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As early election results trickle in from the Oregon Secretary of State, Democrats are on track to retain their power to pass tax increases without Republican votes.
Based on the candidates leading in returns updated November 4 at 4:45 a.m. Pacific, and including Senate seats not up for election, Democrats were on course for 19 of 30 Senate seats and 39 of 60 House seats.
Republicans held or led in the remaining 11 Senate seats and 21 House seats. These are provisional totals based on current leads, not certified results.
Tidings Data Snapshot
Oregon Democrats’ Early Tax-Vote MarginsSeats held over or led in unofficial November 4 returns| Chamber | D | R | Tax votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | 19 | 11 | 18 |
| House | 39 | 21 | 36 |
Senate totals include seven Democratic and eight Republican holdovers plus leaders in all 15 races. House totals cover all 60 races. Leads are provisional and may change as ballots are counted.
Source: Oregon Secretary of State / November 4, 2026, 4:45 a.m. PacificDailyTidings.com
Tina Kotek Re-Elected as Oregon’s Governor
Tina Kotek won reelection as Oregon’s governor. The state’s early tally showed 1,537,747 votes in the governor’s race, with Kotek receiving 795,725 (51.75%), compared with Republican Christine Drazan’s 699,400 (45.48%).
Democrats Lead Enough Senate Races to Keep a Supermajority
Currently, Democrats hold 37 of the 60 House seats and 18 of the 30 State Senate seats. Oregonians voted for all 60 House seats and 15 Senate seats in the November 3, 2026, midterm election.
Despite Republican hopes of flipping the state’s 3rd Senate District, Democratic healthcare consultant Denise Krause led Brad Hicks, a former long-serving executive of the Chamber of Medford and Jackson County.
The seat was open because Democratic Sen. Jeff Golden is retiring.
Krause had 34,532 votes (53.88%), compared with Hicks’ 26,981 (42.10%). Clay Bearnson, nominated by the Independent and Pacific Green parties, had 2,506 (3.91%).
Krause’s lead over Hicks was 7,551 votes.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley also led his race, with 864,411 votes (56.57%), compared with Republican David Brock Smith’s 619,239 (40.53%).
Constitution Requires 60% of the Vote for Revenue-Raising Bills
The Oregon Constitution stipulates that revenue-raising bills must receive three-fifths of the vote of all elected members in each chamber, or 60%. That means 18 votes in the Senate and 36 in the House.
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