PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon’s primary election results are in.
Voter turnout was historically low, with 33.6 percent of registered voters submitting ballots, according to the Oregon secretary of state's office. It was the lowest turnout in a primary or general election since at least 1970, the last data available on the state's website.
Race Results:
STATE OF OREGON
Democratic nominee: Kate Brown
Oregon Governor Kate Brown sailed through the primary election to win the Democratic nomination.
Kate Brown was appointed governor in 2015 following then-Governor John Kitzhaber’s resignation. Brown won a 2016 special election to finish Kitzhaber’s term. If she wins in 2018, she will serve four more years as governor of Oregon.
Gov. Brown on Tuesday afternoon called on her Republican challenger to join her in at least three debates, including one that will air on KGW.
“Voters deserve to hear directly from us where we stand on the issues,” Brown said.
Republican nominee: Knute Buehler
Moderate Republican Knute Buehler was considered the front-runner in the GOP race, but early straw polls showed more conservative candidates Sam Carpenter and Greg Wooldridge gaining support among the state’s Republican base.
Buehler won the nomination on Tuesday, with early results showing him garnering 50 percent of the vote. He currently represents Bend in the Oregon House of Representatives, and works as an orthopedic surgeon in Bend.
Labor Commissioner: Val Hoyle
The nonpartisan labor commissioner enforces labor and housing laws and can levy fines for violations including those of discrimination, wages, and working conditions. Brad Avakian, the current labor commissioner, is not running for reelection.
Val Hoyle is a longtime Oregon Democrat who served as state representative from 2009 through 2016. Hoyle lost to Avakian in the bid for Oregon Secretary of State in 2016 (the race was ultimately won by Republican Dennis Richardson).
CITY OF PORTLAND
Portland City Council Position 2: Nick Fish
Nick Fish has served on the Portland City Council since 2008. He currently oversees the Portland Water Bureau and the Bureau of Environmental Services. After Dan Saltzman’s retirement this year, Fish, a former civil rights attorney, will be the longest-serving commissioner on the city council.
Portland City Council Position 3: Runoff between Loretta Smith and Jo Ann Hardesty
Loretta Smith, a Multnomah County Commissioner, is giving up her county commissioner seat to run for Portland City Council. She promises to fight for vulnerable communities, and has been endorsed by Democratic lawmakers including Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), and several local unions.
Jo Ann Hardesty is a former state representative and senior policy analyst for Multnomah County. She has vowed to address housing issues, access for underserved communities, climate action and police reform. Hardesty is Bernie PDX’s pick for county commissioner. She’s also garnered support from the Portland Association of Teachers, the Sierra Club, and Basic Rights Oregon.
Portland Children's Levy: Passes
The Children’s Levy renews a Portland tax of 0.40 per $1,000 in assessed property value to fund programs to prevent hunger and child abuse, and early childhood education, after school and summer programs, and foster care programs.
MULTNOMAH COUNTY:
County Chair: Deborah Kafoury
Deborah Kafoury has served on the Multnomah County Commission since 2008, except for a brief respite to run for county chair, as the law required her to resign before running for a new position. She was first elected Multnomah County Chair in 2014.
Commissioner District 2: Susheela Jayapal
Susheela Jayapal is a former lawyer for Adidas and court-appointed special advocate who was running on a platform of affordable housing and support for immigrants and refugees. She will take over the seat vacated by Loretta Smith.
County Auditor: Runoff between Scott Learn and Jennifer McGuirk
Three qualified candidates ran for the county auditor position. Learn and McGuirk will face off in the November election, as neither received more than 50 percent of the vote.
McGuirk currently works with the county auditor's office. Learn is a former Oregonian reporter and currently works as an auditor for the state of Oregon.
WASHINGTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Kevin Barton
Kevin Barton is a prosecutor who received more than $350,000 in cash and in-kind contributions. His biggest contributions are from a conservative political action committee and from Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
The district attorney's race drew national attention due to the huge influx of cash into the race. Barton's competitor, defense attorney Max Wall, raised more than $541,000 in cash and in-kind donations, including funding from a political action committee reportedly tied to billionaire George Soros.
BEAVERTON SCHOOL LEVY: Passes
The Beaverton school levy renews a current tax of $1.25 per $1,000 in assessed property value. It will preserve 300 teaching positions and maintain class sizes for Beaverton schools.
Sign up for our '3 Things to Know' daily newsletter