The Green Papers: Oregon 2012 General Election
 
This page is for offices up for election in 2012. Find 2013 elections here.
 
Flag images courtesy of The World Flag Database. Copyright http://www.flags.net/ Oregon
Elections for Statewide offices and Congress
Special Election House CD 1: Tuesday 31 January 2012
Primary: Tuesday 15 May 2012
General Election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Senators:2(Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
Governor:1 
2010 Census:3,848,606 (1.24% of 309,785,186)
2012, 2016, 2020 Electoral Votes:7(1.30% of 538)
2012-2020 Representatives:5(1.15% of 435)
2000 Census:3,428,543 (1.22% of 281,998,273)
2004, 2008 Electoral Votes:7(1.30% of 538)
2002-2010 Representatives:5(1.15% of 435)
Capital:Salem
Tuesday 31 January 2012 polls close 8:00p MST (0300 UTC). Oregon votes by mail. Ballots must be in the hands of election workers or in an official drop-off location no later than 8 PM local time. OREGON is the reverse of the norm because the by far largest portion of the state is in the lagging time zone and the networks have no choice but to not consider the OREGON polls closed until 8 PM Pacific.
Tuesday 15 May 2012 polls close 8:00p MDT (0200 UTC) / 8:00p PDT (0300 UTC). Oregon votes by mail. Ballots must be in the hands of election workers or in an official drop-off location no later than 8 PM local time. OREGON is the reverse of the norm because the by far largest portion of the state is in the lagging time zone and the networks have no choice but to not consider the OREGON polls closed until 8 PM Pacific.
Tuesday 6 November 2012 polls close 8:00p MST (0300 UTC) / 8:00p PST (0400 UTC). Oregon votes by mail. Ballots must be in the hands of election workers or in an official drop-off location no later than 8 PM local time. OREGON is the reverse of the norm because the by far largest portion of the state is in the lagging time zone and the networks have no choice but to not consider the OREGON polls closed until 8 PM Pacific.
 

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Oregon State and Local Government

Oregon 2012 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions:
Democrats, Republicans, Third Parties


The Constitution, Independent, Libertarian, Pacific Green, Progressive, and Working Families Parties nominate by convention rather than by primary.


15 May 2012 Primary candidate list from the Oregon Secretary of State.

15 May 2012 primary returns from an official source.


Oregon Secretary of State: Notice of the Certified Ballot Statement for Presidential Candidates for the 2012 General Election ballot and Notice of the Certified Ballot Statement for all Candidates except Presidential for the 2012 General Election ballot.

6 November 2012 returns from the Oregon Secretary of State.

 
           

President  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2012, 2016. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime. Electors: 7 (Winner-take-all), How Appointed, Meeting Place, Duly Appointed Presidential Electors, List of Presidential Candidates.
Up for election in 2012
  Elected Democratic 970,488 54.24% President Barack Hussein Obama
(7 Electoral Votes)
Vice President: Vice President Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr.

FEC P80003338; 26 Nov 12; Tot $732,741,988; Dsb $729,647,987
  Candidate Republican 754,175 42.15% former Massachusetts Governor Willard "Mitt" Romney
Vice President: Wisconsin Congressman Paul D. Ryan

FEC P80003353; 26 Nov 12; Tot $478,704,347; Dsb $465,787,141
  Candidate Libertarian 24,089 1.35% former New Mexico Governor Gary Earl Johnson
Vice President: James P. Gray

FEC P20002671; 26 Nov 12; Tot $2,575,529; Dsb $2,572,585
  Candidate Pacific Green 19,427 1.09% Jill E. Stein
Vice President: Cheri Honkala

FEC P20003984; 26 Nov 12; Tot $1,005,788; Dsb $1,093,022
  Candidate Scattering 13,275 0.74% Misc
  Candidate Constitution 4,432 0.25% Will Christensen
The Constitution Party of Oregon is not affiliated with the National Constitution Party.
Vice President: Kenneth "Ken" L. Gibbs

FEC P20005245
  Candidate Progressive 3,384 0.19% former Salt Lake City Mayor Ross Carl "Rocky" Anderson
Vice President: Luis J. Rodriguez

FEC P20004263; 31 Dec 11; Tot $7,954; Dsb $10,084
Total 1,789,270 100.00%  

U.S. Senate  6 year term. No Term Limit. 112th Senate  Senate Electoral Classes

Class 2 Democratic Senator Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

Class 3 Democratic Senator Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden
First elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 30 January 1996 [held to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Robert Packwood (Republican): 1 October 1995 (Oregon state law does not permit the state's Governor to make temporary appointments to fill vacancies in the United States Senate)]; elected to a full term: 1998; re-elected: 2004, 2010.
Seat up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2016

Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2010, 2014. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in any 3-term period, All Governors

  Democratic Governor John A. Kitzhaber
First elected: 2010
Chair up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014
The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.

