Oregonians are cynical about state politics and open to government reforms including campaign finance limits and open primaries, a new report from the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center found.
The report, compiled by the nonprofit and nonpartisan center from two surveys it conducted in late 2023, includes responses from more than 5,400 Oregonians. It comes as lawmakers and voters consider adopting proposals for new limits on campaign finance and changes to state elections and as voters in Portland prepare for their first election with a new form of city government.
It found that 49% of respondents feel their community is on the wrong track, compared to 44% who said it was headed in the right direction. Democrats and respondents with college degrees were most likely to approve of the state’s direction, while Republicans and voters with only some college experience were more negative.
A majority of respondents — 59% — said they would prefer a bigger government that provides more services. But almost as many — 58% — said the government is almost always wasteful and inefficient. That distrust carried over into questions about elections, with 75% of respondents saying the most politically popular candidate, not the most qualified candidate wins, and 58% saying that the current electoral system produces outcomes that reflect the values and beliefs of a small group of political Oregonians, not the values and beliefs of typical Oregonians from around the state.
