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Tobias Read
2025 - Present
2029
0
Compensation
$77,000
November 5, 2024
Education
Willamette University, 1997
University of Washington, 2003
Tobias Read (Democratic Party) is theOregon Secretary of State. He assumed office on January 6, 2025. His current term ends on January 1, 2029.
Read (Democratic Party, Working Families Party, Independent Party) ran for election forOregon Secretary of State. He won in the general election onNovember 5, 2024. He advanced from the Democratic primary onMay 21, 2024.
Read is a formerDeputy Majority Whip. Read has been a legislative aide to Oregon State Representative Bryan Johnson, and Development Officer for U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers, Willamette University.
Biography
Tobias Read was born inMissoula, Montana, and lives inOregon. Read earned a B.A. in politics and economics from Willamette University in 1997 and an MBA from the University of Washington in 2003. His career experience includes working as a footwear designer for Nike; an aide to former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers in theU.S. Department of the Treasury during the administration of PresidentBill Clinton (D); and for SkyTaxi, a now-defunct Oregon startup. Read has volunteered for the SMART (Start Making a Reader Today) program; as a youth sports coach; and as a founder of Hoopla, an Oregon-based 3-on-3 charity basketball tournament.[1][2][3]
Political career
Below is a list of offices withinBallotpedia’s scope. Offices outside of that scope will not be listed. If an update is needed and the office is within our scope, pleasecontact us.
Read's political career includes the following offices:
- 2025-present:Oregon Secretary of State
- 2017-2025:Oregon Treasurer
- 2007-2017:Oregon House of Representatives District 27
Elections
2024
See also: Oregon Secretary of State election, 2024
General election
General election for Oregon Secretary of State
Tobias Read defeatedDennis Linthicum andNathalie Paravicini in the general election for Oregon Secretary of State on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tobias Read (D / Working Families Party / Independent Party) | 54.4 | 1,166,447 |
 | Dennis Linthicum (R / Constitution Party)  | 41.9 | 897,704 | |
 | Nathalie Paravicini (Pacific Green Party / Progressive Party) | 3.6 | 76,170 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,011 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,142,332 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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 Secretary of State
Tobias Read defeatedJames Manning,Jim Crary,Paul Damian Wells, andDave Stauffer in the Democratic primary for Oregon Secretary of State on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tobias Read | 69.4 | 303,089 |
 | James Manning | 22.3 | 97,427 | |
 | Jim Crary | 3.7 | 16,340 | |
 | Paul Damian Wells | 2.2 | 9,425 | |
 | Dave Stauffer | 1.8 | 7,921 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 2,515 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 436,717 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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 Secretary of State
Dennis Linthicum defeatedBrent Barker andTim McCloud in the Republican primary for Oregon Secretary of State on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dennis Linthicum | 66.0 | 199,243 |
 | Brent Barker | 20.2 | 61,011 | |
 | Tim McCloud | 13.0 | 39,109 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.8 | 2,560 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 301,923 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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 Read in this election.
2022
See also: Oregon gubernatorial election, 2022
General election
General election for Governor of Oregon
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Oregon on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tina Kotek (D / Working Families Party) | 47.0 | 917,074 |
 | Christine Drazan (R) | 43.5 | 850,347 | |
 | Betsy Johnson (Independent) | 8.6 | 168,431 | |
 | Donice Smith (Constitution Party) | 0.4 | 8,051 | |
 | R. Leon Noble (L) | 0.4 | 6,867 | |
 | Paul Romero (Constitution Party of Oregon) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,113 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,952,883 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Nathalie Paravicini (Pacific Green Party / Progressive Party)
- Tom Cox (L)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Oregon
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Oregon on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tina Kotek | 56.0 | 275,301 |
