Charlie Hales Will Be Mayor of the City of Portland

As President Obama won his second term in office, Charlie Hales was elected Mayor of Portland. Hales won 62 percent of the vote, compared to 30 percent for Jefferson Smith.
Tim Scott, Multnomah County elections director said turnout was heavy and elections workers would be counting votes through Wednesday.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz won re-election, with 57 percent, compared to 44 percent for challenger Mary Nolan. Fritz said she was very happy about the result.


In Oregon State races it was a good night for Democrats.

Secretary of State Kate Brown defeated Republican challenger Knute Buehler by 51 percent to 44 percent.

Ellen Rosenblum was elected Oregon Attorney General with 56 percent of the vote.

Ted Wheeler was re-elected State Treasurer with 57 percent of the vote.

Democrats took control of the Oregon House.
Nonpartisan Races
Brad Avakian retained his job as Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industry.

Judge Richard C. Baldwin took 51 percent of the vote, compared to 48 percent for Nena Cook, to win a seat on the Oregon Supreme Court.

The Portland Public Schools $482 million bond measure passed, with 65 percent at press time.

The Multnomah County Library District passed.

The Arts tax, which will cost each adult with an income over poverty level $35 a year, passed.

Two casino measures failed.

An attempt to remove estate taxes failed.

The corporate kicker measure, which will send corporate taxes to fund schools passed.

Measure 80, the Cannabis Tax Act, failed with 55 percent voting no and 45 percent yes. That's a contrast with Colorado and Washington State where cannabis legalization measures look set to pass. In Multnomah County, 58 percent of voters said yes to legalization.

Paul Stanford, who sponsored the measure, said the result was disappointing, but lays the foundation for the Legislature to pass a legalization bill.

"And if they don't we'll be back in two years," Stanford said.

 
Washington State

The Washington state Governor's race remains close at press time. Democrat Jay Insley leads Attorney General Rob McKenna by 51  to 48 percent.

Washington's cannabis legalization measure is passing with 55 percent in favor and 44 percent against.

Washington's same-sex marriage measure remained close with 52 percent in favor and 48 percent of voters against. Same-sex marriage measures were passed in Maine and Maryland, while a Minnesota measure banning same-sex marriage remains too close to call.