Oregon Election Results for 2008 Signify Change

A long, hard fought campaign for Oregon ballot measures and political candidates is finally over. Here is a list of some of the winners and losers.

(SALEM, Ore.) - A number of measures were up in front of Oregon voters in the November 4th Election. Voters chose to increase penalties against criminals including more mandatory minimum sentences. They voted against a controversial plan to disregard teacher seniority, and they decided not to limit how long a student can be taught in a foreign language. Voters decided that 15% of lottery proceeds will not be going toward public safety fund for crime prevention, investigation and prosecution. They elected to creates an unlimited deduction for federal income taxes on individual taxpayers Oregon income-tax returns. It has been a long campaign leading up to this day and many important decisions were made. The election of Barack Obama to the Presidency has been the center of the emerging news from the 2008 Elections but there is also a great deal of news in Oregon. Here are the unofficial statewide returns on Oregon's November 4th 2008 State Ballot Measures: MEASURE 54: Amends Constitution: Standardized voting eligibility for school board elections with other states and local elections. Winner
Yes Votes 674,247 71.83%
No Votes 264,399 28.17% MEASURE 55: Amends Constitution: Changes operative date of redistricting plans; allows affected legislators to finish term in original district. Winner
Yes Votes 711,658 77.08%
No Votes 211,621 22.92% MEASURE 56: Amends Constitution: Provides that May and November property tax elections are decided by majority of voters voting. Winner
Yes Votes 529,949 54.95%
No Votes 434,425 45.05% MEASURE 57: Increases sentences for drug trafficking, theft against elderly and specified repeat property and identity theft crimes; requires addiction treatment for certain offenders. Winner
Yes Votes 597,590 61.04%
No Votes 381,463 38.96% MEASURE 58: Prohibits teaching public school student in language other than English for more than two years. Defeated
Yes Votes 462,005 46.95%
No Votes 521,968 53.05% MEASURE 59: Creates an unlimited deduction for federal income taxes on individual taxpayers Oregon income-tax returns Defeated
Yes Votes 372,094 38.45%
No Votes 595,519 61.55% MEASURE 60: Teacher “classroom performance,” not seniority, determines pay raises; “most qualified” teachers retained, regardless of seniority. Defeated
Yes Votes 395,152 39.96%
No Votes 593,688 60.04% MEASURE 61: Creates mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain theft, identity theft, forgery, drug and burglary crimes. Winner
Yes Votes 501,553 50.91%
No Votes 483,583 49.09% MEASURE 62: Amends Constitution: Allocates 15% of lottery proceeds to public safety fund for crime prevention, investigation, prosecution. Defeated
Yes Votes 395,521 40.68%
No Votes 576,720 59.32% MEASURE 63: Exempts specified property owners from building permit requirements for improvements valued at/under 35,000 dollars. Defeated
Yes Votes 458,695 47.04%
No Votes 516,375 52.96% MEASURE 64: Penalizes person, entity for using funds collected with “public resource” for “political purpose”. Winner
Yes Votes 492,587 51.24%
No Votes 468,747 48.76% MEASURE 65: Changes general election nomination processes for major/minor party, independent candidates for most partisan offices. Defeated
Yes Votes 317,519 34.28%
No Votes 608,855 65.72% Candidate Results Oregon had a number of races for various offices including Senate, Congress, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General. Here are election results for Oregon's Congressional races and state offices: It appeared initially that Republican Gordon Smith had won the race over Democrat Jeff Merkley in the Senate. Once the votes in largely Democratic Multnomah County were tallied, it became clear that Merkley was the winner in the race. Dave Brownlow of the Constitution party received 55,000 votes which accounted for 5.56% of the statewide voting population. There were 2,666 write-in Votes which was 0.27% of the tallied vote. 989,538 Oregonians participated in the voting process. In the race for Representative in Congress, 1st District Joel Haugen (Independent) 38,291 17.89%
Chris Henry (Pacific Green) 4,040 1.89%
Scott Semrau (Constitution) 8,868 4.14%
David Wu (Democrat) 154,885 72.35%
H Joe Tabor (Libertarian) 6,691 3.13%
Write-in Votes 1,309 0.61% Representative in Congress, 2nd District Richard D Hake (Constitution) 4,141 1.69%
Tristin Mock (Pacific Green) 6,346 2.58%
Greg Walden (Republican) 169,955 69.17%
Noah Lemas (Democrat) 64,847 26.39%
Write-in Votes 432 0.18% Representative in Congress, 3rd District Michael Meo (Pacific Green) 4,994 3.69%
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat) 102,076 75.52%
Delia Lopez (Republican) 27,847 20.60%
Write-in Votes 247 0.18% Representative in Congress, 4th District Jaynee Germond (Constitution) 26,294 14.10%
Mike Beilstein (Pacific Green) 7,297 3.91%
Peter A DeFazio (Democrat) 151,515 81.25%
Write-in Votes 1,382 0.74% Representative in Congress, 5th District Kurt Schrader (Democrat) 96,114 56.46%
Mike Erickson (Republican) 62,049 36.45%
Steve Milligan (Libertarian) 2,427 1.43%
Sean Bates (Independent) 3,473 2.04%
Douglas Patterson (Constitution) 3,097 1.82%
Alex Polikoff (Pacific Green) 2,535 1.49%
Write-in Votes 538 0.32% Secretary of State Kate Brown (Democrat) 487,847 50.34%
Seth Alan Woolley (Pacific Green) 26,164 2.70%
Rick Dancer (Republican) 453,884 46.84%
Write-in Votes 1,209 0.12% State Treasurer Allen Alley (Republican) 434,687 46.06%
Michael Marsh (Constitution) 31,010 3.29%
Ben Westlund (Democrat) 476,358 50.48%
Write-in Votes 1,585 0.17% Attorney General John R Kroger (Democrat) 626,599 73.09%
J Ashlee Albies (Working Families) 91,056 10.62%
Walter F (Walt) Brown (Pacific Green) 40,038 4.67%
James E Leuenberger (Constitution) 96,337 11.24%
Write-in Votes 3,283 0.38%

