Honestly, walking into the voting booth in November was a bit of a trip for most Oregonians. We weren't just picking a president or deciding who gets to represent us in D.C.; we were staring down five massive shifts in how our state actually functions. If you've been following the news, you know the oregon ballot measures 2024 results were a mixed bag.
Some people thought we were about to rewrite the tax code or overhaul how we vote entirely. Others were just worried about their cannabis license. Now that the dust has settled—and the courts have even stepped in to toss one of the winners—it's time to look at what really went down.
It's sorta wild how much can change with a simple "yes" or "no." Or, in some cases, how much things stay exactly the same.
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The Big Two That Actually Passed (And One That Already Failed)
Only two measures made the cut on election night. One was a total no-brainer for most people, and the other felt like a niche labor win—until a judge decided otherwise.
Measure 115: Impeachment is Finally a Thing
Before this year, Oregon was the only state in the entire country where the legislature couldn't impeach the Governor. Weird, right? If a statewide official went off the rails, the only way to get them out was a recall election. That’s a massive, expensive, and slow process.
Measure 115 fixed that. It passed with about 64% of the vote, which is basically a landslide in Oregon politics. Now, the House can impeach a state executive for "malfeasance or corrupt conduct" with a two-thirds vote, and the Senate holds the trial.
Measure 119: The Cannabis Labor Fight
This one was supposed to make it easier for cannabis workers to unionize by requiring businesses to sign "labor peace agreements" to keep their licenses. It passed with roughly 57% support. Voters clearly liked the idea of protecting workers in a relatively new industry.
But here’s the kicker: a federal judge struck it down in May 2025. The court basically said the state was trying to regulate labor relations in a way that’s already covered by federal law (the NLRA). It turns out, you can't just force employers to stay "neutral" or sign specific union agreements as a condition of their state license. So, while it "passed," it’s currently a dead letter unless an appeal changes things.
Why Ranked-Choice Voting and the "Big Rebate" Flopped
The two measures that got the most airtime were Measure 117 and Measure 118. Both went down in flames, but for very different reasons.
Measure 117: Too Confusing?
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) was supposed to be the future. Proponents argued it would end the "spoiler effect" and make campaigns more civil. Instead, Oregonians gave it a thumbs down, with 58% voting "no." People generally like the idea of more choices, but they’re terrified of a ballot that looks like a standardized test. There’s a real fear that if the system is too complex, people just won't vote. Plus, critics pointed out that it wouldn't even have applied to state legislative races—just the big statewide and federal ones. That inconsistency didn't sit well with a lot of folks.
Measure 118: The $1,600 Rebate That Wasn't
This was the "Oregon Rebate." The pitch: tax corporations with over $25 million in sales and give every resident about $1,600. Sounded great on a bumper sticker. In reality, it was the most hated measure on the ballot.
It was rejected by a staggering 77% of voters. Why such a massive fail? Basically, everyone from the Progressive Party to the Chamber of Commerce hated it. The "tax on sales" part was the dealbreaker. Opponents argued it would drive up the price of everything—milk, gas, medicine—because businesses would just pass that 3% tax right onto you. Even Governor Tina Kotek came out against it, saying it would blow a hole in the state budget.
Measure 116: The Salary Commission Nobody Wanted
This one was a bit more subtle. Measure 116 wanted to take the power to set salaries for politicians out of the hands of... well, politicians. It would have created an independent commission to decide how much the Governor, judges, and lawmakers get paid.
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It narrowly failed, with about 52% of voters saying no. The irony is that Oregon’s salaries for elected officials are actually pretty low compared to other states. The Governor makes under $100k. Some people argued that low pay keeps regular folks from running for office, leaving the jobs to the wealthy or retired. But in the end, Oregonians just weren't comfortable handing over "blank check" power to a commission they didn't quite trust.
What Happens Now?
So, the oregon ballot measures 2024 didn't exactly spark the revolution some people expected. We got impeachment, we tried to get cannabis labor peace, and we decided we’re perfectly fine with the current voting system (for now).
If you're wondering how this affects your daily life, here’s the breakdown:
- For Cannabis Business Owners: You no longer need to worry about the Labor Peace Agreement (LPA) requirement for your license renewal, thanks to that 2025 court ruling.
- For Voters: Don't expect your ballot to change anytime soon. We’re sticking with the "one person, one vote" plurality system.
- For Activists: Expect a more polished version of Ranked-Choice Voting or campaign finance reform to pop up in 2026 or 2028. They usually don't give up after one loss.
The best thing you can do is stay engaged with the Oregon Secretary of State website. They keep the official records of these changes and the status of any ongoing legal challenges. If you're a business owner, check in with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) to ensure your compliance paperwork matches the latest court-ordered rules.
Keeping an eye on these things helps you avoid being surprised when the next election cycle rolls around and these same issues—probably wearing different hats—show up on your doorstep again.