Oregon Democrats Put Gas Tax Referendum Before May 19 Primary Voters Amid Rising Prices

Oregon Democrats put a statewide gas tax referendum before voters on the May 19 primary ballot after the Democratic-controlled Legislature raised the state gas tax and a range of fees last fall to pay for road improvements and plug a hole in the state’s transportation budget.

“Oregon Democrats found a way to improve roads”

Associated Press

The referendum arrives as the war with Iran—started by Israel and President Donald Trump—has contributed to gasoline prices that the Associated Press said topped $4.50 a gallon nationally on Friday and averaged about 80 cents more per gallon in Oregon.

Associated Press

Jeanine Holly, filling up her tank in Portland, said, "It is a hell of a time to be raising gas taxes on people," as Republicans argued the increases would worsen the cost of living.

Oregon’s gas tax would rise from 40 cents to 46 cents a gallon under the legislation, and the AP said the change would make it tied with Maryland for the eighth highest gas tax of any state when factoring in other state taxes and fees.

The Associated Press reported that Republicans needed 78,000 voter signatures to qualify the referendum for the ballot and quickly got 250,000.

Republicans in Oregon countered Democrats’ affordability messaging by portraying the tax and fee increases as further fueling the high cost of living, with GOP state Sen. Bruce Starr saying, "Do Oregonians want to pay more? The answer is no."

The AP quoted Republican strategist Rebecca Tweed saying, "That is a remarkable number," after the campaign collected 250,000 signatures to get the referendum on the ballot.

Standard Democrat

Chris Koski, a professor of political science and environmental studies at Portland’s Reed College, framed the timing as politically difficult, telling the AP, "It’s difficult to imagine a worse situation for ... a gas tax increase than right now in American politics."

At a Portland gas station, Michael Burch said he used to spend $70 to fill three-quarters of his pickup truck’s tank but now pays $80 for just over half a tank, adding, "I'm sick and tired of taxes."

Hannah Coe, a 30-year-old student, said she was not sure how she would vote, telling the AP, "I think I would be in favor of it if it was going to go to the things that it was saying it was going to go to, such as fixing our roads."

The Statesman Journal said Oregon’s May 19 primary election is coming up with ballots mailed to registered voters starting April 29, and voters must be at a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day or postmarked by May 19 to be counted.

“Voter guide for Oregon and Mid-Valley May 2026 primary election Oregon's May 19 primary election is coming up”

Statesman Journal

The paper reported that Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read urged voters to mail ballots by May 12 due to changes at the U.S. Postal Service, and it described the primary as closed, with only registered Republicans and Democrats able to vote on candidates in those parties.

The Statesman Journal also said the ballot includes a statewide gas tax referendum alongside decisions on who will lead Oregon’s labor bureau and other local and statehouse primary races.

In the AP’s account of the political stakes, Oregon Democrats spent much of last year fighting to pass a transportation funding bill to help raise money for services such as road paving and snow plowing, and they later passed a narrower version during a special session called by Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek.

The AP quoted Kotek acknowledging the referendum’s timing, saying, "Certainly, the conversation at the ballot this year ... is a tough sell right now, because I think everyone is feeling a pinch on their household budgets."