| Tobias Read | 31.7 | 156,017 | |
 | Patrick Starnes | 2.1 | 10,524 | |
 | George Carrillo | 1.9 | 9,365 | |
 | Michael Trimble | 1.0 | 5,000 | |
 | John Sweeney | 0.9 | 4,193 | |
 | Julian Bell | 0.8 | 3,926 | |
 | Wilson Bright | 0.5 | 2,316 | |
| Dave Stauffer | 0.5 | 2,302 | |
 | Ifeanyichukwu Diru | 0.4 | 1,780 | |
| Keisha Merchant | 0.4 | 1,755 | ||
| Genevieve Wilson | 0.3 | 1,588 | ||
 | Michael Cross | 0.3 | 1,342 | |
| David Beem | 0.3 | 1,308 | ||
 | Peter Hall | 0.2 | 982 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.8 | 13,746 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 491,445 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Peter Winter (D)
- Casey Kulla (D)
- Nicholas Kristof (D)
- Dave Lavinsky (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Oregon
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Oregon on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Christine Drazan | 22.5 | 85,255 |
 | Bob Tiernan | 17.5 | 66,089 | |
 | Stan Pulliam | 10.9 | 41,123 | |
 | Bridget Barton | 10.8 | 40,886 | |
 | Bud Pierce | 8.7 | 32,965 | |
 | Marc Thielman | 7.9 | 30,076 | |
 | Kerry McQuisten | 7.6 | 28,727 | |
| Bill Sizemore | 3.5 | 13,261 | ||
 | Jessica Gomez | 2.6 | 9,970 | |
| Tim McCloud | 1.2 | 4,400 | |
 | Nick Hess | 1.1 | 4,287 | |
 | Court Boice | 1.1 | 4,040 | |
 | Brandon Merritt | 1.0 | 3,615 | |
| Reed Christensen | 0.8 | 3,082 | ||
 | Amber Richardson | 0.5 | 1,924 | |
 | Raymond Baldwin | 0.1 | 459 | |
 | David Burch | 0.1 | 406 | |
| John Presco | 0.0 | 174 | ||
 | Stefan Strek | 0.0 | 171 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.0 | 7,407 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 378,317 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Darin Harbick (R)
- John Fosdick III (R)
- Jim Huggins (R)
2020
See also: Oregon Treasurer election, 2020
General election
General election for Oregon Treasurer
IncumbentTobias Read defeatedJeff Gudman,Chris Henry, andMichael P. Marsh in the general election for Oregon Treasurer on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tobias Read (D / Working Families Party) | 51.7 | 1,166,703 |
 | Jeff Gudman (R) | 41.5 | 936,916 | |
 | Chris Henry (Pacific Green Party / Progressive Party / Independent) | 4.4 | 99,870 | |
 | Michael P. Marsh (Constitution Party) | 2.3 | 51,894 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,072 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,257,455 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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 Treasurer
IncumbentTobias Read advanced from the Democratic primary for Oregon Treasurer on May 19, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tobias Read | 98.7 | 464,429 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.3 | 5,956 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 470,385 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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 Treasurer
Jeff Gudman advanced from the Republican primary for Oregon Treasurer on May 19, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Gudman | 99.0 | 305,589 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 3,223 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 308,812 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Pacific Green Party convention
Pacific Green Party convention for Oregon Treasurer
Chris Henry advanced from the Pacific Green Party convention for Oregon Treasurer on June 6, 2020.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Henry (Pacific Green Party) |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | |||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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
- Main article:Oregon Treasurer election, 2016
Read ran fortreasurer of Oregon in 2016. He was the only Democrat to file for the seat. He competed withRepublicanJeff Gudman,Independent Party of Oregon candidateChris Telfer, andProgressive/Pacific Green Party of Oregon candidateChris Henry in the general election. Incumbent treasurerTed Wheeler declined to seek re-election.[4]
Tobias Read defeatedJeff Gudman,Chris Telfer, andChris Henry in the Oregon treasurer election.[5]
| Oregon Treasurer, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Tobias Read | 43.97% | 808,998 | |
| Republican | Jeff Gudman | 41.67% | 766,680 | |
| Independent Party of Oregon | Chris Telfer | 9.45% | 173,878 | |
| Pacific Green Party of Oregon | Chris Henry | 4.92% | 90,507 | |
| Total Votes | 1,840,063 | |||
| Source:Oregon Secretary of State | ||||
Tobias Read ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for treasurer.
