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November 3, 2026
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| Elections in Oregon |
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A general election will be held in the U.S. state of Oregon on November 3, 2026. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2026.
Federal
United States House of Representatives
All six of Oregon's seats in the United States House of Representatives are up for election in 2026. These seats are represented by five Democrats and one Republican prior to the election.
Senate
Democrat Jeff Merkley is the incumbent and is running for a fourth term.[1][2]
State offices
Governor
Democrat Tina Kotek is the incumbent and is running for a second term.
Labor Commissioner
First-term incumbent Christina Stephenson won a second consecutive term.[3]
Legislature
All 60 seats in the Oregon House of Representatives and 15 of 30 seats in the Oregon State Senate are up for election.
Local elections
Portland
The 2026 Portland City Council elections will be the second election under the new city council form of government adopted following Portland's 2022 charter reform, and the second to use ranked-choice voting. Half of the city council is up for election: the three seats for district 3 and the three seats for district 4.[4]
Salem
In the May 19 election for Salem mayor, Salem city councilor Vanessa Nordyke defeated incumbent Julie Hoy.[5][6]
Ballot measures
There was one statewide Oregon ballot measure in the May primary election.
Measure 120
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May 19, 2026
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Increases fuel taxes, registration/title fees for roads, tax on wages for public transportation services[7] | ||||||||||
| Results | ||||||||||
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 County results
No 90–100% 80–90% 70–80%
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| Results source[8] | ||||||||||
Oregon Ballot Measure 120 was a failed referendum. If approved, the state would have raised the fuel tax by six cents to 46 cents per gallon, vehicle registration fees by $42, and title fees for passenger vehicles by $139; the state payroll tax for public transportation services would also have increased from 0.1% to 0.2% until January 1, 2028. The increased revenue would be used for public transportation[9] and the State Highway Fund.[10]
Because of the increased adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles and inflation raising infrastructure costs, the state saw a shortage in funds for transportation. In the 2025 session, the Oregon Legislative Assembly failed to find funding. Governor Tina Kotek called a special legislative session to pass a $4.3 billion transportation package. In response, a campaign was launched to petition for a portion of the law to be placed on the ballot as a referendum. Over 200,000 signatures were submitted to the Oregon Secretary of State, enough to place the referendum on the ballot.[10][11]
The measure was originally scheduled for the general election in November, but was moved to the May primary election when the assembly passed Senate Bill 1599 in the 2026 legislative session.[12] Republican lawmakers staged walkouts in protest, and four unsuccessful lawsuits were filed to prevent moving the referendum date.[10]
As of April 1, 2026, the Right to Vote on the Gas Tax PAC had reported over $243,000 in contributions and $198,000 in expenses to support a "no" vote.[13] There were no PACs that campaigned in support of the measure.[10]
The measure failed to pass, with more than 80% of votes being cast against it.[8]
Results
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 207,031 | 16.98 | |
| Against | 1,012,446 | 83.02 | |
| Total | 1,219,477 | 100.00 | |
| Source: Secretary of State of Oregon | |||
See also
References
- "Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley wins US Senate reelection". AP News. November 4, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- VanderHart, Dirk (July 11, 2025). "Oregon's Jeff Merkley will seek a 4th term in US Senate, ending speculation". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- "Stephenson wins race to lead Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries". Oregon Public Broadcasting. November 8, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- Macuk, Anthony (September 19, 2024). "Yes, some Portland councilors will serve shortened terms after this year's election". KGW. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- Siess, Joe (September 12, 2025). "Councilor Vanessa Nordyke will challenge Mayor Julie Hoy in 2026 city election". Salem Reporter. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- McDonald, Abbey (May 20, 2026). "Hoy concedes mayor's race". Salem Reporter. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- "Oregon Referendum 120, Increase to Gas Tax, Payroll Tax, and Vehicle Registration Fees Referendum (May 2026)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- "Oregon Measure 120 election results". Associated Press. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- "Voters' Pamphlet Oregon Primary Election" (PDF). oregonvotes.gov. Salem, Oregon: Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division. pp. 77–78. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 30, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- Maldonado, Mia (April 16, 2026). "Measure 120 would give Oregonians a chance to weigh in on the gas tax". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Archived from the original on April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- Varlamos, Vasili (April 17, 2026). "Gov. Kotek says gas tax referendum is a 'tough sell' nearly a month before May vote". KATU. Archived from the original on April 17, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- Mason, Anastasia (March 29, 2026). "What would a 'yes' or 'no' vote on Oregon gas tax do? What to know". Statesman Journal. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- "Oregon Referendum 120, Increase to Gas Tax, Payroll Tax, and Vehicle Registration Fees Referendum (May 2026)". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on April 18, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.