Oregon Governor's Race Sees Unconventional Write-In Campaign Focused on Literacy
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A former professor and literacy advocate is campaigning for Oregon governor as 'Pencil', a six-foot-tall talking pencil costume, urging voters to write the name on their ballots. The campaign, which has spent nearly $30,000, aims to draw attention to the state's last-place ranking for fourth-grade reading. Governor Tina Kotek, who is seeking re-election and has pushed for reading program investments, currently faces no serious primary opponent.
Facts First
- A write-in campaign for governor is being run under the persona 'Pencil', a costume worn by former professor J. Schuberth.
- The campaign is a protest focused on literacy, citing Oregon's last-place ranking for fourth-grade reading.
- Governor Tina Kotek is seeking another term and has authored laws to intervene in underperforming school districts.
- Oregon law makes winning by write-in difficult, as votes are only tabulated if they exceed the leading candidate's total.
- The campaign intends to continue into the November general election after the state's May 19 primary.
What Happened
J. Schuberth is campaigning for Oregon governor using the persona of 'Pencil', a six-foot-tall talking pencil costume they built earlier this year. Schuberth campaigned in downtown Portland on April 23, 2026, asking voters to write 'Pencil' on their ballots instead of voting for a Republican or Democrat. Governor Tina Kotek is seeking another term in the November election and faces no serious opponent in the May 19 primary.
Why this Matters to You
If you are an Oregon voter, you may see a novel option on your ballot this November, though casting a write-in vote for Pencil is a symbolic act given the state's election laws. The campaign highlights a pressing issue for families: Oregon fourth-graders rank last in reading according to a prominent national analysis. Governor Kotek has already pushed for investments in reading programs, suggesting the state's educational challenges are recognized and may be an area for continued policy focus.
What's Next
The Pencil campaign intends to make a run at the November general election after the Oregon primary is over. Schuberth is looking into tallying votes for Pencil by requesting images of cast ballots, as standard election procedures may not count them. Under Oregon state law, election officials only tabulate write-in votes for individual candidates if the total number of write-ins exceeds the votes for the leading candidate, which makes a Pencil victory highly unlikely. The campaign may continue to draw attention to literacy issues throughout the election cycle.