UO students win voter challenge; Ducks elected from across the beaver state

While UO students proved their commitment to engaging the 2020 general election by winning a friendly competition among Pac-12 institutions, a number of new UO alumni joined the group of Ducks elected to serve as federal, state, and local officials.

This fall the University of Oregon joined a new initiative to encourage voter registration and turnout. UO students participated in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge by taking a pledge to vote. Ducks took home the Pac-12 Voter Challenge Championship and ranked 10th overall in the country. See the Oct. 9 Around the O article for more on UO's participation in the Pac-12 Voter Challenge 

On November 3, 2020, Oregonians across the state chose Ducks to represent them at the federal, state, and locall level.

U.S. Congress

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR 4) (MA ’77) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1) (BA ’80 , JD ’83) were reelected to represent Oregon in the U.S. House of Representatives. They join in Congress fellow UO graduate Senator Ron Wyden (JD ’74), who was not up for re-election during the 2020 election cycle.

U.S. Congressman Greg Walden (D-OR 2) (BS ’81) did not seek re-election as is retiring from Congress at the end of the year after serving the central, eastern, and parts of southern Oregon for 20 years.

State-wide Elected Office

Statewide, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum (BS ’71, JD ‘75) won reelection to continue serving as Oregon’s 17th attorney general and the first woman to hold the position.

Oregon Legislature

UO alum Boomer Wright (R-Reedsport) (MA ‘80), former teacher, principal, and Superintendent of the Mapleton School District, is one of the newest Ducks to join the Oregon State Legislature. Wright won the open seat to represent House District 9 and will succeed State Representative Caddy McKeown (D-Coos Bay).

UO alum Jason Kropf (D-Bend) (JD ‘96), a Deschutes County Deputy District Attorney, is another Duck joining the Oregon State Legislature, upsetting incumbent State Representative Cheri Helt (R-Bend) to represent House District 54.

State Representative Chris Gorsek (D-Troutdale) (BS ’89; MA ’92) won the open seat to represent Senate District 25, previously represented by State Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson.

A number of University of Oregon graduates were reelected including:

  • State Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Portland) (MA, Journalism, ’73) was reelected to represent Senate District 18 that serves portions of the west side of Portland and Tigard.
  • State Senator Bill Hansell (R-Athena) (BS ’67) won reelection to the Oregon Senate, representing Senate District 29 covering the northeastern portion of the state.
  • State Representative Duane Stark (R-Grants Pass) (BS ‘05) won reelection representing House District 4.
  • State Representative Paul Holvey (D-Eugene) (Certificate, UO Labor Education and Research Center) won reelection to represent House District 8, which serves parts of Eugene and western Lane County.
  • State Representative Marty Wilde (D-Central Lane, Linn Counties) (JD 97), was reelected to represent House District 11.
  • State Representative John Lively (D-Springfield) (BS ’74) won reelection to represent Springfield-area House District 12.
  • State Representative Nancy Nathanson (D-Eugene) (BS ‘75), won reelection to represent northeast Eugene-area House District 13.
  • State Representative Courtney Neron (D-Aloha, Beaverton, Hillsboro, King City, Sherwood, Tigard and Wilsonville) (BA ’01) was reelected to represent House District 26.
  • State Representative Brad Witt (D-Clatskanie) (MA ’78) was reelected to serve House District 31.
  • State Representative Tina Kotek (D-Portland) (BS ’90) was reelected to serve as the representative for House District 44.
  • State Representative Diego Hernandez (D-Portland) (BA ‘10), was reelected to represent House District 47 in northeast Portland.

They join the following state legislators/UO graduates who are Ducks and were not up for election in 2020: Sen. Lee Beyer (D-Springfield) (BS ’74) and Sen. Mark Hass (D-Beaverton) (BS ’78).

Eugene and Portland City Councils

On the local level, UO alum Randy Groves (BA ‘89), will join the Eugene City Council, replacing Ward 8’s retiring councilor, Chris Pryor. Groves was the Eugene-Springfield Fire Chief for 10 years and currently sits on the city’s budget committee.

UO alum and former UOAA Board president Carmen Rubio (BA ’99) was elected to the Portland City Council. She joins UO alum Dan Ryan (BA’85), who took office in a special election in August. He is also a former UOAA Board president.