By Oregon State Senator Bruce Starr
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SALEM, Ore. – Today, a party-line committee vote advanced Senate Bill 1599, a measure that would move the vote on the transportation tax referendum to the May 2026 primary election. The referendum has already been certified for the November 2026 general election by the Secretary of State.
“Oregonians gathered almost four times as many signatures that were needed for a referendum on the November ballot. That is an extraordinary accomplishment that the Legislature should respect by upholding this process. Moving this vote from November to May changes the rules, sends a message that those in power know best, and sets a dangerous precedent that weakens trust in state government,” said Representative Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville).
“We are in this position because a supermajority chose to go it alone without compromise or collaboration. In record time, more than 250,000 Oregonians exercised their constitutional right to refer this to the November general election, exactly as the petition clearly stated. That is not in question. What we are doing today is an act of political expedience, and Oregonians know it. When the Legislature takes actions that fly in the face of what the vast majority of voters have clearly said, we risk eroding public trust in this institution and undermining our role as an effective and representative branch of government,” said Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr (R-Dundee).
Between HB 2025, which failed in the 2025 legislative session, and HB 3991, which narrowly passed in the 2025 special session, nearly 8,000 Oregonians formally opposed the Democrats’ transportation tax increases. Then, in just 38 days, 250,000 Oregonians signed petitions to refer those tax hikes specifically to the November general election. In the last few days, 4,600 Oregonians spoke out against moving the election to May.
“I believe this will ultimately be decided in the courts. The Constitution and our referendum process are clear, and Oregonians followed that process exactly as it was laid out. We will see whether this political maneuver withstands judicial scrutiny,” Starr concluded.
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