Albertson's Makes Record Donation to Campaign That Hasn't Yet Qualified For the Oregon Ballot

The Big Number: $1.59 million

By Nigel Jaquiss

Albertson's, the Idaho-based grocery chain, last week gave $1.59 million to Oregonians for Competition, the campaign seeking to privatize liquor sales in Oregon with a November ballot measure.

That's the biggest contribution in at least a decade—and perhaps ever—to a measure that has yet to collect the signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. The same group spent more than $2.5 million in 2014 but did not get a measure onto the ballot.

In 2011, Costco spent more than $20 million to pass a similar measure in Washington.

Willamette Week

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Nigel Jaquiss

Nigel Jaquiss

Reporter Nigel Jaquiss joined the Oregon Journalism project in 2025 after 27 years at Willamette Week.

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