2020 Oregon elections explained

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Oregon on November 3, 2020. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2020.^[1]

Federal

President of the United States

See main article: article and United States presidential election in Oregon, 2020.

See also: United States presidential election, 2020. Former Democratic Vice President Joseph Biden beat incumbent Republican President Donald Trump, first elected in 2016, to receive Oregon's seven electoral votes.^[2]

United States Senate

See main article: article and United States Senate election in Oregon, 2020.

See also: United States Senate elections, 2020. Incumbent Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, who was first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2014, was re-elected to a third term in office.^[3]

United States House of Representatives

See main article: article and United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2020.

See also: United States House of Representatives elections, 2020. All five of Oregon's seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for re-election in 2020. These seats were currently represented by four Democrats and one Republican. In October 2019, incumbent Republican Representative Greg Walden of the 2nd district announced that he would not seek a twelfth term.^[4] All of the other incumbent Representatives won in their respective districts, and Republican Cliff Bentz won in the 2nd district.

Attorney general

See main article: article and 2020 Oregon Attorney General election.

Incumbent Democratic attorney general Ellen Rosenblum was originally appointed to the role by former governor John Kitzhaber on June 29, 2012, to finish the term of her predecessor John Kroger, who resigned from office.^[5] She was elected to a full term in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. This office is not subject to term limits, and Rosenblum was reelected to a third full term.

Democratic primary

Declared candidates

• Ellen Rosenblum, incumbent attorney general^{[6] [7]}

Results

Republican primary

Declared candidates

• Michael Cross, professional driver and software designer, leader of an unsuccessful attempt to recall Governor Kate Brown in 2019^{[8] [9]}

Withdrawn candidates

• Daniel Zene Crowe, lawyer and Republican nominee for attorney general in 2016 (withdrew candidacy effective March 13, 2020)^{[8] [10]}

Results

General election

^[11]

Secretary of state

See main article: article and 2020 Oregon Secretary of State election. Incumbent Republican secretary of state Bev Clarno was originally appointed to the role by Governor Kate Brown on March 31, 2019, to finish the term of her predecessor, Dennis Richardson, who died in office.^[12] Brown announced that she was only interested in appointing a successor to Richardson who wanted the day-to-day responsibilities of the office and would not run for election to a full term, a condition to which Clarno agreed upon her appointment.^[13]

Republican primary

Declared candidates

• Dave Stuaffer, environmental engineer, candidate for Governor of Oregon in 2016 (as a Democrat) and in 2018 (as a Republican)^[14]
• Kim Thatcher, state Senator representing District 13^[15]

Declined

• Rich Vial, former state Representative for District 26, former deputy Secretary of State^[16]

Results

Democratic primary

Declared candidates

• Shemia Fagan, state Senator representing District 24^[17]
• Mark Hass, state Senator representing District 14^{[6] [7] [18] [19]}
• Jamie McLeod-Skinner, environmental attorney and Democratic nominee for the 2018 election for Oregon's 2nd congressional district^{[6] [7] [18] [19]}

Withdrawn candidates

• Jamie Morrison (withdrew candidacy effective February 28, 2020 to run for District 18 in the Oregon House of Representatives)^[20]
• Cameron Smith, former director of Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services and Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs (withdrew candidacy effective March 10, 2020)^{[21] [22]}
• Jennifer Williamson, former Majority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives and former state Representative for District 36 (withdrew candidacy effective February 26, 2020)^{[23] [24]}
• Ryan Wruck, office manager (withdrew candidacy effective November 8, 2019, endorsed Mark Hass)^{[25] [26]}

Results

General election

State treasurer

See main article: 2020 Oregon State Treasurer election.

Incumbent Democratic state treasurer Tobias Read, first elected in 2016, was reelected to a second term in office.

Democratic primary

Declared candidates

• Tobias Read, incumbent state treasurer^{[6] [7] [27]}

Results

Republican primary

Declared candidates

• Jeff Gudman, former Lake Oswego City Councilor^[28]

Results

General election

Legislative

See main article: 2020 Oregon House of Representatives election and 2020 Oregon State Senate election.

In the previous legislative session, Democrats held a majority of 18–12 in the Senate and 38–22 in the House of Representatives. Of the 30 seats in the Senate, 16 were up for re-election. All 60 seats in the House of Representatives were up for re-election. After the election, Democrats held a majority 18–12 in the Senate and 37–23 in the House of Representatives.^[29]

Judicial

Court of Appeals

Ballot measures

There were four statewide Oregon ballot measures on the general election ballot. As a result of the election, all four measures passed.^{[30] [31] [32]}

Polling

Measure 109

Results

Measure	Description	Votes
		Yes	No
Measure 107	Amends Constitution: Allows laws limiting political campaign contributions and expenditures, requiring disclosure of political campaign contributions and expenditures, and requiring political campaign advertisements to identify who paid for them		488,413 (21.69%)
Measure 108	Increases cigarette and cigar taxes. Establishes tax on e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping devices. Funds health programs.		779,311 (33.66%)
Measure 109	Allows manufacture, delivery, administration of psilocybin at supervised, licensed facilities; imposes two-year development period^[34]		1,008,199 (45.25%)
Measure 110	Provides statewide addiction/recovery services; marijuana taxes partially finance; reclassifies possession/penalties for specified drugs		947,313 (41.54%)

See also

• Elections in Oregon
• Portland, Oregon mayoral election, 2020

External links

• Elections Division at the Oregon Secretary of State
• Oregon at Ballotpedia
  • • Web site: League of Women Voters of Oregon . (state affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)

Official campaign websites for attorney general candidates

• Michael Cross (R) for Attorney General
• Ellen Rosenblum (D) for Attorney General

