Oregon Senate Passes Bill to Reschedule Gas Tax Referral Despite GOP Opposition

The bill moves the high-stakes referendum from the November general election to the May primary, sparking partisan debate.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Oregon Senate narrowly approved a bill on Monday that would move a high-stakes gas tax referendum from the November general election to the May 19 primary. Democrats say the change will speed up infrastructure repairs, while Republicans criticize the lack of bipartisanship and argue it ignores the 250,000 Oregonians who signed a petition asking for a November vote.

Why it matters

The outcome of the gas tax referendum will have significant implications for the state's ability to fund much-needed transportation infrastructure repairs and maintenance. Democrats argue the earlier vote will allow the legislature to quickly address the state's transportation crisis, while Republicans contend the move undermines the democratic process.

The details

Senate Bill 1599 passed the Oregon Senate in a 17-13 vote, largely along party lines. Democrats say moving the referendum to May will enable the state to more quickly address issues like potholes, rutted roads, and faded pavement markings. Republicans criticized the lack of bipartisanship, with Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr saying the organization behind the referendum petition would pursue legal action if the bill becomes law.

  • The bill must pass both chambers by Wednesday, Feb. 25, to appear on the May primary ballot.
  • The Senate voted on the bill on Monday, Feb. 23.

The players

Jeff Golden

A Democratic state senator from Ashland who supports moving the referendum to May, arguing that delaying infrastructure repairs is unacceptable.

Khanh Phạm

A Democratic state senator from Portland who supports moving the referendum to May, saying the sooner the public can provide direction, the sooner the legislature can find a long-term solution to protect and preserve public infrastructure.

Christine Drazan

A Republican state senator from Canby who criticized the Democratic efforts to move the referendum date, arguing it denies the voices of Oregonians who signed the petition asking for a November vote.

Bruce Starr

A Republican state senator from Dundee and a leader behind the petition asking for a referendum, who said the organization would pursue legal action if the bill becomes law.

Mark Meek

The lone Democratic state senator who voted against the bill, citing his support for the public's right to vote on the referendum in November.

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What they’re saying

“To put off one more day addressing that challenge is something I just can't imagine why we would do that.”

— Jeff Golden, State Senator (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“The sooner that we in this governing body can get explicit direction from the public, the sooner that we in the Legislature can get to work on the difficult task of finding a long-term solution that protects and preserves our existing public infrastructure.”

— Khanh Phạm, State Senator (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“You are denying the voices of Oregonians because you can.”

— Christine Drazan, State Senator (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“The only prophylactic to a referendum is a bipartisan bill. We could have done it. We could have done it in 2025 in one session. That was my hope. My hope coming back to this process was that we would work across the aisle and get a bill that we could all support, then we wouldn't be in a situation that we're in.”

— Bruce Starr, State Senator (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

What’s next

The bill now heads to the Oregon House, where lawmakers have until Wednesday, Feb. 25, to pass it and get it signed by Governor Tina Kotek in order to appear on the May primary ballot.

The takeaway

This partisan debate over the gas tax referendum highlights the challenges facing Oregon's transportation infrastructure and the need for bipartisan solutions to address the state's long-term funding challenges.