided are not outlined in the measure, and would have to be defined by the legislature next year.
Measure 112
Did it pass: (Yes)
What this means:
Language permitting slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime will be removed from the Oregon Constitution. The bill faced no formal opposition, but many of those who run state and local jails, while opposing slavery, expressed concern that removing the reference to involuntary servitude could cause the ban of inmate work programs. Proponents see this as a win for addressing Oregon’s racist history and starting a conversation about inmates’ rights.
Measure 113
Did it pass: (Yes)
What this means:
The bill’s easy passage means that lawmakers with 10 unexcused absences will no longer be able to be reelected. Oregon has a quorum requirement, meaning that two thirds of lawmakers in a legislative body have to be present for business to be conducted. In the past, members of the minority party (most recently Republicans but in the past Democrats as well) have fled the capitol in order to cause gridlock and prevent the passage of legislation that they have no chance of blocking. This bill is seen as a deterrent against that option.
Measure 114
Did it pass: (Projected Yes)
What this means:
With the “Yes” vote currently in the lead and most of the uncounted votes being in liberal counties, The Oregonian projects that the measure will pass. Its adoption means that Oregon will have some of the strictest gun control in the country. A permit will now be required to own a gun, and a firearms safety course as well as a comprehensive background check will be required for the permit.
Measure 26-228
Did it pass: (Yes)
What this means:
Portland voters approved a massive overhaul of city government, which will put an end to the city’s unique commission form of government. City Council members will no longer have control over individual bureaus, instead, a city manager overseen by the mayor will control every bureau, which will greatly expand the power of the mayoral position. The City Council will also be expanded from four members to four geographic districts with three representatives each for a total of 12 members. Ranked choice voting will now be used to elect City Council members as well as the mayor. This means that voters will rank their favorite candidates instead of voting for only one, and their vote will transfer to their next choice if their favorite candidate fails to garner much support.
Photo: “A voter returns his vote-by-mail ballot in the 2006 General elections in Lane County, Oregon.” by Chris Phan is licensed under CC BY 2.5
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