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Henry Ruark November 9, 2008 6:38 pm (Pacific time)

Miles: Yours re "cognitive theorist" reveals level of disdain for those engaged in rational, reasonable scientific research on how mind and thought work. To malign that effort this way tells us, again, from whence you cometh and why, too. My reference was to cognitive science;their findings so well proven by realistic research, checkable by others as in science generally, that nobody can term them "theorists", so yours is reduction to intentional distortion for effect of attack, thus completely revealing of your own standards. Re "illegals", longterm lack of realistic enforcement of existing laws comes from strongly-felt need for workers in the U.S. and neglect of laws by employers, as well as from overall consuming ongoing drive to reduce labor costs in any way possible by business via disregarding easy-checks to avoid employing "illegals". Re raids, simple fact is that we will massively multiply already heavy costs via need to supply raiders, prisons, transport, legal actions, and much more. Several very heavy-damages legal suits already under way for deportation or other human damages to legal-proven U.S. citizens caught in actions too reminiscent of older fascistic regimes infamous around the world. WHY do the illegals flood our Southern border ? Heart of matter is corporate wage and labor abuses permitted in Mexico, with huge involvement of U.S. business, creating the very conditions from which they flee. WHY do we have no such problem with Northern border ? Conditions up there far from the same, economically, culturally, socially. Either you are misinformed, or you distort easily checkable facts intentionally. Either way, sir, yours is insidious malign influence on open, honest dialog here. IF you can disprove any point, fly at it with reliable and checkable source-links for all to see with own eyes and evaluate with own mind. For those seriously seeking truth,see previous Op Eds via access in Staff section.

