Democratic Party primaries in Oregon, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: N/A (all-mail elections)
- Voter ID: N/A
- Poll times: N/A
| Democratic Party primaries, 2018 |
| Primary Date |
| May 15, 2018 |
| Federal elections |
| Democratic primaries for U.S. House |
| State elections |
| Democratic primaries for Oregon legislature |
| Democratic primary for governor |
| State party |
| Democratic Party of Oregon |
| State political party revenue |
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[1][2]
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[3] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[4][5][6]
Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[7]
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Oregon on May 15, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
Federal elections
U.S. House
District 1
- Suzanne Bonamici (Incumbent) ✔
- Ricky Barajas
- Michael Stansfield
District 2
District 3
- Earl Blumenauer (Incumbent) ✔
- Eric Hafner
- Ben Lavine
- Charles Rand Barnett
District 4
- Peter DeFazio (Incumbent) ✔
- Daniel Arcangel
District 5
- Kurt Schrader (Incumbent) ✔
- Peter Wright
State elections
Oregon Party Control: 1992-2025
Seventeen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Gubernatorial election
Democratic primary candidates
- Kate Brown (Incumbent) ✔
- Ed Jones
- Candace Neville
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
State legislative elections
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Oregon state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Oregon state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
Senate battlegrounds
Senate District 11
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground race?
| Senate President Peter Courtney drew a challenge from Joyce Judy due to his opposition to progressive legislation on healthcare, environmental policy, and electing the U.S. president via the national popular vote.[8] The group National Popular Vote launched a $100,000 anti-Courtney campaign in December 2017. The group argued for an interstate compact that, if enough states joined, would allow for the selection of the U.S. president through the popular vote, not the Electoral College.[9] |
| Oregon State Senate, District 11 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Peter Courtney Incumbent |
64.05% | 4,830 |
| Joyce Judy | 35.33% | 2,664 |
| Write-in votes | 0.62% | 47 |
| Total Votes | 7,541 | |
| Source: Oregon Secretary of State, "May 15, 2018, Primary Election Abstract of Votes," accessed July 26, 2018 | ||
Senate District 24
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground race?
| Although state Sen. Rod Monroe was first elected 1976 and usually supported Democratic priorities, his views on housing policy drew him two primary challengers. Former state Rep. Shemia Fagan and Unite Oregon Executive Director Kayse Jama disagreed with Monroe, a landlord, on his opposition to rent controls and his support for no cause evictions. Monroe was backed by developers and the real estate industry, while Fagan was supported by unions and trial lawyers. Some progressives feared Jama could split the anti-Monroe voters and allow him to win re-election.[8][10] |
| Oregon State Senate, District 24 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Shemia Fagan |
61.88% | 6,628 |
| Rod Monroe Incumbent | 20.08% | 2,151 |
| Kayse Jama | 17.79% | 1,906 |
| Write-in votes | 0.24% | 26 |
| Total Votes | 10,711 | |
| Source: Oregon Secretary of State, "May 15, 2018, Primary Election Abstract of Votes," accessed July 26, 2018 | ||
House battlegrounds
House District 32
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| No |
What made this a battleground race?
| Three Democrats battled to replace Deborah Boone and represent the coastal area west of Portland. Child welfare worker Tiffiny Mitchell was backed by environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers. She wanted to raise corporate taxes to pay for social services and charge the state’s largest greenhouse gas producers for their emissions. Her ideological opposite was former state Rep. and Tillamook County Commissioner Tim Josi. He described himself as a conservative Democrat who party leaders opposed. He was backed by logging, agricultural, and grocery companies. Energy contractor and municipal judge Jon Orr was running on a similar platform as Mitchell. A candidate primarily funded by small donations, he said that outside groups were trying to influence the race.[8] |
| Oregon House of Representatives, District 32 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Tiffiny Mitchell |
41.65% | 3,309 |
| John Orr | 29.24% | 2,323 |
| Tim Josi | 28.71% | 2,281 |
| Write-in votes | 0.39% | 31 |
| Total Votes | 7,944 | |
| Source: Oregon Secretary of State, "May 15, 2018, Primary Election Abstract of Votes," accessed July 26, 2018 | ||
State party overview
- See also: Democratic Party of Oregon
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Oregon's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Democratic Party of Oregon revenue, 2011 to 2016[11][12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $1,033,537.90 | $188,099.42 | $1,221,637.32 |
| 2012 | $1,620,954.50 | $1,495,195.67 | $3,116,150.17 |
| 2013 | $665,867.82 | $164,538.43 | $830,406.25 |
| 2014 | $1,711,262.19 | $2,393,063.00 | $4,104,325.19 |
| 2015 | $941,583.79 | $265,086.09 | $1,206,669.88 |
| 2016 | $4,571,446.27 | $1,976,069.06 | $6,547,515.33 |
Oregon compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Oregon was one of four states to hold a primary election on May 15, 2018.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Oregon generally utilizes a closed primary process. The selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members for presidential and legislative elections.[13][14]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
Oregon is an all-mail voting state.[15] Each county provides privacy booths that voters can use to mark their ballot.[16] County clerks' offices are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time on Election Day.[17] Oregon is divided between the Mountain and Pacific time zones.
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Oregon, one must be a resident of Oregon, a United States citizen, and at least 16 years old. Voters must be at least 18 years old by the day of the election in order to receive a ballot.[18] Potential voters can register online or by mailing in a voter registration form to your county election office. The deadline to register is 21 days before the election.[18]
Automatic registration
Oregon implemented automatic voter registration in 2016. For more information, click here.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Oregon has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Oregon does not allow same-day voter registration.[18]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Oregon, you must be a resident of the state.[18]
Verification of citizenship
Oregon does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who knowingly falsely registers "can be fined up to $125,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 5 years."[19]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[20] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
Oregon is an all-mail voting state. When registering to vote, voters must provide their driver's license number or state ID card number. If voters can not provide this information, they can print and sign a online voter registration form and mail it to their county election office to complete their registration.[15]
Absentee and early voting
Oregon conducts what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In Oregon, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. Election officials automatically distribute mail-in ballots to eligible electors.
See also
| Federal primaries in Oregon | State primaries in Oregon | Oregon state party apparatus | Oregon voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Footnotes
- ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
- ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
- ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Oregon Live, "May primary could determine whether Oregon Legislature’s Democrats move left," May 2, 2018
- ↑ Oregon Live, "Out-of-state group seeks to oust Peter Courtney, president of Oregon Senate," December 15, 2017
- ↑ Williamette Week, "State Sen. Rod Monroe Faces Something Rare: Two Credible Challengers in a Democratic Primary," April 10, 2018
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Search for Campaign Finance Information," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Oregon Republican Party and Democratic Party of Oregon)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Oregon Republican Party and Democratic Party of Oregon)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State,"Frequently Asked Questions," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Oregon Secretary of State, “Voting in Oregon,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Deschutes County Oregon, “Voting in Oregon FAQ,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Oregon.gov, "Public Elections Calendar, November 2024," accessed January 9, 2024
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Oregon Secretary of State, "Oregon Online Voter Registration," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Oregon Voter Registration Card," accessed November 2, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
