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
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
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 by county
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
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican