Oregon Voters Reject Universal Basic Income and Ranked-Choice Voting

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Voters also decided on measures to amend the state constitution to provide lawmakers with impeachment powers and set officials’ salaries.

Oregon voters have rejected controversial Ballot Measure 118, which would have created the nation’s first statewide Universal Basic Income (UBI) program, with 78.3 percent of voters saying no, according to partial results as of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Measure 118 would have increased the minimum tax on corporations, distributing the tax revenue to eligible Oregon residents. Corporations collecting more than $25 million in sales would have faced an additional 3 percent tax on sales exceeding $25 million.

The measure would have given $1,600 a year to every resident—regardless of age, income, or citizenship, and including those who are incarcerated—as long as they live at least 200 days in the state.

A family of four would have received $6,400 annually, with no strings attached. The money would be non-taxable and would not affect other benefits.

Voters have also defeated Ballot Measure 117, which would require Oregon counties to adopt ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal elections and statewide elections of Oregon officials, excluding legislators. It is the first RCV statewide ballot measure to be referred by a state legislature.

Almost 60 percent of voters opposed the measure.

If enacted, Measure 117 would have made Oregon the third state in the nation to try RCV, following Maine in 2016 and Alaska in 2020.

Alaska residents, unhappy with the first use of the method in 2022, voted on a measure to repeal RCV on Nov. 5.

Voters approved Measure 115, with nearly 64 percent of voters indicating their desire to amend the Oregon Constitution to provide state lawmakers with impeachment powers. Oregon was the only state in which lawmakers could not impeach statewide office holders.

About 36 percent of voters opposed the measure.

Measure 116 failed with over 53 percent of vote in opposition, compared with almost 47 percent in support. It would have amended the constitution by establishing a committee that would set salaries for legislators, statewide elected officials, judges, and district attorneys.

Voters will allow the state’s nearly 7,700 cannabis workers to unionize, with just over 55 percent approving and almost 45 percent rejecting Measure 119.