| Democratic primary for treasurer, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Tobias Read (unopposed) | 98.46% | 333,653 |
| Write-in votes | 1.54% | 5,219 |
| Total Votes | 338,872 | |
| Source:[1] | ||
Endorsements
| Key endorsements | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tobias Read (D) | Jeff Gudman (R) | ||||||||
| Oregon AFL-CIO | Kent Studebaker, Mayor of Lake Oswego | ||||||||
| Oregon Education Association | Andy Duyk, Washington County Chair | ||||||||
| House Majority LeaderJennifer Williamson (D) | John Cook, Mayor of Tigard | ||||||||
| Former Governor Barbara Roberts (D) | Dan Holladay, Mayor of Oregon City | ||||||||
| U.S. CongresswomanSuzanne Bonamici (D) | |||||||||
| Speaker of the HouseTina Kotek (D) | |||||||||
| NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon PAC | |||||||||
| United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | |||||||||
| What is a key endorsement? | |||||||||
Campaign finance
| Tobias Read campaign finance 2016 |
|---|
2014
Elections for theOregon House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held onNovember 4, 2014. Thesignature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2014. IncumbentTobias Read was unopposed in the Democratic primary. He also ran as a write-in candidate on the Republican Party ticket.Robert Martin ran as a Libertarian candidate. Read defeated Martin in the general election.[6][7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tobias ReadIncumbent | 80.8% | 17,621 | |
| Libertarian | Robert Martin | 18.2% | 3,967 | |
| None | Miscellaneous | 1% | 211 | |
| Total Votes | 21,799 | |||
2012
Read won re-election in the2012 election forOregon House of Representatives District 27. Read was unopposed in the May 15 Democratic primary and defeatedBurton Keeble (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[9][10][11]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tobias ReadIncumbent | 68.1% | 19,180 | |
| Republican | Burton Keeble | 31.9% | 9,005 | |
| Total Votes | 28,185 | |||
2010
Read won re-election to District 27 in 2010. He had no primary opposition but was challenged byDan Lucas in the general election which took place on November 2, 2010.[12][13]
| Oregon State House, District 27 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Tobias Read (D) | 15,398 | |||
| Dan Lucas (R) | 9,328 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Read won re-election to Oregon State House District 27.[14][15]
| Oregon State House District 27 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Tobias Read (D) | 19,420 | |||
| DeVietro (R) | 8,139 | |||
| Misc. | 86 | |||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also:Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tobias Read did not completeBallotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Read’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ | A CLEAR VISION FOR SECRETARY OF STATE At a time when we need state government to work better and be more accountable, Tobias Read is the only candidate in the race who has successfully managed a statewide agency. He will bring that experienced leadership to overseeing our elections and auditing state agencies. ELECTIONS AND VOTING Tobias will continue to make Oregon a national leader in clean and fair elections. And he’ll stand up to anyone who tries to undermine our elections through misinformation, threats or intimidation. He will strengthen security for election workers and protect the people who make our elections run. Tobias also aims to strengthen Oregon's reputation for accessible voting, working to find new ways to make voting easier and more straightforward. He’ll explore new tools – like giving voters opt-in notifications when their ballot is received and counted – that increase confidence in the elections process. AUDITS AND SPENDING In addition to running our elections, the Secretary of State is Oregon’s “auditor-in-chief.” Our audit system can be a tool to help rebuild trust in government. It’s the best way to make sure our state tax dollars are not wasted, and have the impact we need. As Treasurer, Tobias built a strong record of accountability and transparency. He will do the same as Secretary of State making sure our audit system is professional, focused on addressing the greatest risks and free from political interference or agendas. Tobias will also ensure that audits include the input of those who are on the front lines of delivering the vital services that Oregonians need. ENVIRONMENT Tobias has built a strong record of environmental leadership. As Treasurer, Tobias developed the plan to conserve the Elliott State Forest – turning it into the largest research forest in North America. And he also created a plan to make Oregon's pension fund net zero carbon emissions by 2050. That track record and those values matter because the Secretary of State is a member of the Land Board, one of the most meaningful environmental positions in Oregon. As Treasurer, Tobias has served successfully on the Land Board for 7 years, the only candidate in this race with that experience. He can step in on day one to protect Oregon’s environment, help us do our part to address climate change, and preserve Oregon’s natural heritage for future generations. WORKING FAMILIES At every step, Tobias has stayed focused on the long term needs of Oregon families. As State Treasurer and during his time as a legislator, he:
Through oversight and audits, the Secretary of State can ensure that these and other programs and services are having the intended impact for working families. Tobias believes that audits should not only focus on dollars and cents, but develop criteria to measure impact—especially on how the state provides critical support and opens opportunities for workers, families, students and more.[16] | ” |
| —Tobias Read’s campaign website (2024)[17] | ||
2022
Tobias Read did not completeBallotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Tobias Read did not completeBallotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
Read's campaign website pointed to his accomplishments in the legislature as qualifications for the office of treasurer, which he stated include the establishment of the state's Rainy Day Fund, improvements in transportation infrastructure, the creation of the Oregon Retirement Savings Board, and the passage of the Cy-Près Corporate Accountability Bill.[18]
Issues
ESG
| Environmental, social, and corporate governance |
|---|
 |
| Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. |
As treasurer, Read expressed support forenvironmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), an approach to investing and corporate decision-making.
