In the year 2022, elections for the legislatures of multiple states around the country were held. One such state was Oregon, in which, prior to the election, the Oregon Democratic state legislators drew a gerrymander to pick up seats and hold onto their majority. In 2022, about half of the Oregon State Senate, with its new district lines, was up for re-election. In the elections held for the Oregon Senate, Democrats won the districts by a combined 541,552 – 410,487 votes (55.91% – 42.38%), or by a margin of 131,065 votes (13.53%). This article will examine the districts decided by 10.00% or less. However, the Oregon Republican Party picked up one seat after the election results were tallied.
Election Results Table and Election Maps
| District | Republican | Democratic | Total | Republican | Democratic |
| 3 | 30,980 | 33,468 | 64,448 | 48.07% | 51.93% |
| 4 | 0 | 43,219 | 52,913 | 0.00% | 81.68% |
| 6 | 45,104 | 23,926 | 69,154 | 65.22% | 34.60% |
| 7 | 23,077 | 42,101 | 65,425 | 35.27% | 64.35% |
| 8 | 25,375 | 37,815 | 63,287 | 40.10% | 59.75% |
| 10 | 27,853 | 32,007 | 59,943 | 46.47% | 53.40% |
| 11 | 22,238 | 20,054 | 42,397 | 52.45% | 47.30% |
| 13 | 27,045 | 37,474 | 64,588 | 41.87% | 58.02% |
| 15 | 22,566 | 28,225 | 50,791 | 44.43% | 55.57% |
| 16 | 41,144 | 31,585 | 72,803 | 56.51% | 43.38% |
| 17 | 12,377 | 46,647 | 59,110 | 20.94% | 78.92% |
| 18 | 17,848 | 30,534 | 54,040 | 33.03% | 56.50% |
| 19 | 24,767 | 48,309 | 73,161 | 33.85% | 66.03% |
| 20 | 30,814 | 31,317 | 62,225 | 49.52% | 50.33% |
| 24 | 18,948 | 27,021 | 46,019 | 41.17% | 58.72% |
| 26 | 40,351 | 27,850 | 68,291 | 59.09% | 40.78% |
| Total | 410,487 | 541,552 | 968,595 | 42.38% | 55.91% |
| Margin | D +131,065 | D +13.53% |
Oregon State Senate District 3
The 3rd State Senate District of Oregon is located above the California-Oregon border and is contained entirely within Jackson County. It is a strongly Democratic district; Joe Biden carried it by nearly 14 percentage points, although it has been closer in gubernatorial elections. Overall, Democrats had a voter registration edge of 7.4%.
District Party Registration Data
| District | Republican | Republican % | Democratic | Democratic % | Other | Total |
| SD-03 | 25,539 | 25.95% | 32,818 | 33.35% | 40,055 | 98,412 |
| Total | 25,539 | 25.95% | 32,818 | 33.35% | 40,055 | 98,412 |
| Margin | D +7,279 | D +7.4% |
In the primary elections for 3rd State Senate District of Oregon, Democratic incumbent State Senator Jeff Golden ran for re-election, facing no primary opposition. In the Republican primary, Randy Sparacino won with 8,525 (73.80%) against Kevin Christman, who took 2,974 votes (25.75%). Both candidates advanced to the November general election.
Election Result
| County | Sparacino | Sparacino % | Golden | Golden % |
| Jackson | 30,980 | 48.03% | 33,468 | 51.89% |
| Total | 30,980 | 48.03% | 33,468 | 51.89% |
| Margin | D +2,488 | D +3.86% |
In the general election, Democratic incumbent Golden won a narrow victory over Sparacino. Golden won the district by 2,488 votes, or 3.9%, a sharp underperformance from Biden’s margins in the district.
Oregon State Senate District 10
The 10th State Senate District of Oregon is located primarily in Marion County, with a smaller portion based in Polk County. The district favors Democrats overall; Joe Biden carried it by 16 percentage points in 2020. Democrats held a voter registration edge of 7.5% ahead of the the November election.
