Voters in Oregon retained state Rep. Paul Holvey (D) in a recall election on October 3, 2023. According to unofficial results, 90% of voters voted against recalling Holvey.
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 initiated the recall effort in May. The union criticized Holvey for multiple reasons in the recall petition, including his lack of support for House Bill 3183. Cannabis employers would have been prohibited from impeding employee unionization efforts if House Bill 3183 had been enacted. The union also listed Holvey’s vote on a 2019 bill that reduced pension benefits for workers and his failure to secure pandemic benefits for grocery workers as additional grounds for the recall. According to state records, Holvey directed more than $250,000 towards his defense in the recall effort, while the union’s expenditure exceeded $300,000.
After Holvey was retained by voters in the recall election, he released the following statement:
