Welcome to the Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, Brew.
By: Lara Bonatesta
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- 2026 had the fewest ballot initiatives filed since 2014, with 692
- Oregon’s trifecta status will be decided in the Nov. 3 elections
- We need your help to get voters the information they need to make choices that align with their values
2026 had the fewest ballot initiatives filed since 2014, with 692
In 2026, petitioners filed 692 ballot initiatives in the 26 states that have the initiative and referendum process — the fewest since 2014, when 616 were filed. Of the measures filed this year, 53 initiatives (7.6%) qualified for the ballot, in line with the average of 53 for even-numbered years from 2010 to 2024.
The average certification rate in even years between 2010 and 2026 was 6.8%. The certification rate in even years from 2010 to 2024 ranged from a low of 3.5% in 2020 to a high 11.1% in 2012.
Fifteen of the 26 initiative and referendum states have or will have a ballot initiative. The number of initiatives filed in the 26 states ranged from none in Illinois and New Mexico to 190 in Colorado. Colorado’s 13 certified initiatives are the most of any state this year.
The initiatives’ subjects include income taxes (six measures), campaign finance (four measures), and LGBTQ issues (four measures). Other notable topics include abortion, drug crime policy, voter ID, the initiative and referendum process, housing, and firearms.
Ballotpedia has followed ballot initiatives filed in every election cycle since 2010. The largest number of ballot initiatives were filed in 2016, when 1,069 were filed and 76 were certified. The fewest number of measures were filed in 2012, when 566 were filed and 63 were certified. The year with the fewest certified measures was 2020, when 24 of the 881 filed made statewide ballots.
The types of initiatives allowed and the process for placing them on the ballot vary by state, from required signature counts, to subject requirements and limitations, to signature-submission deadlines.
2026 statewide ballots will also have 111 referred measures. These measures made the ballot either through state legislature referral or automatically through the state constitutional provision. Adding these measures to the initiatives that qualified brings the total to 164. An average of 153 measures made the ballot in even-numbered years from 2010 to 2024.
Click here to learn more about ballot initiatives filed for the 2026 ballot.
Oregon’s trifecta status will be decided in the Nov. 3 elections
Welcome to our next installment of our 50 States in 50 Days series, covering Oregon. To view our archive of past editions, click here.
Oregon’s trifecta status will be decided in the Nov. 3 elections. In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Tina Kotek (D/Working Families Party), Christine Drazan (R/L), and Brett Smith (Pacific Green Party of Oregon) are running. This is a rematch of the 2022 election in which Kotek defeated Drazan 47% to 43.5%.
Fifteen seats in the Oregon Senate and all 60 seats in the Oregon House of Representatives are also up for election. Democrats have an 18-12 majority in the state Senate and a 37-23 majority in the state House. Because the governor is a Democrat, Oregon is one of 16 states with a Democratic trifecta.
We identified Oregon’s trifecta as highly exposed to breaking. Republicans need to win at least four seats to win a majority in the state Senate and eight seats to win a majority in the state House. In order to retain their majorities, Democrats can not lose more than two seats in the state Senate or six seats in the state House.
Oregon has had a Democratic trifecta since 2007, except for while the state House was under split control in 2011 and 2012.
Want to see what’s on your ballot this November? Click here to use our Sample Ballot Lookup Tool. Now let’s take a closer look at what’s happening in Oregon.
Oregon is an all-mail voting state, with ballots and voter pamphlets mailed to each registered voter between 20 and 14 days before the election. A return envelope is included that may be returned by business reply mail at no cost to the voter.
Completed ballots must either be returned by mail and postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, or returned in person at an official dropbox by the close of polls on Election Day.
Each county provides privacy booths where voters can mark their ballots in person before or on Election Day.
Polls open on Election Day at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.
Voter ID is not required to vote in Oregon in most cases. The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address.
Current party control
Democrats represent five congressional districts, and Republicans represent one. Both of Oregon’s U.S. Senators are also Democrats.
As noted above, Oregon is one of 16 states with a Democratic trifecta. Oregon’s attorney general and secretary of state are also Democrats. As a result, Oregon is one of 21 states with a Democratic triplex. Democratic governors appointed all seven members of the state supreme court.
Offices on the ballot
Elections are taking place for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
In addition to the gubernatorial and legislative offices mentioned above, there will also be an election for the state’s labor commissioner.
Oregon is one of 32 states this year in which we are covering all local elections for school boards and municipal offices.
Notable elections
Governor: As we mentioned above, this year’s gubernatorial election is a rematch of 2022. Major race forecasters have rated the 2026 general election as either Lean or Likely Democratic. Recent data have shown Kotek and Drazan polling within the margin of error. According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, Kotek has raised $9.4 million and spent $3.7 million and Drazan has raised $8.6 million and spent $6.9 million so far this year.
Statewide ballot measures
Oregon voters will not decide on a statewide ballot measure in November. This will be the state’s first November election in an even-numbered year without a statewide measure since 1908. Between 1900 and 2025, Oregon voters decided on 882 measures, or 12 per even-numbered year. During that period, voters approved 411 measures and defeated 471. For more information about the history of Oregon’s ballot measures, visit its Historical Measures Factbook.
Only one initiative campaign submitted signatures for the November ballot, but the secretary of state determined the petition contained an insufficient number of valid signatures. The initiative would have removed certain exemptions to animal cruelty laws, criminalizing hunting, fishing, and intentional injury to animals.
Local ballot measures
We’ll be adding information about local measures in Oregon as they are certified ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Join us again tomorrow when we'll preview elections in Tennessee, the Volunteer State.
Click here to see every edition of 50 States in 50 Days as we publish them, and here to use our Sample Ballot Lookup Tool.
We need your help to get voters the information they need to make choices that align with their values
Early voting is now underway, and our researchers are working through a list of 49,000 local candidates, looking for at least one piece of what we call robust information that will help voters cast an informed ballot on Election Day. Most of these candidates have a minimal online presence, which makes it hard for voters to find out what they stand for, who’s endorsed them, or what they hope to do if elected. That’s the information we’re looking for – and we need your help to make sure we can get as much of this information as possible to voters before Election Day. We've published robust profiles on 11,000 candidates so far this fall, with thousands still to go. Your tax-deductible gift of $13 a month or a one-time gift of $150 will help us reach this critical goal. Click here to give now.