Written by; Nicholas Sarysz

Oregon had a lot on the ballot for this year’s midterm elections, which most notably included four ballot measures and a gubernatorial race.

The ballot measure results are as follows. Measure 111, which is meant to establish a right to affordable, effective health care in the state constitution, passed by less than 2%. Measure 112, which calls to modify the state constitution to remove slavery and involuntary servitude as a punishment, passed with over 55% of the vote. Measure 113, which will disqualify lawmakers from re-election if they are absent from 10+ floor sessions, passed with a resounding 68.3% of the vote. Measure 114, which requires specific identification and permits to buy firearms, and limits the size of allowed ammunition magazines, barely passed with 50.7% of the vote.

Democrat Tina Kotek was the winner of the gubernatorial race. Kotek will take over as governor in place of Kate Brown, who was ineligible for re-election due to Oregon’s gubernatorial term limit. Kotek, the 56-year-old self-labeled “proven progressive fighter,” is most known for serving as the speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2013 – 2022. She will now have the opportunity as governor to work with a democratic majority in the state legislature.

Also on the ballot this election was one of Oregon’s U.S. Senate positions, as well as four positions for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Winning the senate position was Democrat incumbent Ron Wyden, who has held the position since 1996. Previously, Wyden served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981–1996.

The House of Representatives’ results are as follows. Oregon’s 1st district was won by Democratic incumbent Suzanne Bonamici, who was first elected to the position in 2012. Oregon’s 2nd district was won by Republican incumbent Cliff Bentz, who has only held the position since last year. Oregon’s 3rd district was won by Democratic incumbent Earl Blumenauer, who has held the position since 1996. Oregon’s 4th district was won by Democrat Valerie Hoyle, who is a former member of the Oregon House of Representatives, and the current commissioner of Oregon’s Bureau of Labor.

Oregon’s 5th district was won by Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who served as the mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon from 2010–2018. She also unsuccessfully ran for the Oregon House of Representatives twice in the last decade. 

Oregon’s 6th district was won by Democrat Andrea Salinas, who served in the Oregon House of Representatives since 2017.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@mail.wou.edu