Oregonians are feeling pessimistic heading into the November election, with only 21% feeling that the state is heading in the right direction, according to a recent poll commissioned by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
In contrast, 59% of 600 registered Oregon voters recently surveyed by DHM Research said they felt the state was moving in the wrong direction, while the remaining 20% said they weren’t sure.
The poor ratings aren’t a record low. In surveys conducted by DHM Research in 2002, 2003 and 2022, Oregonians reported feeling equally or more pessimistic about the state’s direction.
Still, said John Horvick, senior vice president at the polling firm, “These numbers are bad and should not be sugarcoated.”
The poll was conducted statewide Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Surveys were conducted via telephone and texted forms.
The negative sentiment cuts across various demographic groups. Respondents across age groups, education levels, gender and geography all overwhelmingly reported feeling that Oregon is on the wrong track, although a clear political divide also emerged.
Economic concerns and government mismanagement were the two most frequently cited responses to a question about the most important problem facing Oregon. Homelessness and taxes were the next most common responses.
Beaverton resident Daniel Delgado, who participated in the poll, said all of those issues prompted him to say the state was headed in the wrong direction. The 34-year-old Democrat said he moved to Oregon four years ago and has been unable to find steady work since losing his retail job last year.
Delgado described Oregon as “objectively the best place I have ever lived.” But he said he plans to move away in the hopes of securing a stable job.
“I do not see Portland improving anytime soon,” he said. “At least not soon enough for me.”
Republicans were far more likely than Democrats to say Oregon is heading in the wrong direction. While 28% of Democrats said the state is trending downward, fully 94% of Republicans voters felt the same.
In line with that, not a single individual who said they would likely vote for Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan in this year’s governor’s race felt positively about Oregon’s trajectory, compared to 46% of those who favored Gov. Tina Kotek in the race.
Of the 63 individuals who said they weren’t sure who they would vote for in the race, 63% said Oregon is moving in the wrong direction, compared to just 6% who said the state was on the right track.
Even some respondents who said they felt Oregon is on the right track said the state is still struggling with various major issues, including poor education outcomes, increasing homelessness rates and stalled job growth.
Poll respondent Sara Stanley, for example, said she is concerned about various issues in Oregon, including political polarization and inadequate funding for government services. Still, the 77-year-old resident of rural Lane County said she feels positively about the state’s direction because she has seen progress on various issues, such as increased housing development.
“I’m seeing a commitment to affordable housing within the limits of possibility, considering our financial situation,” she said, saying it shows an “effort to take care of each other.”
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