Official campaign websites for secretary of state candidates

• Shemia Fagan (D) for Secretary of State
• Kim Thatcher (R) for Secretary of State

Official campaign websites for state treasurer candidates

• Jeff Gudman (R) for Treasurer
• Tobias Read (D) for Treasurer

Notes and References

1. Web site: Multnomah County Elections Calendar. June 20, 2011 . Multnomah County. October 25, 2019.
2. Web site: Oregon Secretary of State. 2020-12-09. results.oregonvotes.gov.
3. News: Sullivan. Sean. Sen. Jeff Merkley opts out of Democratic presidential contest and will run for reelection to Oregon seat. The Washington Post. March 5, 2019. October 25, 2019.
4. News: Bresnahan . John. Zanona . Melanie. Mutnick . Ally . October 28, 2019 . Greg Walden to retire in latest sign of GOP doubts about retaking House . . Washington, DC . October 28, 2019 .
5. News: Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber names Ellen Rosenblum as interim attorney general. June 6, 2012. Michelle. Cole. The Oregonian. October 25, 2019.
6. News: Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum Files for Reelection in 2020. September 12, 2019. Rachel. Monahan. Willamette Week. October 25, 2019.
7. News: Oregon's 2020 election season is officially underway. September 13, 2019. Andrew. Selsky. The Oregonian. October 25, 2019.
8. News: Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum Faces Just One Opponent: A Non-Lawyer. March 18, 2020. Jeff. Mapes. Oregon Public Broadcasting. March 18, 2020.
9. Web site: Candidate Information: Michael J Cross. March 10, 2020. Oregon Secretary of State: Elections Division. March 16, 2020.
10. Web site: Candidate Information: Daniel Zene Crowe. March 13, 2020. Oregon Secretary of State: Elections Division. March 16, 2020.
11. Web site: Oregon Secretary of State. 2020-12-10. results.oregonvotes.gov.
12. News: Gov. Brown names Bev Clarno, 83, as new secretary of state. April 1, 2019. Jeff. Manning. The Oregonian. October 25, 2019.
13. News: Bev Clarno, Former House Speaker, Will Be Oregon's Next Secretary Of State. March 29, 2019. Dirk. VanderHart. Oregon Public Broadcasting. October 25, 2019.
14. Web site: Candidate Information: David W Stauffer. March 10, 2020. Oregon Secretary of State: Elections Division. March 11, 2020.
15. News: Sen. Kim Thatcher Enters the Race for Oregon Secretary of State. February 6, 2020. Rachel. Monahan. Willamette Week. February 10, 2020.
16. News: Rich Vial resigns as deputy Oregon secretary of state. January 9, 2020. Betsy. Hammond. Rob. Davis. The Oregonian. February 10, 2020.
17. News: State Sen. Shemia Fagan Officially Enters the Race for Oregon Secretary of State. February 27, 2020. Rachel. Monahan. Willamette Week. March 2, 2020.
18. News: Secretary of State candidates debate public trust, election integrity. October 21, 2019. Brenna. Visser. East Oregonian. October 25, 2019.
19. News: Jamie McLeod-Skinner files to run for secretary of state. September 13, 2019. Andrew. Selsky. The Bulletin. October 25, 2019. October 26, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191026041337/https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/7426231-151/jamie-mcleod-skinner-files-to-run-for-secretary-of. dead.
20. Web site: Candidate Information: Jamie A Morrison. February 28, 2020. Oregon Secretary of State: Elections Division. March 10, 2020.
21. News: Former State Agency Director Cameron Smith Withdraws from Secretary of State's Race. March 10, 2020. Rachel. Monahan. Willamette Week. March 11, 2020.
22. Web site: Candidate Information: Cameron Smith. March 10, 2020. Oregon Secretary of State: Elections Division. March 11, 2020.
23. News: Former House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson Abruptly Ends Campaign for Secretary of State In Advance of WW Story. February 10, 2020. Rachel. Monahan. Nigel. Jaquiss. Willamette Week. February 10, 2020.
24. Web site: Candidate Information: Jennifer A Williamson. February 26, 2020. Oregon Secretary of State: Elections Division. March 10, 2020.
25. Web site: Candidate Information: Ryan F Wruck. November 8, 2019. Oregon Secretary of State: Elections Division. November 12, 2019.
26. Web site: Readers respond: An SOS candidate bows out. November 10, 2019. Ryan. Wruck. The Oregonian. January 13, 2020.
27. News: Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read Announces Bid for Re-Election with a Video Encouraging Personal Savings. December 18, 2019. Sophie. Peel. Willamette Week. January 13, 2020.
28. News: LO's Gudman jumps into state treasurer race. February 3, 2020. Sam. Stites. Portland Tribune. February 4, 2020.
29. Web site: 2020 Oregon Legislature election results :: The Oregonian OregonLive.com. 2020-12-10. The Oregonian - OregonLive.com. en-US.
30. Web site: November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes. Oregon Secretary of State. October 5, 2024.
31. Web site: 2020 General Election: Ballot Measures. The Oregonian. October 5, 2024.
32. Web site: 2020 General Election: Ballot Measures. Politico. October 5, 2024.
33. https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/7366355-151/magic-mushrooms-may-be-on-the-2020-ballot/ DHM Research/Oregon Public Broadcasting/The Bulletin/Oregon Psylocobin Society
34. Web site: OREGON PSILOCYBIN THERAPY MEASURE OFFICIALLY QUALIFIES FOR NOVEMBER BALLOT. September 18, 2020 . July 8, 2020 . KDRV . Jamie . Parfitt .