Party Registration Data
| District | Republican | Republican % | Democrats | Democratic % | Other | Total |
| SD-10 | 24,086 | 25.16% | 31,231 | 32.63% | 40,410 | 95,727 |
| Total | 24,086 | 25.16% | 31,231 | 32.63% | 40,410 | 95,727 |
| Margin | D +7,145 | D +7.47% |
In the primary elections for the 10th Oregon State Senate District, Democratic incumbent State Senator Deb Patterson ran for re-election, running unopposed in the Democratic primary. In the Republican primary, Raquel Moore-Green ran uncontested, meaning both candidates automatically advanced to the general election, where they would face off in November.
Election Result
| County | Moore-Green | Moore-Green % | Patterson | Patterson % |
| Marion | 17,310 | 45.45% | 20,725 | 54.41% |
| Polk | 10,543 | 48.24% | 11,282 | 51.62% |
| Total | 27,853 | 46.47% | 32,007 | 53.40% |
| Margin | D +4,154 | D +6.93% |
In the general election, Patterson overcame a stronger-than-expected challenge from Moore-Green. Patterson carried both counties in the district by similar margins, and prevailed by a margin of 4,154 voters, or 6.9%.
Oregon State Senate District 11
The 11th State Senate District of Oregon is located entirely within Marion County and is a slightly Democratic leaning district; it voted for Joe Biden by around nine percentage points in the 2020 election. Democrats had a voter registration advantage of 4,327 voters (or by 5.37%) at the time of the November election. However, the seat’s incumbent Senator was a Republican, Kim Thatcher.
Party Registration Data
| District | Republican | Republican % | Democrats | Democratic % | Other | Total |
| SD-11 | 18,683 | 23.18% | 23,010 | 28.55% | 38,912 | 80,605 |
| Total | 18,683 | 23.18% | 23,010 | 28.55% | 38,912 | 80,605 |
| Margin | D +4,327 | D +5.37% |
In the primary elections for the 11th District, Republican incumbent Thatcher ran for re-election, facing one primary opponent, Marcello de Cicco. Thatcher took 6,838 votes (91.80%), while de Cicco garnered 521 votes (6.99%). In the Democratic primary, Eric Swenson emerged victorious with 3,184 votes (45.05%), while Richard Walsh and Anthony J. Rosilez took 2,426 (34.32%) and 1,382 (19.55%) votes, respectively. Both Thatcher and Swenson advanced to the general election.
Election Result
| County | Thatcher | Thatcher % | Swenson | Swenson % |
| Marion | 22,238 | 52.45% | 20,054 | 47.30% |
| Total | 22,238 | 52.45% | 20,054 | 47.30% |
| Margin | R +2,184 | R +5.15% |
In the general election, Thatcher won by a fairly wide margin, winning the district by a margin of 2,184 votes (5.15%). Owing to its Democratic lean, it’s likely that the party will once again make an effort to flip the seat in the 2026 elections.
Oregon State Senate District 20
The 20th State Senate District of Oregon is located entirely within Clackamas County and is a strongly Democratic leaning district. Democrats have a voter registration advantage of 10,270 voters, or a margin of 10.2%, and Joe Biden carried it by nearly 15 percentage points. However, downballot it has proven more competitive; the district was within one percentage point in the 2018 gubernatorial election, and the incumbent, Bill Kenner, was a Republican.
Party Registration Data
| District | Republican | Republican % | Democratic | Democratic % | Other | Total |
| SD-20 | 23,795 | 23.54% | 34,065 | 33.70% | 43,217 | 101,077 |
| Total | 23,795 | 23.54% | 34,065 | 33.70% | 43,217 | 101,077 |
| Margin | D +10,270 | D +10.16% |
In the primary elections for the 20th State Senate District, Republican incumbent Bill Kennemer ran for re-election, facing off against two other Republicans, Chris Morrisette and Tim Large. Kennemer garnered 2,965 votes (84.21%), while Morrisette and Large took 338 (9.60%) and 201 (5.71%) votes, respectively. In the Democratic primary, Mark Meek ran unopposed. Both Kennemer and Meek advanced to the general election in November.
Election Result
| County | Kennemer | Kennemer % | Meek | Meek % |
| Clackamas | 30,814 | 49.52% | 31,317 | 50.33% |
| Total | 30,814 | 49.52% | 31,317 | 50.33% |
| Margin | D +503 | D +0.81% |
In the general election, Meek emerged victorious, unseating Kennemer by a margin of just 503 votes, or 0.81%.