Gov. Tina Kotek held an early lead over Sen. Christine Drazan in partial returns Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Oregon's governor's race.

The Associated Press has not yet called this race. Results below are partial and unofficial. This article will be updated as more ballots are counted.

Early returns showed Kotek ahead of Drazan, 54.4% to 43%, with an estimated 35% of ballots counted, OPB reported. Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith had 2.5% of the vote as of 8 p.m. The Oregon Secretary of State's office reported 1,099,350 ballots counted out of 3,111,078 active registered voters, a 35.34% turnout, as of 8 p.m. Pacific.

The outcome matters in Washington County, home to Oregon's largest private employer, Intel, with around 18,000 workers, and Nike's headquarters near Beaverton. Both companies have faced financial headwinds, according to OPB. All three candidates named lowering the cost of living as their top priority, the Salem Statesman Journal reported.

A rematch with local stakes

Kotek, 60, faces Drazan, 54, of Canby and Smith, 44, in a rematch of the 2022 race. Kotek won that contest 47% to 43.5%, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

Education has been a central issue. Oregon school districts are planning budget cuts and closures due to declining enrollment, and the state has some of the lowest demographically adjusted test scores in the nation, Chalkbeat reported. Oregon's governor serves as Superintendent of Public Instruction, giving the winner direct power over the state's approach to schools.

Danielle Cantrell-Sikstrom, a 37-year-old Beaverton mom and Oregon public school graduate, told OPB she voted for Kotek but had concerns about academic rigor. She said she was not sure younger graduates are getting pushed enough academically.

Where the candidates stand

Kotek says she is making progress and would protect Oregon from federal interference. Her second-term agenda centers on affordability, economic growth, education and expanding social services, including a goal of universal preschool by 2030, according to OPB. During her first term, she prioritized behavioral health, education and housing.

Drazan has promised to cut taxes and veto new ones, order agencies to review spending and repeal the state's Climate Protection Plan. She has said she would replace Oregon Department of Education leadership and end social promotion by third grade for students who cannot read proficiently, OPB reported. She grew up in Klamath Falls and was appointed to the Senate in October 2025.

Smith, who has never held political office, has called for a permanent statewide moratorium on data centers and charging businesses that pay below a living wage.

Data centers became a flashpoint. Both Kotek and Drazan came out in favor of a moratorium on new data center construction, according to OPB. An OPB-commissioned poll found nearly two-thirds of likely voters favor a temporary ban.

Big money, last time without limits

The two major-party candidates collectively raised more than $40 million, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported. This is the last Oregon election without campaign donation limits. A 2024 state law caps individual contributions at $3,300 per candidate per cycle starting next cycle.

As of Nov. 2, Drazan had received $21.5 million in contributions and spent about $22.2 million, with the Republican Governors Association giving $5.75 million in the final month, the Statesman Journal reported. Kotek had received about $19 million and spent $20.2 million, with the Democratic Governors Association contributing more than $5 million. Smith had not reported any contributions or spending.

Oregon has not elected a Republican governor since Vic Atiyeh in 1982, the Statesman Journal reported.

How to follow results

Oregon is a vote-by-mail state. Ballots must be at a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day or postmarked by Nov. 3 to count, according to the Statesman Journal's election guide. Live results are available at the Oregon Secretary of State's website and the AP results page.