State financial officers, includingtreasurers,auditors, andcontrollers, are responsible for auditing other government offices, managing payroll, and overseeing pensions. In some states, certain SFOs are also responsible for investing state retirement and trust funds.
In a May 2018 newspaper opinion, he wrote: “Smart investing today means paying closer attention to ESG factors, and with good reason. Research is showing that companies with favorable ESG scores tend to perform better over the long run.”[19]
"Institutional investors like Oregon benefit from paying attention to everything that can affect the health and long-term sustainability of our investments," Read said in a 2021 interview. "That means looking at climate risks, the diversity of a company's leadership, or how companies treat their employees."[20]
Hiring of ESG-focused state investment officer (June 2018)
In June 2018, Read announced that he had hired Anna Totdahl as the Oregon State Treasury’s “first-ever investment officer focused on investment risks and opportunities associated with ESG factors.”[21]
Hosting of ESG investing summit (September 2018)
In September 2018, Read convened the “Oregon Sustainable Investing Summit.” According to a report from the Oregon State Treasury, it was an event where “Read brought together an array of state and national financial leaders to discuss how investors can drive positive investment performance and environmental progress.”
A keynote speaker wasGina McCarthy (D), former administrator of theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency under PresidentBarack Obama (D). Examples of presenters and panelists included representatives from theBlackRock asset management firm, theSustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and theService Employees International Union.[21]
In an October 2021 report to the leadership of theOregon State Legislature, Read wrote that the purpose of the 2018 event was “to bring together state and national finance leaders to highlight how Oregon Treasury — while first achieving our fiduciary obligation to maximize long-term, risk-adjusted performance — can be a responsible shareholder, engage to enhance climate-related disclosure and action, manage for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks, and invest strategically for a cleaner future.”[22]
“Sustainable investing is the future, and the future can't wait,” Read said, in a news release promoting the event.[23]
SEC petition seeking mandatory ESG reporting from public firms (October 2018)
In October 2018, Read was a co-signatory on a petition to theSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requesting that the federal regulatory agency impose “rulemaking to develop mandatory rules for public companies to disclose high-quality, comparable, decision-useful environmental, social, and governance information.”
The letter acknowledged that “most of America’s largest public companies” were already “attempting to provide additional information” on ESG issues. But the signatories also alleged there were “substantial problems with the nature, timing, and extent of these voluntary disclosures,” and “problems with the quality of voluntary ESG disclosure.”[24]
The petition was written by Prof. Cynthia A Williams of the Osgoode Hall Law School, and Prof. Jill E Fisch of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Co-signers included public and private investment officials claiming to represent $5 trillion in assets under management.[25]
Campaign against JP Morgan Chase board member Lee Raymond (May 2020)
In February 2020, Read and eleven other state treasurers and representatives of state and local public investment funds holding positions in JP Morgan Chase opposed the re-election of Lee Raymond to the board of the publicly-traded banking firm. The CEO of Exxon-Mobil until 2005, Raymond had been on the JP Morgan board for 33 years and was a longtime close ally of JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. Opposition to Raymond’s reappointment was organized by Majority Action, a left-leaning advocacy group, and based on the assertion that Raymond was a “climate change denier” who had influenced JP Morgan Chase to loan too much money to energy firms that produced carbon emitting fuels. The pressure campaign was organized in advance of the JP Morgan Chase annual shareholder meeting, scheduled for May 2020.[26][27]
“As both a fiduciary and a shareholder, Oregon must use our voice and platform to push boards to take action on climate change,” said Read, in a May 2020 statement. “Implementing meaningful strategies that reduce portfolio risk starts at the top. JPMorgan Chase leadership must recognize the significant, far-reaching threats from climate change, and be willing to take necessary steps to reduce those threats.”[26]
