Cost of Living and High Taxes Top Oregon Voter Concerns as Governor’s Race Remains Deadlocked

The cost of living, high tax rates, housing affordability, and an unstable job market emerged as the top concerns for most respondents in an OPB opinion poll.

In as lead up to the November 3 elections, OPB gleaned the opinion of *915 likely voters in a poll dominated by voter dissatisfaction over the state of the economy.

Fifty-two percent of respondents expressed concern about the economic climate. Homelessness and political leadership were also named as election concerns.

The poll shows Republican Senator Christine Drazan slightly ahead of Democratic Governor Tina Kotek at 46% to 44%. However, in 2022, Drazan also led opinion polls but failed to gain sufficient votes to secure the governorship.

The OPB poll has an error margin of 3.24%.

Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Remains Well Above the National Average

Oregon’s unemployment rate improved marginally to 5.1 in August from 5.2% in July. Nevertheless, it remains substantially higher than the national average of 4.1%.

There has been little fluctuation since March 2025, when the unemployment rate reached 5%, with 5.3% the highest level reached in the last 18 months.

In August, the state’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment declined by 800 jobs, after a revised loss of 1,800 jobs in July.

Professional and business services suffered the highest losses (-1,100 jobs), while the construction industry had the biggest gains (+700 jobs). A gain of +500 jobs was also recorded by the retail trade.

Healthcare and social assistance continued its rapid growth of the past four years, adding 10,200 jobs, which represents a gain of 3.2%, in the last year.

Also showing growth was private education (+800, or 2.2%) and other services (+1,300 jobs, or 2.0%), the other major industries adding jobs since August 2025.

During that same period, manufacturing (-6,800 jobs, or -3.8%) suffered the biggest job cuts.

Payroll employment in the state has decreased by 0.5% (10,900 jobs) in the past 12 months. There have been signs of stabilization over the past five months, as total nonfarm payroll employment inched upward by 1,800 jobs, or 0.1%.