Henry Ruark November 7, 2008 1:32 pm (Pacific time)

Miles: Ratio of "disagreement" means nothing to me or anyone else. What's needed is realistic understandings, unhampered by old myths, truisms, analogies or further political pandering as knee-deep here recently. Re "running for office", rots of ruck now that neocons so neatly negated by huge mandate in electoral vote and entirely decent pop-vote, too, given campaign so filled with hate, racism, malignly distorted and perverted statement. When you're ready to seek office, I can offer you full campaign support via LMA --but of course it would be costly to you in some capital and conscientious approaches you'd have to make.

Miles November 7, 2008 8:56 am (Pacific time)

HR over 70% of Americans disagree with you, and this number will go up. Our laws were made by "the people" to be enforced and all your diversion that something must be wrong with those wanting those laws enforced just acknowledges how out of touch many people are on this matter. I say run for office and change the laws. I am 100% sure that the economy is going to play a major part in getting these immigration laws enforced. Whether by ss# matching, raiding large (and small) employers or by whatever other available means. We are losing jobs and all available jobs should be for citizens and those who have the appropriate paperwork to work here. Please remember it is a felony to use a fake social security number. An illegal with a felony conviction can never gain citizenship. That's the law and if some "cognitive" theorist want to call that law biased, well rots of ruck.

Henry Ruark November 7, 2008 8:35 am (Pacific time)

To all: Here's "see with own eyes" evaluation of Nov. 4 vote by famed Harvard sociologist James Patterson: (Conclusion: use link for all) To view the election of Barack Obama as notable only as an example of breaking through a racial barrier is to misunderstand the greater flow of our ever-more-inclusive democracy. America has, at last, delivered, in creating the most sublime example of democratic governance since its invention in Greece 25 centuries ago." ------------ www.nytimes. com Editorials.

Henry Ruark November 6, 2008 12:42 pm (Pacific time)

Miles et al: Part of cog/sc. findings is inability to recognize and appreciate the subtleties of language, demanded for intelligent and rational dialog. Yr comments prove up the point neatly, if not nicely, since you choose to disparage and denigrate "illegals: and anone else whose mental workings do not comport completely with what your religious and other feelings happen to demand. I used quotes on both types of person purposely, if you do not understand why --as yours surely shows here--you drop into special characterization unnamable here. For documentation ID self to Editor for direct, and we can beat this one to death without taking time, space, attention from those more deserving with something to share rather than moreofsame, now discredited by open, honest, democratic dialog leading to transitional vote which you naturally find impossible to understand, too.

Miles November 6, 2008 10:36 am (Pacific time)

To: ?Financial Aid" Your words: "The “Illegals” you’ve so ignorantly labeled many a child in our schools today, are entitled to a fair education and a chance to eventually outnumber YOUR species creating a much brighter (Intelligent) tomorrow." Seems like you really exposed your true inner biased feelings. Possibly you can share what the "mother" countries are like for the illegals in comparison to this unintelligent backward country? Another way of providing an example if the above provides too challenging for you, just go look at various area's in America's urban (and some rural) areas and compare and contrast that with the home country environments of illegals. People have a reasonable expectation to have our laws enforced, all laws. That is not bigotry, that is what we call soverignty! As more and more gang related violence picks up and more jobs are needed by citizens watch the politicans get nervous and realize what they must do to keep in power.

?Financial Aid? November 6, 2008 8:22 am (Pacific time)

Dear NOT Biased Enough, !LOL! We know YOUR taxed earnings could be put to better use if applied towards YOUR own English education! Liberalism would seem far too big a word for the likes of some. The “Illegals” you’ve so ignorantly labeled many a child in our schools today, are entitled to a fair education and a chance to eventually outnumber YOUR species creating a much brighter (Intelligent) tomorrow.