Raymond was ultimately reelected to the board for another term that was scheduled to end in May 2021. However, he announced his resignation in December 2020, to be made effective December 31, 2020. In the regulatory filing announcing the departure, Raymond said it was not as a “result of any disagreement with the company.”Bloomberg News reported that a “spokesman for the bank said Raymond’s retirement has nothing to do with outside pressure.”[28][26]
Increased state pension investment exposure to renewable energy (October 2021)
In an October 2021 report to the leadership of theOregon State Legislature, Read announced that the Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund had increased its stake in renewable energy resources firms, from “approximately $50 million in 2014 to in excess of $800 million in 2021.” Read characterized this behavior as an example of the state’s efforts to invest in reaction to the “threats a changing climate brings.”[29]
Pro-ESG financial officers’ letter opposing anti-ESG state officers (September 2022)
In September 2022, Read and 13 other state and local financial officers co-signed a letter opposing the actions of states that had passed “legislation aiming to curb consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in investing.” The letter asserted that “states in our country have started blacklisting financial firms that don’t agree with their political views,” and cited in particular “West Virginia, Idaho, Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida” for “using blacklists to obstruct the free market.”[30]
According to a September 2022 report from Financial Technologies Forum, Republican elected officials in 24 states had enacted policies against investing public funds with asset management firms such asBlackRock that had used ESG criteria as a basis for investment decisions.[31]
Read and the signatories alleged the following about the anti-ESG legislation: “The blacklisting states apparently believe, despite ample evidence and scientific consensus to the contrary, that poor working conditions, unfair compensation, discrimination and harassment, and even poor governance practices do not represent material threats to the companies in which they invest. They refuse to acknowledge, in the face of sweltering heat, floods, tornadoes, snowstorms and other extreme weather, that climate change is real and is a true business threat to all of us.”[30]
“Your job as a state treasurer is to look out for the interest of the beneficiaries. In Oregon's case, it's hundreds of thousands of people, and these are people whose livelihood depends on the pension -- that's what allows them to buy groceries and pay the electric bill and make rent,” said Read, explaining his participation in the letter. “And if you can't separate your own personal politics from your obligation to serve those people, I think you shouldn't be treasurer.”[32]
In a September 2022New York Times opinion essay, Read wrote that the anti-ESG efforts represented “something distinctly anti-free market” and “ideological litmus tests that will likely result in lower returns for pensioners.”[33]
Proposal to achieve “net-zero” pension fund by 2050 (November 2022)
In a November 2022 news release, Read announced a goal for the “Oregon Public Employee Retirement Fund investments to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050, including an interim goal of a 50% decarbonization by 2035.” According to the release, Read pledged to develop a plan to attain the goal and that his plan would be “presented to the OIC [Oregon Investment Council] no later than February 1, 2024.”[34]
A report inThe Oregonian questioned the feasibility of Read’s timeline. According to the report, Read was “just one of five voting members on the Oregon Investment Council, the panel that sets investment policies for a $90 billion pension fund,” and he would “be leaving office at the beginning of 2025” due to term limits.[35]
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 theFEC website. Clickhere for more on federal campaign finance law andhere for more on state campaign finance law.
| Year | Office | Status | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024* | Oregon Secretary of State | Won general | $1,582,002 | $1,114,288 |
| 2022 | Governor of Oregon | Lost primary | $2,176,164 | $2,294,422 |
| 2014 | Oregon House of Representatives, District 27 | Won | $237,218 | N/A** |
| 2012 | Oregon State House, District 27 | Won | $290,573 | N/A** |
| 2010 | Oregon State House, District 27 | Won | $228,046 | N/A** |
| 2008 | Oregon State House, District 27 | Won | $224,974 | N/A** |
| 2006 | Oregon State House, District 27 | Won | $223,140 | N/A** |
| ** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle | ||||
| Note: Totals above reflect only available data. | ||||
Endorsements
2014
In 2014, Read's endorsements included the following:[36]
|
|
State legislative tenure
Scorecards
Ascorecard 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 toeditor@ballotpedia.org.
