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The State League pays monthly for a Pro Zoom account, which lets us host meetings of up to 100 participants with no limit on meeting time. State Zoom account is available on a first come, first served basis. Default meeting time is one hour - please contact us at lwvor@lwvor.org if you need more time.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Report First Call to Convention Youth Outreach Update Voter Service Update Nominating Committee Program Planning Update Development Update In Memoriam - Willie Richardson PRESIDENT’S REPORT Dear LWVOR Members and supporters, This is my last President’s column for The VOTER. I will complete my second 2-year term this May at our Convention in Eugene. I hope you can join us in-person, our first membership-wide convening since our Centennial Celebration lunch on March 7th, 2020. Our future looks bright! No one asks any more if we are relevant. Come to the Convention to meet each other, for training workshops, and to hear our exceptional speakers. Come and meet our powerful slate of Officers and Directors. Meet your “lateral communication” networks in person! I look forward to seeing you! Our stormy political climate is now much more challenging. MDM, for Mis-, Dis-, and Mal- Information poses a serious threat to our democracy, as we anticipated in our Privacy and Cybersecurity work. Powerfully manipulative AI, artificial Intelligence, is with us on uncertain terms and may further destabilize our political landscape, thinking here of ChatGPT and Google Bard. This is one reason for our Convention theme, Free Press and the Survival of Democracy. When I began as President, I didn’t foresee the SCOTUS Dobbs decision and didn’t expect to be defending our overwhelmingly successful automatic voter registration, Oregon’s #MotorVoter . Now we have grown considerably: Our YO! Youth Outreach is not just promising but already hard at work building a Youth Council, supporting and extending our Student Mock Elections. The Action Committee had five stalwarts when I began on the board as Secretary in June 2011. Now we convene year-round with a network of 30 advocates. Voter Service has grown with virtual outreach, newly adding Vote411.org to this odd-election year, still needing a Chair . Program / Study coverage is under strong leadership. The Membership /HR/ and MLD hats worn by one board member ably have been shared. Our Nominating Committee has stepped up to the “lateral communication” that is strengthening most of our work, from local League Leaders to Treasurers. The LWVOR Nominating Committee Task Force is bringing together voices from across Oregon, with LWVOR Membership guidance. What an intense time this has been. We may find that *human induced climate disruption* has played a part in the COVID pandemic that has both separated us and brought us together virtually. Drought, wildfires, and floods were with us before, but not to this extent. The February “polar vortex”, as I write this, is a recent addition to my lexicon. Our work is more needed than ever! Thank you for helping! Please subscribe and manage your preferences to League communications. Thanks to Office Manager, Abigail Hertzler, for covering as this edition’s VOTER Editor. And Thank You to all of you for carrying part of our League efforts! FIRST CALL TO CONVENTION 2023 CONVENTION Is the biennial State Meeting of the League of Women Voters of Oregon, alternating years with the State Council. First Call is issued so that local Leagues can plan and discuss matters that will be presented at the convention. TIME & PLACE The 2023 State Convention will be held Friday through Sunday, May 19-21, 2023 in Eugene, OR at The Graduate Hotel. HOSTS League of Women Voters of Lane County PURPOSE The convention shall consider changes to the Bylaws; shall consider and authorize for action a program; shall elect the president, first vice-president, secretary, three directors (two-year terms), and a chair and two members of the nominating committee; shall adopt a budget for the ensuing year; and shall transact such other business as may be presented. DELEGATES The convention shall consist of the LWVOR Board of Directors and delegates chosen by members of local Leagues. Each local League shall be entitled to two delegates for the first 40 members or fewer. If possible, one local League delegate should be the President. An additional delegate is allowed for every 20 additional members or major fraction (10 or more) belonging to the local League as of January 31, 2023. Each approved State Unit of members-at-large (MALs) shall be entitled to one delegate. For those MAL’s not in an approved unit, MAL representation at convention shall be one delegate for every 20 MALs or major fraction (10 or more) thereof. If there are fewer than 10 MALs, the interest of the MALs shall be represented by the LWVOR Membership Chair. OBSERVERS Any member of the LWVOR (in a local League, a State Unit, or as a general MAL) may attend as an observer. Observers may not vote, but may, upon recognition of the Chair, have the privilege of the floor. All League members are urged to exercise this privilege, and members are encouraged to