Ballot Measures, January 26, 2010
Oregon voters decided 2 statewide ballot measures on January 26, 2010.
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Measure 67 | Increase $10 corporate minimum tax and profit tax and establish $150 minimum business tax. | Passed (54% yes) |
| Measure 66 | Increase taxes on incomes at and above $250,000 for households and $125,000 for individual filers. | Passed (54% yes) |
Ballot Measures, May 18, 2010
Oregon voters decided 2 statewide ballot measures on May 18, 2010.
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Measure 69 | Continue to allow the state to use bonds to finance higher education, allowing the purchase of existing buildings and nontax revenues for self-supporting bonds. | Passed (72% yes) |
| Measure 68 | Allow the state to issue bonds to match school district bonds for school capital costs. | Passed (65% yes) |
General Election, November 2, 2010
Oregon held its general election on November 2, 2010, deciding 76 legislative seats and 2 statewide offices led by the governorship. Control shifted: the House moved from a 36-24 Democratic majority to a 30-30 power-sharing tie.
Highlights
- The House's first 30-30 split ended the Democratic trifecta, even though Democrats kept the governorship and a narrowed 16-14 Senate majority. Rather than fight over the gavel, the parties shared it under co-speakers Arnie Roblan (D) and Bruce Hanna (R).
- That near-even split shaped redistricting. In 2011 the Legislature drew its own legislative and congressional maps, without the secretary of state or the courts stepping in, for the first time in a century. A City Club of Portland report said legislative observers credited the close partisan balance in both chambers.
- Former two-term governor John Kitzhaber (D) beat Chris Dudley (R), a former NBA player and political newcomer, by about 1.5 points, becoming the first Oregon governor elected to a third term. Dudley led the early count until Multnomah County votes swung the race.
- Every one of the 8 legislative seats that changed party went from Democrats to Republicans:
- In the House, three Republicans unseated Democratic incumbents: Jason Conger (R) beat Judy Stiegler (D) in House District 54, Mark Johnson (R) beat Suzanne VanOrman (D) in House District 52, and Matthew Wand (R) beat Nick Kahl (D) in House District 49.
- Republicans also took three open Democratic House seats: House District 29 (Katie Eyre Brewer), House District 30 (Shawn Lindsay), and House District 51 (Patrick Sheehan), the seat Rep. Brent Barton (D) gave up to run for the Senate.
- In Senate District 20, Martha Schrader (D), appointed to succeed her husband, Kurt Schrader, in 2009, lost to Alan R. Olsen (R) by about 230 votes. Chuck Thomsen (R) beat Barton for the open Senate District 26.
- Democrats held Senate District 3 by fewer than 300 votes, as Alan Bates (D) edged Dave Dotterrer (R).
- Voters approved 5 of the 7 November measures. Measure 71 moved the Legislature to annual sessions, Measure 73 raised minimum sentences for certain repeat sex crimes and repeat drunk driving, and Measure 76 kept 15% of lottery proceeds flowing to parks and natural resources beyond 2014. Voters rejected Measure 74, a licensed medical marijuana supply system, and Measure 75, a privately owned casino in Multnomah County.
Legislature
- House (60 seats): 36 D, 24 R before the election, 30 D, 30 R after; control moved from Democrats to Power_Sharing.
- Senate (30 seats): 18 D, 12 R before the election, 16 D, 14 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Measure 70 | Expand eligibility for low-interest home loans from the Oregon War Veterans’ Fund to more veterans and spouses. | Passed (84% yes) |
| Measure 71 | Require annual legislative sessions, limiting regular sessions to 160 days in odd-numbered years and 35 days in even-numbered years, with five-day extensions by a two-thirds vote. | Passed (68% yes) |
| Measure 72 | Add an exception to the $50,000 borrowing limit to allow the state to issue bonds to finance state real and personal property projects. | Passed (59% yes) |
| Measure 73 | Increase minimum sentences for certain repeated sex crimes and mandate a 90-day minimum sentence for certain repeated driving under influence convictions. | Passed (57% yes) |
| Measure 74 | Establish a medical marijuana supply system with licensing, low-income assistance for cardholders, and a marijuana use research program. | Failed (44% yes) |
| Measure 75 | Authorize a privately-owned casino in Multnomah County and require the casino to allocate a percentage of their monthly gross revenue to the State Lottery and the Job Growth, Education and Communities Fund. | Failed (32% yes) |
| Measure 76 | Continue to allocate 15% of net state lottery proceeds to the Parks and Natural Resources Fund beyond 2014 | Passed (69% yes) |