On November 3rd, Oregonians’ votes were counted not only for the presidency, but for many state and local-level offices, measures and initiatives as well. Benton County’s election website reported (unofficially) on Election Day a turnout rate of 86.78%, which is much higher than the national general turnout rate of years past, which is usually around fifty to sixty percent, according to Pew Research and the United States Election Project. Both candidates for office and ballot measures passed will influence local politics in the coming years. And of course, unsurprisingly, Democrat President-Elect Joseph R Biden beat the current president in Oregon’s electoral contest. In Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District, where Benton County lies, Democrat Peter DeFazio kept his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after facing Republican challenger Alex Skarlatos. The ultimate vote margin was 51.6% to 46.3%, according to the New York Times. The race was closer than expected, since Skarlatos had appealed to conservative constituents in rural areas and on the coast. Democrats won all of Oregon’s other U.S. House seats except for one, in District Two. In that case, the Republican incumbent retired but was replaced by a Republican; the district is in central and eastern Oregon, which leans Republican. As for the Senate, only one of Oregon’s two senators was up for re-election, Senator Jeff Merkley. He won, and continues to work with Senator Ron Wyden in Washington, D.C. to represent Oregon in the Senate. The other statewide races all went to Democrats: for State Treasurer, the incumbent Tobias Read; for State Attorney General, the incumbent Ellen Rosenblum, and for Secretary of State, Shemia Fagan. For the Oregon State Legislature, Democrats have a supermajority in both houses. Benton County’s district re-elected Dan Rayfield to the Oregon House of Representatives, a Democrat who also represents the Working Families party. The state senate seat for Benton County wasn’t up for an election this time around; Sara Gelser still represents the area. The Benton County election website has not released any official data on results of the county-level elections, initiatives and office races, only preliminary unofficial information about turnout numbers; when they do, the Crier will update this post. Oregon also passed all four measures on the ballot, which makes for several significant policy changes. The first of these was Measure 107, which reforms campaign finance. It allows states, counties, and towns or cities to limit campaign contributions and spending, as well as requiring the disclosure of those things and allowing for transparency laws about the funders of political ads. Measure 108 also passed: this measure increases the tax on cigarettes, raises the cap on taxes for cigars, and adds an entirely new 65% tax on e-cigarettes and vaping products (previously, they weren’t taxed at all). The added revenue from these taxes will go toward public health programs like those that support smoking prevention and efforts to help people quit smoking. Measure 109 legalizes psilocybin and the medicinal use of psychedelic mushrooms, making Oregon the first state to do so, and the measure also puts in place infrastructure to handle the screening of people to be allowed to use it. Finally, Measure 110 decriminalizes - not legalizes, but decriminalizes, meaning it lowers the punishment to a fine and/or treatment - all drugs. That includes things like heroin, meth, cocaine, and opioids. Any possession of small amounts of drugs means a sentence and punishment on the level of a traffic offense, and those found with drugs will either get a ticket and a $100 fine or opt to be screened for a substance abuse disorder. It also reduces the punishment for larger quantities from a felony to a misdemeanor offense, and moves millions in tax dollars specifically from marijuana sales to developing Addiction Recovery Centers and also to a general fund for drug treatment and recovery. This is a huge step, and Oregon is the first state in the nation to do this; it is a major rebuke of the War on Drugs and changes the approach to drug use management by the state. That’s all of the major votes that occurred this week in Corvallis and its neck of the woods; many other states have also had impressive candidates and initiatives, and of course, President-Elect Joseph R. Biden took the 270 electoral votes needed for the presidency. The Crier will keep this post updated with further information as it arrives. Take care of yourselves, stay safe, and take a breath. Sources: Election night results: More Oregon races called as counting continues; presidential race remains tight 2020 Oregon election results: The Oregonian Oregon’s congressional races Oregon decriminalizes possession of street drugs, becoming first in nation Oregon becomes first state to legalize psychedelic mushrooms The New York Times: Oregon Election Results November 3, 2020 Unofficial Election Results and Turnout In past elections, U.S. trailed most developed countries in voter turnout 2020 election turnout - the Unites States Election Project Rayfield wins again in Oregon House District 16 Bentz winning Oregon's 2nd Congressional District Measure 107: Voters opt to allow limits on campaign contributions, expenditures in Oregon Voters approve Measure 108 to increase taxes on tobacco, tax e-cigs and vapes in Oregon Local Election Results Photos' source: OregonLive from The Oregonian - Kate Voltz If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! 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