Lead: On Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, Republican senators in the Oregon State Senate stayed out of the chamber as lawmakers attempted to reconvene at 1:30 p.m., denying Democrats the 20-member quorum needed to proceed. The absence halted action on Senate Bill 1599, a Democratic measure to move a public vote on gas taxes and transportation fees from the November general election to the May 19 primary. The maneuver is tied to ongoing fights over transportation funding and comes as Democrats face a Feb. 25 deadline to finalize the timing if they want the measure on the May ballot.
Key takeaways
- Twelve Republican senators were absent from the Senate floor on Feb. 18, 2026, preventing the 20-member quorum required to conduct business.
- SB 1599 would change the date of a public vote on last year’s gas-tax and fee increases so the measure could appear on the May 19, 2026 primary ballot.
- Secretary of State Tobias Read said he reviewed a Feb. 16 letter from GOP leaders and affirmed his oath to uphold the Oregon Constitution and state law.
- Read’s office says SB 1599 must be passed and signed by Gov. Tina Kotek by Feb. 25, 2026, for local election officials to place the question on the May ballot.
- Republicans cite legal objections and political stakes: they oppose moving an unpopular gas tax away from the November general election when many Democrats are on the ballot.
- The walkout evokes a 2023 six-week GOP absence that delayed Democratic bills and led to Measure 113 consequences for 10 senators in 2022.
- The current session’s compressed timeline — a short, five-week calendar — raises the stakes for other contested measures on guns and abortion access.
Background
Transport funding has been a flashpoint in Oregon politics for more than a year. In 2025, the Legislature approved a package that included a six-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase and a set of related transportation fees; a Republican-led referendum effort collected sufficient signatures to place the measure before voters. Republicans have since pushed to keep that referendum on the November general-election ballot, arguing strategic and legal reasons to oppose moving it to May.
Oregon’s recent history includes high-profile walkouts: in 2023 Republican senators left the Senate for six weeks to block bills on gun policy and transgender health care, ultimately returning after negotiating concessions. After Measure 113 passed in 2022, lawmakers who accrue 10 or more unexcused absences may be barred from seeking reelection, adding legal and political pressure to any extended boycott.
Main event
As the Senate tried to resume business at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 18, 2026, none of the chamber’s 12 Republican members were on the floor, denying Democrats the 20-member quorum needed to proceed. The absence stopped debate and any immediate vote on SB 1599, which Democrats advanced as a way to meet county election timelines for the May 19 primary.
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr (R–Dundee) and House Minority Leader Lucetta Elmer (R–McMinnville) had written to Secretary of State Tobias Read on Feb. 16 asserting legal concerns about changing the election date. Starr, who remained elsewhere in the Capitol that day, told reporters his members are waiting for an official reply before returning to full participation.
Read issued a brief response after the boycott began, saying he had reviewed the Feb. 16 letter and that he intends to uphold the Oregon Constitution and state law. Republicans did not receive unexcused absences for the Feb. 18 session because they had attended an earlier floor session that day; House Republicans were present for a separate afternoon floor session.
Analysis & implications
The walkout is both a parliamentary tactic and a negotiation lever. By denying quorum, the minority can delay floor action and force the majority to engage on timing, legal questions or substantive concessions. For Democrats, a delay risks missing the Feb. 25 cutoff Read identified for placing SB 1599’s timing change on the May ballot — which would relegate the referendum to the November general election instead.
Politically, Republicans benefit from keeping the referendum on the November ballot where turnout patterns and the presence of multiple contested races could disadvantage Democrats who supported the tax increases. For Democrats, moving the vote to May could reduce the referendum’s visibility among a broader November electorate and speed implementation of transportation funding if the change survives legal and political challenges.
Legally, the dispute centers on election-administration timelines and statutory interpretation. The Secretary of State’s office provides deadlines that counties need to print ballots and meet notice requirements; if those deadlines can’t be met, timing changes become impractical. Any definitive legal ruling could come too late to affect short-session maneuvering, which means the fight is poised to be decided as much by politics as by law.
Comparison & data
| Item | Relevant date |
|---|---|
| Senate reconvene attempt | Feb. 18, 2026, 1:30 p.m. |
| Secretary of State deadline to place measure on May ballot (per memo) | Feb. 25, 2026 |
| Primary election date | May 19, 2026 |
| Previous extended GOP walkout | 2023 (six weeks) |
The table highlights the compressed timetable Democrats face: less than a week from the Feb. 18 boycott to the Feb. 25 deadline cited by the Secretary of State’s office. That narrow window limits the Legislature’s room to negotiate while meeting procedural requirements for ballot preparation and certification.
Reactions & quotes
“We’re looking for an answer from them, and at that point we’ll have the opportunity to have further conversation. This is not unusual. The minority is hitting a pause button so we can have conversations with the majority.”
Sen. Bruce Starr, Senate Minority Leader (R–Dundee)
“I received and carefully reviewed your letter dated February 16, 2026. I took an oath to uphold the Oregon Constitution and the laws passed by the state legislature. I intend to keep it.”
Tobias Read, Oregon Secretary of State (statement)
“The timing of SB 1599 is central to whether voters will see the gas-tax referendum in May or November, and that timing drives how both parties approach the rest of the short session.”
Independent policy analyst, Oregon elections (paraphrased)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Republican senators plan a longer boycott beyond a single session day remains unsettled; some GOP leaders declined to specify a timeline.
- It is not yet confirmed whether the Secretary of State will issue a binding legal determination that would remove ambiguity about SB 1599’s effect on ballot timing.
- Potential application of Measure 113 penalties to any senators for future absences in this session has not been decided and would depend on how absences are classified.
Bottom line
The Feb. 18 Republican no-show is a deliberate quorum-denial tactic aimed at stalling SB 1599 and preserving the referendum’s placement on the November ballot. With a Feb. 25 deadline identified by the Secretary of State’s office to affect May ballot placement, both parties are operating on a tight timeline that heightens the leverage of procedural delays.
Beyond SB 1599, the walkout signals broader vulnerability for other contested measures in the short, five-week session — including bills on guns and abortion access. Watch for two near-term indicators: any formal legal ruling from the Secretary of State or courts about the timing change, and whether Republicans escalate to a prolonged absence that risks Measure 113 consequences and further delays.
Sources
- Oregon Public Broadcasting — News report on the Feb. 18, 2026 walkout and SB 1599 (journalism)
- Oregon Secretary of State — Official state office for election administration (official)
- Oregon State Legislature — Legislative information and bill text (official)