112th U.S. House of Representatives  2-year term. Election Cycle 2010, 2012. No Term Limit. 112th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition):
4 Democratic (4 Renominated);
1 Republican (1 Renominated)

Incumbent - 112th Congress / 2000 apportionment - map
CD 1
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Suzanne Bonamici
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
First elected in a Special Election: 31 January 2012 re: resignation of Congressman David Wu
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
 Candidate list - 113th Congress / 2010 apportionment
  Elected Democratic; Working Families 197,845 59.60% Congressman Suzanne Bonamici
FEC H2OR01133; 26 Nov 12; Tot $2,485,787; Dsb $2,239,154
  Candidate Republican 109,699 33.04% Delinda Morgan
FEC H2OR01190; 06 Dec 12; Tot $23,399; Dsb $23,405
  Candidate Libertarian; Pacific Green; Progressive 15,009 4.52% Steven Cody Reynolds
FEC H2OR01216
  Candidate Constitution 8,918 2.69% Robert "Bob" Ekstrom
FEC H2OR01232
  Candidate Scattering 509 0.15% Misc
Total 331,980 100.00%  
 

Congressman Wu was first elected in 1998 and served from 3 January 1999 until his 3 August 3, 2011 resignation.
Timeline:
25 July 2011: Amid scandal, Congressman David Wu announced that he would not run for re-election.
26 July 2011: "...I therefore intend to resign effective upon the resolution of the debt-ceiling crisis."
3 August 2011: "... I hereby resign ... effective immediately."
3 August 2011: Governor John A. Kitzhaber (Democratic) called a Special 8 November 2011 partisan Primary Election and a Special 31 January 2012 General Election to fill this vacant seat. This will be a vote by mail election.
31 January 2012: former state Senator Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic; Independent Party of Oregon) was elected with 56% of the vote.


Special Election - 112th Congress / 2000 apportionment - map
CD 1
{map}
Seat up for election
Special Election
Democratic
Seat up for election: Tuesday 31 January 2012
Special Election - Primary: Tuesday 8 November 2011, General Election: 31 January 2012
  Elected Democratic; Independent Party of Oregon 113,404 53.81% former state Senator Suzanne Bonamici
FEC H2OR01133; 26 Nov 12; Tot $2,485,787; Dsb $2,239,154
  Candidate Republican 83,396 39.57% Robert "Rob" Cornilles
FEC H0OR01095; 31 Mar 12; Tot $1,243,772; Dsb $1,276,816
  Candidate Progressive 6,798 3.23% Steven Cody Reynolds
FEC H2OR01216
  Candidate Libertarian 6,618 3.14% James Foster
FEC H2OR01224
  Candidate Scattering 547 0.26% Misc.
    Democratic     Saba Ahmed - lost primary
    Democratic     Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian - lost primary
18 April 2011: Running for the U.S. House Seat in CD 1 in 2012.

FEC H2OR01109; 30 Sep 12; Tot $515,872; Dsb $515,152
    Democratic     Dominic Hammon - lost primary
    Democratic     Robert E. Lettin - lost primary
    Democratic     Todd Lee Ritter - lost primary
    Democratic     Dan Strite - lost primary
    Democratic     state Representative Bradley K. "Brad" Witt - lost primary
FEC H2OR01125; 12 Apr 12; Tot $98,783; Dsb $98,783
    Republican     Delinda "D. R." Delgado-Morgan - lost primary
    Republican     Jim Greenfield - lost primary
FEC H2OR01083; 29 Nov 12; Tot $104,337; Dsb $104,337
    Republican     Lisa Michaels - lost primary
FEC H2OR01208
    No Party Affiliation; (Republican)     Pavel Goberman - apparently not a candidate
8 November 2011: Lost Republican Primary.
19 November 2011: Filed with the FEC as "Not a member of a party".

FEC H6OR01209; 15 May 12; Tot $5,000; Dsb $0
Total 210,763 100.00%  
  
3 August 2011: Governor John A. Kitzhaber (Democratic) called a Special 8 November 2011 partisan Primary Election and a Special 31 January 2012 General Election to fill this vacant seat. This will be a vote by mail election.
Special Election Timeline for 1st Congressional District.
Oregon Elections Division Candidate Filing Search.

