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Kathleen Taylor (Oregon)
2017 - Present
2029
8
Kathleen Taylor (Democratic Party) is a member of the Oregon State Senate, representing District 21. She assumed office in 2017. Her current term ends on January 8, 2029.
Taylor (Democratic Party, Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Oregon State Senate to represent District 21. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024. She advanced from the Democratic primary on May 21, 2024. She advanced as a write-in from the Republican primary on May 21, 2024.
Taylor has served as state Senate majority leader since July 15, 2024.[1]
Biography
Taylor earned her B.A. in political science and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her M.S. in Public Policy from Rutgers University. Her professional experience includes working as auditor for the State of Oregon, Multnomah County and the City of Portland, and as an account executive at Boly/Welch.[2]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Taylor was assigned to the following committees:
- Labor and Business Committee, Chair
- Natural Resources and Wildlife Recovery Committee
- Joint Information Management and Technology Committee
- Joint Legislative Audits Committee
2021-2022
Taylor was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Conduct Committee
- Senate Energy and Environment Committee
- Human Services, Mental Health and Recovery Committee
- Senate Redistricting Committee, Chair
- Joint Conduct Committee
- Joint Ways and Means Committee
2019-2020
Taylor was assigned to the following committees:
- Finance and Revenue Committee
- Workforce Committee, Chair
- Carbon Reduction Committee
- Student Success Committee
- Tax Expenditures Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Oregon committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Finance and Revenue |
| • Workforce, Chair |
| • Joint Tax Credits |
| • Joint Transportation and Economic Development |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Taylor served on the following committees:
| Oregon committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Human Services and Housing |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Oregon State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Oregon State Senate District 21
Incumbent Kathleen Taylor won election in the general election for Oregon State Senate District 21 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kathleen Taylor (D / R) | 98.0 | 58,422 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.0 | 1,174 | ||
| Total votes: 59,596 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Oregon State Senate District 21
Incumbent Kathleen Taylor advanced from the Democratic primary for Oregon State Senate District 21 on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathleen Taylor | 99.2 | 20,867 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.8 | 174 | ||
| Total votes: 21,041 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Oregon State Senate District 21
Incumbent Kathleen Taylor advanced from the Republican primary for Oregon State Senate District 21 on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathleen Taylor (Write-in) | 13.7 | 29 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 86.3 | 182 | ||
| Total votes: 211 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Taylor in this election.
2020
See also: Oregon State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Oregon State Senate District 21
Incumbent Kathleen Taylor won election in the general election for Oregon State Senate District 21 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathleen Taylor (D / Working Families Party) | 97.6 | 71,543 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.4 | 1,769 | ||
| Total votes: 73,312 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Oregon State Senate District 21
Incumbent Kathleen Taylor advanced from the Democratic primary for Oregon State Senate District 21 on May 19, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathleen Taylor | 99.4 | 29,791 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 174 | ||
| Total votes: 29,965 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
- See also: Oregon State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Oregon State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 17, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 8, 2016. Incumbent Diane Rosenbaum (D) did not seek re-election.
