The 1930 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1930, to elect the governor of the U.S. state of Oregon. The Oregon Republican Party, at the time dominant in Oregon politics, initially nominated George W. Joseph, but the nominee died prior to the general election. Joseph's former law partner Julius Meier entered the race as an independent, and defeated replacement Republican nominee Phil Metschan, Jr., Democrat Edward F. Bailey, and Socialist Albert Streiff to become the first and only independent politician to be elected Governor of Oregon.

Primary election Oregon held primary elections on May 16, 1930. Republican primary George W. Joseph won the Republican nomination, but died shortly after. The Republican Party selected Phil Metschan, Jr., son of former Oregon State Treasurer Phil Metschan, as a replacement nominee. Unlike Joseph, Metschan opposed public development of hydroelectric power along the Columbia River. Candidates J. E. Bennett, member of Oregon State Senate Harry L. Corbett, member of Oregon State Senate Charles Hall, member of Oregon State Senate John A. Jeffrey, attorney George W. Joseph, former member of Oregon State Senate A. W. Norblad, incumbent governor

Results

Democratic party The Democrats selected State Senator Edward F. Bailey of Lane County. Candidates Edward F. Bailey, member of Oregon State Senate A. C. Hough, attorney Edward S. Piper George R. Wilbur, member of Oregon State Senate

Results

General election Campagain With a key platform of Joseph's campaign now directly opposed by the replacement nominee, Julius Meier, Joseph's former law partner, friend, and general manager of the Meier and Frank department store, agreed to enter the race as an Independent candidate with Joseph's platform. Although opposed by the state's largest newspaper, The Oregonian, Meier won a resounding victory over Metschan and Bailey. Meier's victory was viewed as indicating strong public support for public hydropower development.

Results

Results by county County Julius MeierIndependent Edward F. BaileyDemocratic Phil Metschan Jr.Republican Albert StreiffSocialist Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Baker1,85141.12%1,47532.76%1,10824.61%681.51%3768.35%4,502Benton1,23624.66%1,96339.17%1,76435.20%490.98%-199-3.97%5,012Clackamas8,00564.34%2,25818.15%1,89615.24%2822.27%5,74746.19%12,441Clatsop2,28541.75%1,92835.23%1,16021.19%1001.83%3576.52%5,473Columbia2,41156.70%92221.68%82219.33%972.28%1,48935.02%4,252Coos3,29849.35%2,04630.61%1,23718.51%1021.53%1,25218.73%6,683Crook49840.19%44636.00%29023.41%50.40%524.20%1,239Curry44238.81%42237.05%2320.46%423.69%201.76%1,139Deschutes1,74653.39%79824.40%69921.38%270.83%94828.99%3,270Douglas2,36138.92%2,26037.26%1,37422.65%711.17%1011.67%6,066Gilliam39142.27%29331.68%23725.62%40.43%9810.59%925Grant60936.16%49129.16%56633.61%171.01%432.55%1,684Harney41834.49%33027.23%45237.29%120.99%-34-2.81%1,212Hood River92345.45%65832.40%43421.37%150.74%26513.05%2,031Jackson3,45340.42%2,31027.04%2,66631.21%1131.32%7879.21%8,542Jefferson25341.41%18329.95%16226.51%132.13%7011.46%611Josephine1,56254.96%60921.43%63322.27%381.34%92932.69%2,842Klamath2,99848.49%1,41022.80%1,68127.19%941.52%1,31721.30%6,183Lake69442.71%37623.14%54233.35%130.80%1529.35%1,625Lane2,77522.34%7,11757.30%2,33418.79%1941.56%-4,342-34.96%12,420Lincoln99136.19%1,05038.35%64523.56%521.90%-59-2.15%2,738Linn2,31631.89%3,34246.01%1,54621.29%590.81%-1,026-14.13%7,263Malheur88936.69%67928.02%82834.17%271.11%612.52%2,423Marion6,77746.05%4,93533.53%2,83319.25%1731.18%1,84212.52%14,718Morrow51036.96%48735.29%37026.81%130.94%231.67%1,380Multnomah68,12171.87%12,03612.70%12,85513.56%1,7751.87%55,26658.31%94,787Polk1,55436.75%1,78842.56%80719.21%621.48%-244-5.81%4,201Sherman34938.14%29732.46%26228.63%70.77%525.68%915Tillamook1,41549.48%87830.70%52218.25%451.57%53718.78%2,860Umatilla2,11938.78%2,07938.05%1,21322.20%530.97%400.73%5,464Union2,02250.59%1,22030.52%71017.76%451.13%80220.07%3,997Wallowa83842.78%64432.87%45723.33%201.02%1949.90%1,959Wasco1,45044.02%77823.62%1,03831.51%280.85%41212.51%3,294Washington5,01667.34%1,23916.63%1,08014.50%1141.53%3,77750.70%7,449Wheeler33931.68%29127.20%42739.91%131.21%-88-8.22%1,070Yamhill2,70344.13%2,39639.12%95715.62%691.13%3075.01%6,125Total135,60854.51%62,43425.09%46,84018.83%3,9111.57%73,17429.41%248,795

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Independent Baker Crook Curry Gilliam Hood River Josephine Malheur Morrow Sherman Umatilla Union Wallowa

Counties that flipped from Republican to Independent Clackamas Clatsop Columbia Coos Deschutes Douglas Grant Jackson Jefferson Klamath Lake Marion Multnomah Tillamook Wasco Washington Yamhill

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Benton Lane Lincoln

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Harney Wheeler

Notes

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