2012 Oregon Commissioner of Labor election

The 2012 Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries election was held on November 6, 2012, in order to elect the Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries. The election was held on a nonpartisan basis.

Incumbent Commissioner Brad Avakian was re-elected, defeating State Senator Bruce Starr.

Candidates

 * Brad Avakian, incumbent Labor Commissioner
 * Bruce Starr, state senator

While the position of Labor Commissioner is nonpartisan, Avakian is a Democrat and Starr is a Republican.

Campaign
Starr announced he would challenge incumbent Avakian in December 2011. Avakian officially announced his re-election campaign in February 2012.

While the Labor Commissioner is normally elected during the statewide primary election in May, with a runoff between the two highest-placing candidates in November if no candidate receives 50% of the vote, no primary election was held with Avakian and Starr instead facing off in the November general election. According to Secretary of State Kate Brown, "an obscure state law that applies only in 2012 require[d] that the labor commissioner be chosen in November." Starr challenged the change in date in court, which was subsequently rejected.

Results by congressional districts
Despite losing the state, Starr won 3 of 5 congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.