(groovy music) - President Donald Trump is not on the ballot, but the national story is whether his party will keep Congress.

One race in the Pacific Northwest could help tip the balance.

And national issues will certainly factor in to our local elections.

Data centers, immigration enforcement, vote by mail.

They've all been a big part of the back-and-forth in the Oregon governor's race.

Governor Tina Kotek, the Democrat, is facing Republican Christine Drazen.

Drazen shares a party with a president who isn't polling well.

But Kotek, elected in 2022, is also not popular.

Oregon has not elected a Republican governor in more than 40 years.

Could this be the election that breaks the streak?

(numbers ticking) (groovy music continues) (scratches) I'm Lauren Dake, a politics reporter at OPB.

For a moment, it wasn't even clear what voting would look like this election cycle.

Oregon has voted by mail since the 1990s, (numbers rattling) but the Trump administration tried to dramatically change how vote-by-mail worked only a few months before the November midterm election.

After a lot of legal back-and-forth, the U.S.

Supreme Court ultimately prevented Trump's attempt to restrict vote-by-mail.

So, for now at least, Northwest voters can vote as they're used to, keeping the focus on the issues and the candidates.

(text whooshing) (upbeat music) Control of the US House this midterm hinges on a relatively small number of battleground seats.

Oregon's districts are seemingly set, with every seat predicted to go blue, except for one.

And most Washington districts are also considered set, except for Washington's third Congressional District, which is, once again, one of the most watched races in the country.

The incumbent, Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, was first elected in 2022.

She won reelection by a slim margin two years ago against Joe Kent, a former green beret and MAGA conservative.

This time around, she is facing a more moderate Republican, John Braun.

Gluesenkamp Perez once ran an auto shop with her husband.

She's a moderate Democrat and she regularly breaks with her party.

Braun is a retired U.S.

Navy captain and a businessman who has Trump's support.

This race is likely to be a referendum on the Trump administration as much as a reflection of either candidates' stance on local issues.

But there are a few local issues that Washington voters will decide directly.

For the first time in more than 100 years, Oregonians won't have a statewide measure on their ballot, but Washingtonians will, including a ban on transgender girls in sports and a repeal of the so-called millionaire tax, which is a tax on income above $1 million.

The tax measure could also end up in front of the state Supreme Court, where five of nine seats are up for grabs.

Democrats in the Washington State Legislature are hoping to hit super majority status, giving them broader power to act on issues like codifying abortion rights in the state constitution and redrawing political maps.

(pencil scratching) In Oregon, Democrats are hoping to hold onto their super majorities, which makes it easier for them to raise taxes, while Republicans hope to narrow the Democratic edge.

And Democratic Socialists could see their influence grow in the Oregon State Legislature this year.

And speaking of the DSA, the Portland City Council has had a number of DSA and DSA-friendly counselors on the council since the government overhaul in 2024.

Two of Portland's four geographic city council districts are up, and three of the incumbent counselors on the ballot are DSA members.

Because of the city's new ranked choice voting system, it might not be that hard for them to keep their seats.

Meanwhile, one of the region's highest-paid jobs is also on the ballot.

The Multnomah County chair of the board of commissioners oversees programs and policies related to behavioral health, criminal justice, homelessness, and more.

And will for the first time be decided by ranked choice voting.

Zooming back out to the state level, the most consequential decision facing Oregon voters this year is who will be the next governor.

Governor Tina Kotek is seeking reelection to another four-year term.

The Democrat came in promising to improve the homelessness and housing crises, tackle behavioral health challenges, and improve schools.

That's proven to be tough.

Most polls show she's unpopular, and that's because Oregonians feel like the state's problems are not getting better and Oregon is becoming less affordable.

Voters sent Kotek a clear message during the primary when they torpedoed her proposal to raise taxes to fund road maintenance.

Republican State Senator Christine Drazan, who was once the House minority leader, ran against Kotek in 2022.

This time, the race is different.

Four years ago, independent Betsy Johnson siphoned off some of the votes that many believe would have likely otherwise supported Drazan.

In 2026, Drazan may be in a stronger position, but Democrats have tried to tie Drazan to President Trump and federal policies, which are unpopular in parts of the state.

Drazen has also held multiple press events in downtown Portland, asking Democrats to look around and consider whether the status quo is working.

(text ticking) OPB polling suggests voters are concerned about a number of issues, many of which are common themes at the national level.

We'll find out whether local issues outweigh national politics on November 3rd.

Vote.

(chuckles) (lively classical music)