Tuesday 31 January 2012 Special Primary returns from an official source. Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic; Independent Party of Oregon) won receiving 56% of the vote.


Incumbent - 112th Congress / 2000 apportionment - map
CD 2
Seat up for election
Republican Congressman Gregory Paul "Greg" Walden
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
 Candidate list - 113th Congress / 2010 apportionment
  Elected Republican 228,043 68.63% Congressman Gregory Paul "Greg" Walden
FEC H6OR02116; 26 Nov 12; Tot $2,712,984; Dsb $2,350,389
  Candidate Democratic; Working Families 96,741 29.12% Joyce B. Segers
FEC H0OR02093; 26 Nov 12; Tot $34,471; Dsb $34,241
  Candidate Libertarian 7,025 2.11% Harry Joe Tabor
FEC H8OR01197
  Candidate Scattering 446 0.13% Misc
Total 332,255 100.00%  

Incumbent - 112th Congress / 2000 apportionment - map
CD 3
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Earl Blumenauer
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
 Candidate list - 113th Congress / 2010 apportionment
  Elected Democratic 264,979 74.46% Congressman Earl Blumenauer
FEC H6OR03064; 26 Nov 12; Tot $1,183,660; Dsb $936,666
  Candidate Republican 70,325 19.76% Ronald Neal Green
FEC H2OR03105; 26 Nov 12; Tot $12,885; Dsb $16,871
  Candidate Pacific Green; Progressive 13,159 3.70% Woodrow V. "Woody" Broadnax, Jr.
FEC H2OR03097
  Candidate Libertarian 6,640 1.87% Michael Cline
FEC H2OR03113
  Candidate Scattering 772 0.22% Misc
Total 355,875 100.00%  

Incumbent - 112th Congress / 2000 apportionment - map
CD 4
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Peter Anthony "Pete" DeFazio
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
First elected: 1986
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
 Candidate list - 113th Congress / 2010 apportionment
  Elected Democratic; Progressive; Working Families 212,866 59.11% Congressman Peter Anthony "Pete" DeFazio
FEC H6OR04047; 26 Nov 12; Tot $1,330,500; Dsb $1,376,872
  Candidate Republican; Constitution 140,549 39.03% Arthur Brouhard "Art" Robinson
FEC H0OR04081; 26 Nov 12; Tot $1,199,326; Dsb $1,218,560
  Candidate Libertarian 6,205 1.72% Charles L. "Chuck" Huntting
FEC H2OR04079
  Candidate Scattering 468 0.13% Misc
Total 360,088 100.00%  

Incumbent - 112th Congress / 2000 apportionment - map
CD 5
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Kurt Schrader
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
 Candidate list - 113th Congress / 2010 apportionment
  Elected Democratic 177,229 54.04% Congressman Kurt Schrader
FEC H8OR05107; 26 Nov 12; Tot $1,774,559; Dsb $1,175,188
  Candidate Republican 139,223 42.45% Fred Thompson
FEC H0OR05047; 26 Nov 12; Tot $33,207; Dsb $33,207
  Candidate Pacific Green 7,516 2.29% Christina Jean "Chris" Lugo
  Candidate Constitution 3,600 1.10% Raymond Baldwin
FEC H2OR05175
  Candidate Scattering 402 0.12% Misc
Total 327,970 100.00%  

Secretary of State  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012

Seat up for election Democratic Secretary of State Kate Brown
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
  Elected Democratic; Working Families 863,656 51.28% Secretary of State Kate Brown
  Candidate Republican; Independent 727,607 43.20% Knute Buehler
  Candidate Pacific Green 44,235 2.63% Seth Woolley
  Candidate Libertarian 24,273 1.44% Bruce Alexander Knight
  Candidate Progressive 21,783 1.29% Robert Wolfe
  Candidate Scattering 2,561 0.15% Misc
Total 1,684,115 100.00%  

Attorney General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012

Seat up for election Democratic Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
Appointed: 29 June 2012
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
  Elected Democratic 917,627 56.17% Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum
  Candidate Republican 639,363 39.14% James L. Buchal
No candidate qualified for the 15 May 2012 Republican primary ballot for Attorney General. Mr. Buchal ran a write-in campaign and received a sufficient number of votes to qualify for the November ballot.
28 June 2012: Received the Libertarian Party nomination.
  Candidate Constitution; Libertarian 45,451 2.78% James E. "Jim" Leuenberger
  Candidate Progressive 28,187 1.73% Chris Henry
  Candidate Scattering 2,975 0.18% Misc
Total 1,633,603 100.00%  
  
Attorney General John R. Kroger (Democratic), who was first elected in 2008, will resign on 29 June to become the President of Reed College.
6 June 2012: Governor John Kitzhaber announced that he would appoint Ellen Rosenblum, the winner of the 15 May Democratic primary, to serve out the remaining 6 months of the term.
29 June 2012: Former state Appellate Judge Ellen Rosenblum is sworn in as Attorney General.

