WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The presidential election and the race for control of the closely divided U.S. House are expected to dominate attention in Oregon on election night on Nov. 5. Voters will also decide a ballot measure to establish .
At the top of the ballot, Democratic Vice President and Republican former President will compete for Oregon's eight electoral votes. The state had one of the closest vote margins in the 2000 presidential election but was overshadowed by the . Since then, Oregon has moved sharply towards Democratic candidates in presidential elections, so much so that neither ticket has since becoming their parties' nominees.
In the U.S. House, Republican incumbent Lori Chavez-DeRemer faces a tough reelection bid for a second term in a district where voters preferred President over Trump by almost 10 percentage points in 2020. The Democratic nominee is Janelle Bynum, a state representative. Three third-party or independent candidates are also on the ballot. Chavez-DeRemer was first elected in 2022 by a 51%-49% margin.
Republicans are targeting two first-term incumbents in Democratic-leaning districts covering the Salem and Eugene areas. Both Reps. Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas won their seats in 2022 with a fraction more than 50% of the vote, although Hoyle enjoyed an 8-point margin of victory over her Republican opponent. Biden carried both Hoyle's 4th District and Salinas' 6th District with 55% of the vote.
Voters will also consider Measure 117, which would establish ranked-choice voting. If passed, the measure would represent a significant shift in Oregon鈥檚 voting system. It's one of five statewide questions on the ballot.
Voters are also casting ballots for Portland mayor and the city鈥檚 .
Oregon鈥檚 first reports typically focus on votes cast before Election Day, as the state primarily uses mail-in ballots. Oregon allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive up to seven days later. This means initial results can shift as later ballots are processed. Key areas to watch include Clackamas and Deschutes counties, which are often pivotal in close races鈥�. Ballots were mailed out starting Oct. 16.
Here鈥檚 a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Oregon:
Election Day
Nov. 5.
Poll closing time
11 p.m. ET.
Presidential electoral votes
8 awarded to statewide winner.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (We the People) vs. Cornel West (Progressive) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Randall Terry (Constitution) vs. Jill Stein (Green).
5th Congressional District: Chavez-DeRemer (R) vs. Janelle Bynum (D) and three others.
Ballot measures: Measure 117 (establish ranked-choice voting).
Other races of interest
U.S. House, state Senate, state House, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, Portland mayor and other ballot measures.
Past presidential results
2020: Biden (D) 56%, Trump (R) 40%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 11 p.m. ET.
Voter registration and turnout
Registered voters: 3,051,923 (as of Oct. 2, 2024). About 33% Democrats, 24% Republicans and 36% nonaffiliated.
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 80% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020 and 2022: Almost all votes cast by mail.
Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP .
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 11 p.m. ET.
By midnight ET: about 80% of total votes cast were reported.
___
Associated Press writer Maya Sweedler contributed to this report.
___
Read more about how U.S. elections work at , a series from The Associated Press aimed at helping make sense of the American democracy. The AP receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP鈥檚 democracy initiative . The AP is solely responsible for all content.
David Silverstein, The Associated Press