Miles November 6, 2008 7:52 am (Pacific time)

The tests will begin early. China (below article) essentially states that they will annex Taiwan, then Putin will take power soon (already moving short-distance range missles next to NATO lines), and many more dictator's to follow, like Chavez and Castro. Now when it comes to experience and qualifications to prevent WWIII, who are they? This may be a time where preemption may become a policy by the grossly inexperienced. Also keep in mind that Obama's new chief of staff is a feverent Israeli loyalist. "BEIJING (Reuters) - China said Thursday the proper handling of the "Taiwan issue" was key to good relations between Beijing and the United States, and urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to halt arms sales to the self-ruled island. "Looking at China-U.S. relations in recent years, the most sensitive issue has been Taiwan," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a regular briefing Thursday. "The proper handling of this issue is fundamental (to the China-U.S. relationship)," Qin said. (Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...THE "SLIPPERY SLOPE IS UPON US."

Miles to go November 6, 2008 7:17 am (Pacific time)

Henry Ruark your below quote goes a long ways explaining the behavior of people like former New York Governor Spitz, former mayor of Detroit, ad nauseum. Thanks for the heads up. Oh by the way, did you know that MLK Jr. was a conservative? Seems that not that long ago many senate democrats voted against all Civil Rights legislation. Of noteworthy example was former VP Gore's dad, whose senator father from the great state of Tennesee was a 100% voter against all civil rights legislation, ditto for the longest serving senator currently in senate, Bird from WV. Sure many changed their voting patterns but was it a matter of keeping power, or a matter on conscience. I believe those with good cognitive skills can figure it out. What do you say friend Henry Ruark? History, is afteall, history. "Cognitive science has shown within the last decade that there is a difference in brain activity, negative in multiple ways, on the "conservative" side vs the "liberal" side."

Henry Ruark November 5, 2008 5:36 pm (Pacific time)

Behind Tree: That's YOUR tree, and you dare not come from behind with name or ID. SO add those drops of gall to the bottle you now need to contain it all. Then raise to lips, if you can still find them, and imbibe freely, in celebration of Nov. 8, felt by all but you so dearly.

Foamer November 5, 2008 1:16 pm (Pacific time)

Hmmm. Looks like Measure 64 passed. Those ads really were over the top - there must have been a backlash vote.

Behind Tree November 5, 2008 1:06 pm (Pacific time)

HR why not share with the class the medication most liberals are on? Or how about sharing the violent criminal rate of liberals v.s. conservatives? People did you notice that liberals rarely run as liberals but adopt conservative sound bites. Obama ran from the middle and now reality will set in when he cannot keep the far left happy at the expense of getting the needed support from the center. Our country has survived bad presidents before, like Wilson, FDR, LBJ, Carter and Clinton. Obama will not be able to govern, he will be a puppet to people like Pelosi. That's the cognitive reality.

Vic November 5, 2008 8:18 am (Pacific time)

"I'm sure the news team is not going to print this because they are to bias." Maybe you should sign up for some of those English classes...I believe you meant to say that the news team is TOO BIASED. Anyone notice how ignorance and racism often go hand in hand?

Henry Ruark November 5, 2008 8:16 am (Pacific time)

'Anon": On the contrary, Anonymous behind that tree,the "disease" resides in YOU. Cognitive science has shown within the last decade that there is a difference in brain activity, negative in multiple ways, on the "conservative" side vs the "liberal" side. ID self to Editor for direct contact and will gladly share 20-yr. file, PDFs, clips and other documentation...if you can stomach your own status.

Vic November 5, 2008 7:27 am (Pacific time)

Hmmm..I wonder how many ignorant racists voted in this election? I wonder how many cowards that spout off crap and are afraid to use their real name voted? Anyone ?

Anonymous November 5, 2008 1:58 am (Pacific time)

No wonder no one speaks English in this darn State. My tax money is paying for teaching these illegals in their language, it's outrageous. Liberalism is a disease and a lot of people have it. I'm sure the news team is not going to print this because they are to bias. And how many illegals voted in this Election? Anyone?

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Oregon Election Results for 2008 Signify Change

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