2020
In 2020, theOregon 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.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
|---|
In 2019, theOregon State Legislature was in session from January 22 through June 30.
|
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
In 2018, the 79thOregon 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 79thOregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 1 through July 7. There was also an organizational session January 9.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
In 2016, the 78thOregon 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 78thOregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 2 through July 6.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
In 2014, the 77thOregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 3 to March 10.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the 77thOregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 4 to July 9.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
|---|
In 2012, the 76thOregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 1 to March 6.
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the 76thOregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 1 to June 30.
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Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according toBillTrack50 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.
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Read served on the following committees:
| Oregon committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| •Joint Tax Credits |
| •Joint Ways and Means |
| •Higher Education, Innovation and Workforce Development, Chair |
| •Revenue |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Read served on the following committees:
| Oregon committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| •Revenue |
| •Transportation and Economic Development, Chair |
| •Ways and Means |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Read served on these committees:
| Oregon committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| •Revenue |
| •Transportation, Co-Chair |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Read served on these committees:
| Oregon committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| •Revenue |
| •Rules |
| •Sustainability and Economic Development, Chair |
See also
External links
Candidate Oregon Secretary of State | Officeholder Oregon Secretary of State | Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑Oregon State Treasury, “About Treasurer Read,” accessed December 11, 2022
- ↑Willamette Week, “Five Things You Didn't Know About Tobias Read,” September 27, 2016
- ↑The Oregonian, “State Rep. Tobias Read leaves Nike to focus on legislative work,” June 8, 2012
- ↑Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedsos - ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes," accessed May 25, 2017
- ↑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
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "2012 Candidate Filings for the House," accessed May 24, 2014
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "Official Results for May 15 Primary election," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "Official General Results for 2012," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "2010 Oregon Primary Election Results," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "2010 General Election Results," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "2008 Oregon Primary Election Results," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑Oregon Secretary of State, "2008 General Election Results," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑Tobias Read’s campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed April 24, 2024
- ↑Tobias Read, accessed May 10, 2016
- ↑The Oregonian, “Playing politics with investment risks is bad news for Oregonians,” May 29, 2018
- ↑Pew Charitable Trusts, “Oil-Friendly States Fight Back Against Sustainable Investment Trend,” March 16, 2021
- ↑21.021.1Oregon State Treasury, “Stewarship: Corporate Governance & ESG: 2018,” accessed December 10, 2022
- ↑Oregon State Treasury, Letter to Senate President Peter Courtney and Speaker of the House Tina Kotek, October 25, 2021
- ↑Sustainable Life: Pamplin Media Group, “State treasurer plans local summit on sustainable investing,” August 23, 2018
- ↑U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Petition requesting rulemaking to SEC Secretary Brent J. Fields from Cynthia A. Williams and Jill E. Fisch, October 1, 2018
- ↑Global Legal Post, “Petition put to SEC for framework on ESG disclosure rulemaking,” October 10, 2018
- ↑26.026.126.2Majority Action, “State Treasurers Step Up Call for Independent, Climate-Competent Governance at JPMorgan Chase,” May 14, 2020
- ↑Bloomberg News, “There's an Oilman on JPMorgan's Board. Climate Activists Want Him Out,” February 10, 2020
- ↑Bloomberg News, “JPMorgan’s Lee Raymond Steps Down From Board After 33 Years,” December 18, 2020
- ↑Oregon State Treasury, Letter to Senate President Peter Courtney and Speaker of the House Tina Kotek, October 25, 2021
- ↑30.030.1New York City Comptroller, “Comptroller Lander Joins State Treasurers’ Letter Opposing Anti-ESG Legislation,” September 14, 2022
- ↑Financial Technologies Forum, “24 States Forbid ESG Investing via Public Pension Funds,” September 16, 2022
- ↑ABC News, October 12, 2022
- ↑New York Times, “A sneaky form of climate obstruction hurts pension funds,” September 21, 2022
- ↑Oregon State Treasury, “Treasurer Read’s Core Decarbonization Framework,” November 2022
- ↑The Oregonian, “Oregon treasurer wants to eventually ‘decarbonize’ $90 billion pension fund. Will it happen?” November 17, 2022
- ↑Tobias Read, "Supporters," accessed August 29, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by LaVonne Griffin-Valade (D) | Oregon Secretary of State 2025-Present | Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - | Oregon Treasurer 2017-2025 | Succeeded by Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D) |
| Preceded by - | Oregon House of Representatives District 27 2007-2017 | Succeeded by Sheri Schouten (D) |
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