Treasurer  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012

Seat up for election Democratic Treasurer Ted Wheeler
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
Appointed 9 March 2010 by Governor Kulongoski re: the 7 March 2010 passing of Treasurer Ben Westlund. First elected in a special election: 2 November 2010
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
Renominated - 15 May 2012 Primary
  Elected Democratic; Working Families 955,213 57.84% Treasurer Ted Wheeler
  Candidate Republican 609,989 36.93% Thomas "Tom" Cox
No candidate qualified for the 15 May 2012 Republican primary ballot for Treasurer. Mr. Cox ran a write-in campaign and received a sufficient number of votes to qualify for the November ballot.
Mr. Cox is a former Libertarian Party candidate for Governor.
  Candidate Progressive 38,762 2.35% Cameron Whitten
  Candidate Libertarian 30,002 1.82% John F. Mahler
  Candidate Constitution 15,415 0.93% Michael Paul Marsh
  Candidate Scattering 2,181 0.13% Misc
Total 1,651,562 100.00%  

Commissioner of Labor and Industries  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. The Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries shall be elected for a term of four years [ORS 651.030]

Seat up for election Nonpartisan Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2012
Appointed: 13 March 2008; first elected in a special election: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012
  Elected Nonpartisan 681,987 52.53% Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian
18 April 2011: Running for the U.S. House Seat in CD 1.
7 March 2012: Filed for re-election. No longer a candidate in CD 1.
  Candidate Nonpartisan; (Republican) 606,735 46.73% state Senator Bruce W. Starr
  Candidate Scattering 9,616 0.74% Misc
Total 1,298,338 100.00%  
  

Non-vacancy case: If a candidate receives a majority of the vote for this non-partisan office in the May primary, that candidate is elected. Otherwise, the top two vote getters go to a runoff in November.

Vacancy special cases: IF this office becomes vacant due to retirement, resignation, recall or death AND

  • 1 or 2 candidate(s) file for the Primary THEN the primary is cancelled and the candidate(s) proceed to the November election.
  • 3 or more candidate(s) file for the Primary THEN all candidates compete in the May primary. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote that candidate proceeds to the November election. Otherwise, the top two vote getters go to a runoff in November.

[OR Revised Statutes 249.088]


Superintendent of Public Instruction  4 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2002. A 2011 law eliminated this as an elected office effective at the end of the current Superintendent's term or resignation. This office is now an appointed position.


Vacant
Nonpartisan Public Instruction Superintendent Susan Castillo
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006, 2010
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014
Vacant Office - 4 June 2012: Announced her resignation effective at the end of the month.
  
This office will become an appointed position. A 2011 law eliminated this as an elected office effective at the end of the current Superintendent's term or resignation.
 

Political Parties    Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such.

Major Parties
  Democratic (affiliates): 11 incumbents, 10 candidates
  Republican: 1 incumbent, 11 candidates
Major Third Parties
  Constitution (affiliates): 6 candidates
  Libertarian: 9 candidates
  Pacific Green (affiliate of Green): 5 candidates
Other Third Parties
  Independent Party of Oregon: 1 candidate
  Progressive: 8 candidates
  Working Families: 5 candidates
Independents
  Independent: 1 candidate
  No Party Affiliation
  Nonpartisan: 2 incumbents, 2 candidates
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
  Scattering: 11 candidates
 
Candidates running under the banner of more than one party are counted towards each party's total. A candidate who has lost a primary or is apparently no longer a candidate is not counted.

Notes

Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from a legal election authority that the person has been officially certified to appear on the ballot.

"FEC" indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary.

When available, we post each candidate's FEC identification number, the date of their most recently filed Report of Receipts and Disbursements, their "Tot" [Total Receipts (contributions received or what came in: FEC Form 3, Line 16, Column B)] and their "Dsb" [Total Disbursements (expenditures or what was spent: FEC Form 3, Line 23, Column B)]. A link is provided to the Federal Election Commission's Summary Report for those who might wish to explore the details.

If a candidate raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not subject to FEC reporting requirements.


 


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