2016 Oregon Secretary of State election explained

The 2016 Oregon Secretary of State election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the Oregon Secretary of State. Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins declined to seek election; she was appointed in March 2015 following Kate Brown's ascension to the governorship.

Republican Dennis Richardson defeated Democrat Brad Avakian to become the first Republican elected to statewide office in Oregon since 2002, and the first to hold this office since 1985. As of, this remains the last statewide election in Oregon won by a Republican.

Candidates

Democratic primary

• Brad Avakian, Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries, former state senator and Representative,^{[1] [2] [3]} candidate for 2012 Oregon's 1st congressional district special election
• Richard Devlin, state senator and former state representative^[4]
• Val Hoyle, state representative^[5]

Results

^[6]

Republican primary

• Sid Leiken, Lane County Commissioner^[7]
• Dennis Richardson, former state representative^{[8] [9] [10]}

Results

Independent Party primary

• Paul Damian Wells, machinist and perennial candidate

Results

Other candidates

• Sharon Durbin, candidate for U.S. House District 2 in 2014 (Libertarian)
• Michael P. Marsh, perennial candidate (Constitution)
• Alan Zundel, former political scientist and former professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Pacific Green)^{[11] [12]}

Endorsements

Polling

Poll source	Date(s)administered	Samplesize	Margin oferror	BradAvakian (D)	DennisRichardson (R)	Paul DamianWells (I)	Other	Undecided
DHM Research[13]	October 25–29, 2016	504	± 4.4%	27%	32%	3%	5%[14]	28%
DHM Research[15]	October 6–13, 2016	600	± 4%	29%	34%	4%	8%[16]	24%
iCitizen[17]	September 2–7, 2016	610	± 4.0%	29%	26%	4%	5%[18]	36%
Clout Research[19]	July 9–13, 2016	701	± 3.71%	36%	41%	—	—	12%

References

1. Web site: Candidate Filing Search Results – Secretary of State. Oregon Secretary of State. February 18, 2016.
2. News: Jaquiss, Nigel. October 6, 2015. Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian Makes It Official: He’s Running for Secretary of State. Willamette Week. Portland, Oregon. dead. February 18, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084445/http://www.wweek.com/2015/10/06/labor-commissioner-brad-avakian-makes-it-official-hes-running-for-secretary-of-state/. March 4, 2016.
3. News: February 18, 2016. Secretary of State candidates due at Dems brunch. Hillsboro Tribune. Hillsboro, Oregon. February 18, 2016.
4. News: Times news staff. September 2, 2015. Tualatin state senator Richard Devlin to run for secretary of state. Tigard-Tualatin Times. Tigard, Oregon. February 18, 2016.
5. News: Jaquiss, Nigel. October 15, 2015. Strong Fundraising Buoys Val Hoyle as She Officially Enters Secretary of State Race. Willamette Week. Portland, Oregon. dead. February 18, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160302201047/http://www.wweek.com/2015/10/15/strong-fundraising-buoys-val-hoyle-as-she-officially-enters-secretary-of-state-race/. March 2, 2016.
6. Web site: Official Results - May 17, 2016, Primary Election Abstract of Votes. May 26, 2016. Oregon Secretary of State. State of Oregon.
7. News: Jaquiss, Nigel. June 29, 2015. GOP Candidate For Governor Sid Leiken Lowers Sights, Will Run for Secretary of State. Willamette Week. Portland, Oregon. dead. February 18, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081503/http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-33404-gop_candidate_for_governor_sid_leiken_lowers_sight.html. March 4, 2016.
8. News: Friedman. Gordon. October 29, 2015. Dennis Richardson announces Secretary of State bid. Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. live. February 18, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161009233205/http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/10/dennis_richardson_for_oregon_s.html#incart_2box_opinion. October 9, 2016.
9. News: Anderson, Taylor W.. October 19, 2015. Dennis Richardson changes tune, mulls run for secretary of state. The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. February 18, 2016.
10. News: Cooper, Jonathan J.. October 29, 2015. Dennis Richardson announce run for Oregon secretary of state. The Washington Times. Washington, D.C.. February 18, 2016.
11. News: Alan Zundel for Oregon Secretary of State. dead. September 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160917005546/http://www.voteforalan.org/about-alan/. September 17, 2016.
12. News: 2016 PACIFIC GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES. September 1, 2016.
13. News: November 1, 2016. FOX 12-DHM Poll: Clinton leads Trump in Oregon; Measure 97 trends toward defeat. FOX 12 KPTV.com. November 2, 2016.
14. 3% for Durbin, 1% for Zundel, 1% for Marsh.
15. Web site: Oregon Public Broadcasting October State Survey. dhm Research. October 13, 2016. November 2, 2016. October 18, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018235146/http://res.cloudinary.com/bdy4ger4/image/upload/v1476741090/OPBNewPoll_bwepki.pdf. dead.
16. 3% for Durbin, 2% for Zundel, 3% for Marsh.
17. News: icitizen. September 13, 2016. Oregon Poll Results - September 2016. dead. November 2, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160915122209/https://icitizen.com/insights/oregon-poll-results-september-2016/. September 15, 2016.
18. 2% for Durbin, 2% for Zundel, 1% for Marsh.
19. Web site: Or Governor Race in Dead Heat; Measure 97 Losing Ground. Clout Research. July 27, 2016. November 2, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160730171259/http://cloutpolitical.com/or-governor-race-in-dead-heat-measure-97-losing-ground/. July 30, 2016. dead.