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Oregon voters reject conservative social measures, tax restrictions

Opponents of Measure 105 gather Tuesday night awaiting election results.

SALEM — On election night, Oregonians appeared to block attempts to overturn the state’s sanctuary status for undocumented immigrants and affirmed public funding for reproductive health care.

In so doing, Oregon voters rejected socially conservative priorities by large margins.

They also appeared to roundly reject fiscally conservative measures that attempted to restrict tax increases, opening the door for broader tax reforms in the 2019 legislative session.

In early statewide returns, 59 percent of voters rejected Measure 103, which would have banned taxes on groceries.

And 67 percent of voters counted in early returns have rejected Measure 104, which would require a three-fifths majority vote in the Legislature on certain tax-related measures.

Under Measure 104, lawmakers — 60 percent in both the House and Senate — would have had to vote “yes” to approve changes to tax credits, exemptions and deductions, or fee increases.

Measure 105, which would have overturned a state law that prohibits local police from using their resources to apprehend people whose only violation of law is being in the country without legal permission, was rejected by 65 percent of voters as of 8 p.m.

Supporters of the measure challenged a law that has been in place since 1987. It was designed to prevent racial profiling by police.

The measure prompted a divide within the state’s police community, with 16 sheriffs supporting the measure. Other police officials spoke out against it publicly, including Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese and Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel.

The measure demonstrated the renewed interest in immigration policy since now-President Donald Trump announced his candidacy in 2015.

Voters also blocked Measure 106, which was mounted by a pro-life group that wanted to ban public funding for abortions, except those deemed medically necessary, required by the federal government, or to terminate a clinically diagnosed ectopic pregnancy.

About 66 percent of voters rejected Measure 106.

Amid a statewide housing crisis, Oregonians also approved a measure that allows local governments to use public bond money for private housing projects.

And 56 percent of voters approved the measure in early returns.

The measure requires local voters’ approval of any such bonds, annual audits and public reporting on how the borrowed funds are spent.

Reporter Claire Withycombe: [email protected] or 503-385-4903. Withycombe is a reporter for the East Oregonian working for the Oregon Capital Bureau, a collaboration of EO Media Group, Pamplin Media Group, and Salem Reporter.