For the past four years, Oregon democrats have held a supermajority but during the 2023 legislative session that changes.

The Oregon constitution calls for a three-fifths majority in both chambers in order to pass any bill that would increase taxes, with 60 seats in the Senate which means at least 36 votes and in the House, which has 30 seats, that means 18 votes.

Voters passed this requirement as Measure 25 in 1996.

"The idea was that a higher bar to pass taxes would make it less likely that taxes would go through and if they did they would have to have a coalition of both parties coming together," said Pacific University Political Science professor Jim Moore.

During this past, mid-term election Republicans gained one seat in the house and one in the Senate overturning Democrats' three-fifths majority by the 2023 legislative session.

Moore says this is significant particularly in a year when economists are predicting a recession.

"One way that you deal with a recession is to cut costs but the other way is you raise taxes in certain places," he said.

In a written statement House Majority Leader Rep Julie Fahey (D-Eugene) said Democrats were expecting some seats to flip because the sitting US president Joe Biden is a Democrat.

“Traditionally, the party that loses a Presidential election has a significant advantage during the first midterm election. This year, Republicans underperformed despite having that advantage, both nationally and here in Oregon, and Oregon House Democrats were able to bring back a strong majority. Oregon voters saw a vision from Democrats that recognized the everyday challenges of working families, offered real solutions to the state’s problems, and stayed true to our shared Oregonian values.”

Oregon house and senate Republicans did not respond to a request for comment but posted the following statement on social media on Nov 16.

"Oregonians spoke in the recent election by breaking the supermajority in the legislature. Republicans will respond in the upcoming legislative session by holding strong against growing government or taxes.”

The post attributes the statement to House, Minority Leader Rep Vikki Breese Iverson (R-Prineville).