Donors, digs and Donald Trump: Attacks in Oregon gubernatorial debate underscore a close race

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and her repeat challenger state Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, exchanged their fiercest swipes yet at one another on Thursday in their first televised debate, with both candidates painting the other as a political boogeyman who will further entrench the state’s deepest issues.

Friday, Oct 2, 2026

Deschutes County sheriff candidates debate focuses on issues, not 'mudslinging'

BEND, Ore. – Wednesday evening’s televised debate between appointed Deschutes County Interim Sheriff Ty Rupert and challenger Lt. James McLaughlin did not avoid the all-too-familiar cloud of allegations swirling around yet another campaign for the elected position.

Thursday, Oct 1, 2026

Secretary of State Read: Supreme Court ruling will have no impact on Oregon's election

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a controversial federal database to be used for reviewing voter eligibility in this November's general election.

Saturday, Sep 26, 2026

All of Oregon’s congressional districts are considered safe this year. Here’s why.

SALEM, Ore. -- Political analysts don’t expect any of Oregon’s six congressional seats to change hands in the November election.

Friday, Sep 25, 2026

'Kill switch'? Governor Kotek issues executive order to advance AI safety, oversight

SALEM, Ore. – Governor Tina Kotek issued an executive order Wednesday entitled "Establishing Responsible Artificial Intelligence Procurement Standards for State Government." The governor's office said the goal is to "advance new safeguards and oversight on frontier AI models, in light of the federal government’s inaction to adequately consider the safety of Americans."

Thursday, Sep 24, 2026

Trump administration says developers, loggers can kill endangered species

The Trump administration’s top wildlife official issued a directive last week that expands a recent rollback of endangered species protections much further than the feds had told the public.

Tuesday, Sep 22, 2026

'Are you ready?': Oregon secretary of state releases election PSA

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read is broadcasting new public service announcements to inform all eligible Oregonians about how to make sure their ballot gets counted this November.

Monday, Sep 21, 2026

Wyden, Merkley demand investigation into Trump administration voter data misconduct

Saturday, Sep 19, 2026

US Supreme Court blocks Trump rule limiting mail voting, sides with Dem states

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday kept in place a lower court’s order blocking President Donald Trump’s embattled plan to place new restrictions on mail ballots for this year’s midterm elections.

Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026

Bynum launches first TV ad in Oregon's 5th District congressional race

SALEM, Ore. - Over the past four years, voters from Bend to Clackamas County have been inundated with TV ads and piles of campaign mail reflecting that they lived in one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country.

Friday, Sep 11, 2026

Ex-labor secretary from Oregon drank on job, oversaw ‘humiliating’ workplace, report finds

SALEM, Ore. -- Former U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the one-term Oregon congresswoman tasked by the Trump administration to head the nation’s leading worker protection agency, oversaw harassment within her office, consumed alcohol on the job and had an inappropriate relationship with her security detail, according to an official federal watchdog.

Friday, Sep 11, 2026

Oregon officials urge use of ballot boxes while defending mail voting

SALEM — Top Oregon elected officials on Tuesday urged Oregonians to use ballot drop boxes, not mailboxes, to return ballots in November as newly released data showed thousands of Oregonians missed having their May primary votes counted because of postal delays.

Wednesday, Sep 9, 2026

Wyden: C.O. fire bosses say they only 'have half of what they need'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Amid Oregon’s record wildfire year, with more than 2 million acres already burned, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., visited the people fighting two large Central Oregon blazes, then joined fellow Democratic leaders Monday to call for more attention – and federal dollars -- for badly needed crews and equipment.

Tuesday, Aug 11, 2026

Oregon GOP leaders want constitutional hunting, fishing protections in response to ballot measure

GRESHAM, Ore. — To counter a failed ballot initiative from animal rights activists that attempted to ban hunting, fishing and animal slaughter in Oregon, the state’s Republican leaders pledged to introduce their own constitutional amendment to guarantee fishing, hunting and farming rights.

Wednesday, Aug 5, 2026

Proposed Deschutes County measure would elect commissioners by ranked-choice voting

BEND, Ore. – Nearly two years after Oregon and Deschutes County voters rejected a shift to ranked-choice voting, a new effort is underway to elect county commissioners in a similar manner that supporters say provides for fairer, more proportional representation for all voices, not just party favorites.A coalition that includes the Deschutes Defend Our Democracy Coalition, Common Cause Oregon and the Tribal Democracy Project announced Monday they are launching 'a new campaign toward fair elections and better representation in the county.'County election officials have cleared the way for vote signature collection to qualify a measure entitled 'Voices for All of Deschutes' for the ballot. They can take up to two years to gather the required 6,581 voter signatures, but are likely to shoot for an early August submission deadline, so it can make the November ballot.How It Would WorkIf the measure makes the ballot, it would share the fall ballot with a proposal county commissioners sent to voters on a split 2-1 vote earlier this year that would create five geographic districts, each represented by one of the commissioners under the voter-approved expansion from three to five board members.In November 2024, Oregon voters rejected a move to ranked-choice voting, Measure 11, 58 to 42 percent. That ratio was about the same for defeat of the measure by Deschutes County voters, who approved the board expansion from three to five members at that time.'Bring More Voices to the Table'Brian Smith of the Tribal Democracy Project said: 'Proportional representation through ranked choice voting would eliminate the possibility of gerrymanders and reduce money and corporate influence in our local politics, bring more voices to the table, allow ALL voters to have a say in who is elected to the commission.'Freddy Finney-Jordet, campaign manager for the Deschutes Defend Our Democracy Coalition, said: 'Our system needs a change, so we don't leave out entire groups of people. This initiative petition introduces proportional ranked choice voting for county commission races, which good government groups consider the gold standard of electoral systems for legislative bodies.'Supporters said they will host a campaign kick-off on Saturday, June 27th for local supporters to learn more and get involved.

Tuesday, Jun 16, 2026