Kathleen Taylor defeated James Ofsink and Josh Howard in the Oregon State Senate District 21 general election.[3][4]
| Oregon State Senate, District 21 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Kathleen Taylor |
77.05% | 54,520 | |
| Progressive | James Ofsink | 14.68% | 10,390 | |
| Libertarian | Josh Howard | 8.27% | 5,852 | |
| Total Votes | 70,762 | |||
| Source: Oregon Secretary of State | ||||
Kathleen Taylor defeated John Sweeney in the Oregon State Senate District 21 Democratic primary.[5][6]
| Oregon State Senate, District 21 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Kathleen Taylor |
89.41% | 27,686 | |
| Democratic | John Sweeney | 10.59% | 3,278 | |
| Total Votes | 30,964 | |||
2014
Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2014. Kathleen Taylor defeated Deborah Barnes, Ted Roe and Kaliko Castille in the Democratic primary. Timothy McMenamin was unopposed in the Republican primary. McMenamin ran on the Libertarian ticket and Taylor ran on the Working Families Party ticket. Taylor defeated McMenamin in the general election.[7][8][9]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathleen Taylor |
70.5% | 18,845 | |
| Republican | Timothy E. McMenamin | 29.1% | 7,774 | |
| None | Miscellaneous | 0.4% | 117 | |
| Total Votes | 26,736 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Kathleen Taylor |
61.2% | 4,806 |
| Deborah Barnes | 33.1% | 2,601 |
| Ted Roe | 4.2% | 330 |
| Kaliko Castille | 1.6% | 122 |
| Total Votes | 7,859 | |
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kathleen Taylor did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Kathleen Taylor did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2014
Taylor's campaign website highlighted the following issues:[2]
Strengthening Public Schools
- Excerpt: "Strong public schools are the ladder of opportunity. Kathleen will fight to restore a full school year and ensure all students have the chance to succeed. She has two kids in public schools and is a PTA President and longtime education advocate."
A Stronger Economy
- Excerpt: "Kathleen’s experience working with small businesses to find jobs for Oregonians gave her a clear picture of how jobs are created and what skills are needed to succeed. She will push for greater investment in workforce training and infrastructure to make Oregon more competitive."
Accountable and Efficient Government
- Excerpt: "As an auditor, Kathleen has shown government how to provide better services with limited resources using proven strategies. She’ll make government more transparent and accountable."
A Healthy Environment
- Excerpt: "Oregon’s natural beauty and our unique quality of life are among our greatest assets. Kathleen will ensure they're protected for future generations."
Fairness for all Oregonians
- Excerpt: "Equal rights and protection of the vulnerable are core values. She will make sure government serves ALL Oregonians, not just those with deep pockets."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Oregon scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from Februrary 5 to March 7.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from January 17 to June 25.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from February 1 to March 4.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from January 21 to June 26.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from February 3 to March 5. Special sessions were convened from June 24 to June 26 and on August 10.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from January 22 through June 30.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the 79th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 5 through March 3. There was also a one-day special session on May 21, 2018.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the 79th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 1 through July 7. There was also an organizational session January 9.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the 78th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 1 through March 3.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the 78th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 2 through July 6.
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Endorsements
2016
In 2016, Taylor's endorsements included the following:[10]
- Governor Barbara Roberts
- Former State Representative Carolyn Tomei
- Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury
- NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon PAC
- Oregon League of Conservation Voters
- Oregon Building & Construction Trades Council
- Portland Association of Teachers
- Oregon State Fire Fighters Council
- Joint Council of Teamsters No. 37
- Senator Diane Rosenbaum, SD-21
- Representative Rob Nosse, HD-41
- Milwaukie Mayor Mark Gamba
- SEIU Local 503
- Oregon Education Association
- United Food & Commercial Workers Local 555
- Oregon Nurses Association
- Oregon AFSCME Council 75
- Oregon WINPAC
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Taylor and her husband have two children.[2]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Oregon State Senate District 21 |
Officeholder Oregon State Senate District 21 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Statesman Journal, "Oregon Senate Democrats elect Kathleen Taylor as next Senate majority leader," June 18, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Official campaign website, "Meet Kathleen," accessed April 24, 2014
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed August 25, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "November 8, 2016 General Election official results," accessed December 21, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed March 9, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "May 17, 2016 Primary Election Abstract of Votes President," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Official Results - May 20, 2014 Primary Election," accessed July 8, 2014
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing," accessed March 17, 2014
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Official general election results for 2014," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑ kathleentaylorfororegon.com, "Endorsements," accessed April 26, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Oregon State Senate District 21 2017-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Carolyn Tomei (D) |
Oregon House of Representatives District 41 2015-2017 |
Succeeded by Karin Power (D) |
