The 2024 election was an affair of many surprises and reality checks for liberals and progressives nationwide. In Oregon, the surprise that hurt the most was the resounding defeat of Oregon Measure 117—which would have brought Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) to the state. In the final tally, the measure was defeated 58%–42%. While the defeat of Measure 117 was disappointing, it is important to view it in the context of Oregon’s history with electoral reform.
As painful as this result seems, it is actually a huge step forward from the last attempt at significant electoral reform in 2014. If activists take steps to address some major concerns from the critiques of Measure 117, and ranked choice is successful in Multnomah County, there is a great chance that ranked choice voting will be adopted statewide in Oregon in the near future.
Since voting by mail was adopted in 1998, no ballot measures aimed at electoral reform have been successful. In 2008, Ballot Measure 65—which would have transitioned Oregon to a top-two primary system—was soundly defeated 66%–34% by a popular vote. In a similar attempt in 2014, Ballot Measure 90 was defeated by an even larger margin of 68%–32%. Compared to Measure 90, we can see that support for electoral reform increased by 10%—from 32% to 42%. This shows a growing appetite for reform among Oregonian voters.
There is a tendency in activism toward optimism that can lead to disappointment in a result that should be encouraging. With an electorate that shifted a little less than 2 points to the right from 2020, it was always going to be an uphill battle for a progressive cause like ranked choice voting. A rightward shift in 2024 is highlighted in comparison to the previous midterm election. In 2022, Multnomah County passed ranked choice voting for county wide offices by a margin of 69%–31%. However, support for Measure 117 in 2024 dropped to 57%–43%, a 12% shift in just two years.
However, the poor electoral environment is no excuse. The campaign for ranked choice voting left many questions and concerns unanswered, turning many would-be supporters into opponents. One of the major concerns from those who support electoral reform generally—but opposed Measure 117 specifically—was that the measure would transition Oregon to a ranked choice voting system without ending closed party primaries, raising logistical concerns about how such a mixed system could work.
In a closed primary system, even with ranked choice voting, only registered members of one of the two major parties have the power to determine which two candidates will appear on the general election ballot. This undermines ranked choice voting’s purpose of promoting broader voter choice as the initial selection process remains partisan.
The Oregon Association of County Clerks also raised concerns that the new voting system would overwhelm their understaffed offices and that they were not involved in the development of the RCV bill. For these reasons, the Oregonian Editorial Board recommended that voters reject Measure 117. They urged voters to wait and see how ranked choice voting performs in Portland City elections—which began in 2024, and Multnomah County elections—which start in 2026.
Despite these challenges, the growing support for electoral reform signals a shifting tide in Oregon politics. If advocates put in the work to address lingering questions and concerns—such as how ranked choice voting would work with closed primaries and closer engagement with county clerks—they could build a much stronger case for reform.
The defeat of Measure 117 should not be seen as the end of the road for ranked choice voting or electoral reform in Oregon, but as a step forward. By learning from the successes and failures of the campaign for Measure 117, we can more effectively advocate for a more democratic electoral process in the future.
The growing appetite for reform is clear—now it is up to electoral reform advocates to bridge the gap between ideals and application by addressing the concerns of critics and offering greater clarity on the implementation of RCV in Oregon.