Oregon's top election officer says lawmakers can move up transportation referendum date - if they act quickly
SALEM, Ore. -- Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Tina Kotek have less than one month to pass a bill if they want to move a transportation funding referendum from November to May, according to Oregon’s top election officer.
Deputy Secretary of State Michael Kaplan in a Wednesday afternoon memo said the Oregon Legislature may move the date of a referendum about a transportation law to May - if lawmakers pass a bill with an emergency clause and Gov. Tina Kotek’s signature by Feb. 25.
The memo responds to questions from Democratic leaders about the No Tax Oregon campaign, a late 2025 petition to refer to the November 2026 ballot portions of a Democratic-led law meant to raise $4.3 billion in transportation maintenance funding over the next decade.
Petitioners successfully submitted enough signatures to the secretary of state in December to include the referendum in a November vote, thus delaying provisions of the law — including a 6-cent gas tax increase, vehicle registration and title fee hikes and a temporary hike to the transit tax.
https://ktvz.com/news/government-politics/2026/01/29/oregons-top-election-officer-says-lawmakers-can-move-up-transportation-referendum-date-if-they-act-quickly/