UPDATE: Kate Brown defeats Knute Buehler

Oregon's leading candidates for governor spent the last hours before ballots are due racing to reach prospective voters around the state and rally with supporters.

Republican nominee Knute Buehler planned to spend Monday traversing Oregon, with stops in Tigard, Eugene, Medford and Bend before wrapping up in Tualatin around dinnertime. That's more than 600 miles on the road – although the two-hour turnaround between events suggests Buehler must be flying at least some legs of the journey.

Meanwhile, Democratic incumbent Kate Brown planned a morning rally at the University of Oregon campus in Eugene with three Democrats from the state's congressional delegation: Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Peter DeFazio.

One thing neither candidate will be doing Monday or Tuesday: vote. Public records indicate election officials received Brown's ballot on Oct. 25, and that Buehler's arrived four days later.

More than 1 million other Oregon voters have already returned their ballots, according to tallies issued Monday morning. Polls show Brown has a narrow but consistent lead, though it's close enough that the Cook Political Report and other national handicappers consider it a tossup.

-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699