It’s been a wild ride. Honestly, looking back at the election results Oregon 2024 cycle feels a bit like staring at a Rorschach test. Some people see a deep blue stronghold holding the line, while others see a slow, unmistakable creep toward the right in the rural counties. You’ve probably heard the headlines, but the real story is in the weird, messy details of how Oregonians actually voted when the ballots were finally tallied.
Oregon didn't just pick a President. We decided on the future of our tax system, how we choose our leaders, and who holds the keys to the state’s legal and financial machinery.
The Big Flip in the 5th District
If you want to understand the 2024 vibe, you have to look at the 5th Congressional District. This was the heavyweight bout everyone was watching. Janelle Bynum (D) took on the incumbent Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R). It wasn't their first rodeo; they’d faced off twice before for a state house seat.
Bynum won. Again.
She pulled in roughly 47.7% of the vote to Chavez-DeRemer’s 45%. It was tight. Super tight. This win was massive for Democrats because it flipped a seat back to blue, helping the national party's math in the House. Bynum focused hard on national stuff like reproductive rights, while Chavez-DeRemer tried to keep it local, talking about the economy and crime. In the end, the "purple" hue of the district—which stretches from the Portland suburbs down to Bend—leaned just enough into the blue.
📖 Related: The Kremlin Refuses to Confirm or Deny Putin Spoke With Trump: Why the Silence Matters
Statewide Officers: A Democratic Sweep
The executive races were less of a nail-biter, but still pretty interesting. Tobias Read is moving from the Treasurer’s office to become the next Secretary of State. He beat Republican Dennis Linthicum with about 54% of the vote.
Why does this matter? Well, the Secretary of State office has been a bit of a revolving door lately. Remember Shemia Fagan? Her resignation over a cannabis consulting scandal left a bit of a mess. Read is seen as a "steady hand" type, which is probably exactly what voters wanted after the drama.
Meanwhile, for Attorney General, Dan Rayfield (the former Speaker of the House) secured a solid win over Will Lathrop. Rayfield nabbed 54.4%, keeping the Department of Justice in Democratic hands.
Other Congressional Staples
- District 1: Suzanne Bonamici did what she always does—won big with nearly 69%.
- District 2: Cliff Bentz remains the Republican powerhouse in Eastern Oregon, crushing it with 64%.
- District 3: Maxine Dexter is the new face here, taking over for the legendary Earl Blumenauer. She won easily with 68%.
- District 4: Val Hoyle fended off a challenge from Monique DeSpain, holding the seat with 52%.
- District 6: Andrea Salinas won her rematch against Mike Erickson, though it was closer than some expected at 53%.
The Ballot Measures: Oregonians Said "No" (A Lot)
This is where things get kinda spicy. If you looked at the election results Oregon 2024 for ballot measures, you’d see a state that was feeling very skeptical. Out of five major statewide measures, only two actually passed.
Measure 115 passed. This allows the legislature to impeach statewide elected officials. It’s wild that we didn't already have this, honestly. Oregon was the only state in the union where the legislature couldn't do that. After the Fagan scandal, voters weren't in the mood to leave that loophole open.
Measure 119 also passed. This one makes it easier for cannabis workers to unionize. Given Oregon’s history with the industry, this wasn't a huge shocker.
But then... the rejections.
Measure 117, which would have brought Ranked-Choice Voting to statewide and federal elections, got dumped. Hard. About 58% of voters said no. Even though Portland and Multnomah County use it, the rest of the state wasn't sold on making the change for everyone. People seemed worried it was too complicated or that it might "silence" certain voices.
Then there was Measure 118. The "rebate" measure.
This was the proposal to tax big corporations (sales over $25 million) and give every resident a $1,600 check. It sounds great on paper, right? Free money! But it got absolutely crushed. Over 77% of voters rejected it. Even the Democratic leadership, including Governor Tina Kotek, came out against it, saying it would blow a hole in the state budget and drive up prices. It turns out Oregonians are pretty wary of "too good to be true" math.
The Rightward Shift?
Look, Kamala Harris won Oregon. That’s no surprise. She took about 55% of the vote. But if you dig into the county-by-county data, something interesting is happening. In 2024, a lot of "red" counties got redder, and even some "blue" areas saw a slight shift toward the GOP compared to 2020.
🔗 Read more: Trump Tweet Charlie Kirk Dead: What Really Happened with the Viral Post
Voter turnout was decent—around 75.4%. That’s high compared to the rest of the country but actually a little lower than Oregon’s 2020 peak of 78.5%. People are engaged, but maybe a little exhausted.
What This Actually Means for You
So, what's the "so what" here?
First, the Democratic supermajority in Salem is still alive and well, but they've got a lot of new faces to integrate. With Tobias Read moving to Secretary of State and Elizabeth Steiner winning the Treasurer race, the "top floor" of the Capitol is reshuffling.
Second, the rejection of Measure 118 shows that Oregonians—even the liberal ones—are becoming more fiscally conservative when it comes to experimental tax shifts. They want stability.
If you’re trying to keep track of how this affects your daily life, keep an eye on the upcoming legislative session. With the impeachment power now in hand and a new AG in Dan Rayfield, the oversight of state government is going to look a lot different than it did two years ago.
Next steps to stay informed:
- Check your local precinct results: The Secretary of State's website has a granular breakdown that shows how your specific neighborhood voted.
- Monitor the 2025 Legislative Session: Now that the "who" is decided, the "what" begins. Watch for how the new supermajority handles the housing crisis and drug addiction services, which were huge talking points during the campaign.
- Update your registration: If you moved recently or want to change your party affiliation before the next primary, do it now via the Oregon Centralized Voter Registration system.