The Associated Press called the Oregon governor's race for Gov. Tina Kotek early Wednesday, Nov. 4, KVAL reported. AP declared Kotek the winner at 12:49 a.m., the station reported.

Kotek defeated Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, and Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith. Returns showed Kotek leading Drazan 51.8% to 45.5%, with more than 1.5 million ballots counted, according to OPB. Smith had 2.7% of the vote.

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 on Nov. 3. Additional ballots were still being processed.

Kotek declared victory at about 9:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at an election party in downtown Portland, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle. The AP call came a few hours later, shortly before 1 a.m., the Capital Chronicle reported.

Drazan declined to concede on election night. "All the votes haven't been counted, and I am continuing to pray for the victory for us," she told supporters at her Hillsboro watch party, according to the Capital Chronicle.

A familiar rematch

Kotek, 60, faces Drazan, 54, of Canby and Smith, 44. The race is a rematch for Kotek and Drazan, who competed for the office in 2022, when Kotek won 47% to 43.5%, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

Oregon has not elected a Republican governor since Vic Atiyeh in 1982, according to the Salem Statesman Journal. Democrats hold all statewide offices and supermajorities in the Legislature.

What's at stake

All three candidates say lowering the cost of living is their top priority, the Statesman Journal reported. The winner will lead a state grappling with challenges in education, economic competitiveness and homelessness.

Kotek says she is making progress and would continue to protect Oregon from federal interference. Her second-term agenda centers on affordability, economic growth, education and expanding social services, including a universal state-funded preschool program, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle. 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 grew up in Klamath Falls and served as House minority leader before being 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 emerged as 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, thanks to a 2024 state law that 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 campaign contributions or spending.

Election officials will continue processing ballots received by 8 p.m. Nov. 3 or postmarked by Election Day, the Capital Chronicle reported. Final results are scheduled to be certified Nov. 30.