register as observers. BASIC COSTS Registration fees will be announced in the next update. Hotel reservations can be made online or by phone: Call 844-888-4723. Use BOOKING CODE: 0519WV. Use this booking link: League of Women Voters of Oregon – Guestrooms YO! YOUTH OUTREACH AND YOUTH COUNCIL WELCOME CHRIS WALKER | LWV of OREGON YOUTH LIAISON We warmly welcome Chris Walker, a sophomore Legislative Scholar at the University of Oregon studying public policy, political science and business management as a LWVOR Member At Large. On Friday, February 10th, he was appointed to a ground-breaking role as a strong, influential voice for the Board as the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Liaison. Chris feels a definite stake in the commitment of our state and local Leagues to encourage youth leadership, and is mentoring a new LWVOR Youth Council inviting youth across Oregon to get connected and involved by emailing him at youthcrew@lwvor.org or messaging on their Instagram at @lwvoryouthcouncil WELCOME CELINE IOFFE | LWV OF OREGON YOUTH COUNCIL Celine is a high school junior in Portland and LWV Washington County member who is passionate about reproductive justice and our legal system. She is actively involved in Columbia Willamette Teen Council, a peer education and leadership program where members learn medically accurate and inclusive sexual health information, lead classroom presentations and organize events in schools and their communities around sexual health awareness. Celine interned for a DUI and domestic violence law firm last summer, and plans to attend university and law school after graduating in summer of 2024. She will lead a diverse team of Youth Council members to build effective power in their communities to achieve their goals. Spring Special District Elections will be here before we know it. OSME Committee will be offering to customize mock ballots and share supportive materials for any League who wants to offer to their local students. LWVPDX Voter Service Committee Chris Cobey and Mimi Alkire will be trying a new League Neighborhood School Partner program with already designed quarter-sheet postcards with space to add local League contact information. They can share with local Leagues to drop off with key administrative personnel at each school. We view this as a relationship-building connection to strengthen into the 2024 primary and general elections. Please check out the free civic ed curriculum and the mock election webpage at lwvor.org/mock-election and email mockelection@lwvor.org Mimi Alkire, Diana DeMaria and Chris Cobey attended the PNW Junior State of America Winter Congress on Sunday, February 5, 2023 to present LWVOR's 2023 launch of Youth Council to impressive young high school civic leaders from all over Washington and Oregon. We invite any League members interested in Youth Outreach to attend Weekly Wed 8am YO Mtg Link as we are still building our outreach plan, content and contact list to share our expanding resource. Drop by anytime! If not able to attend, please email to connect. LWV of OREGON YOUTH OUTREACH | youthoutreach@lwvor.org OREGON STUDENT MOCK ELECTION (OSME) | mockelection@lwvor.org VOTER SERVICE NEWS General Election 2022 The 2022 midterm election is generally considered a win for democracy in the U.S., and Voter Service volunteers around the state can justifiably feel they were responsible for some of that in Oregon. Nearly 31,000 Oregon voters accessed Vote411 for candidate information, and 25,000 of them received a printed Voter's Guide . Local leagues are increasingly using online technology to inform voters. At least five local leagues produced one-on-one interviews with candidates, available on YouTube and posted to Vote411 and league websites. Candidate forums were also available online for an extended time during the election season. Our long history of giving voters candidates' answers to unbiased questions about important issues continues to pay off in better government for all of us! Special District Election 2023 Odd-numbered election years are often overlooked but School District and Special District Elections that happen in the spring of odd-numbered years elect people to oversee the services and infrastructure that are closest to our everyday lives. These are directors (members of the Boards of Directors) of school districts, fire and emergency services districts, water and public utility districts, park and recreation districts and many more, from Port Districts overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets to tiny road districts serving a few families. They are not part of state, county, or city government, although they are audited by the Secretary of State and must "follow state laws for public meetings, public records, public contracting, bonded debt, and elections"[i]. Not all special districts have elected directors. Some are appointed. The County Commission may serve as the Board in some cases (but the District remains separate from the County). Importantly, almost none of the positions are paid. It's fascinating to me that so much of the business of governments is done by volunteers! The challenge for Voter Service in covering the election of these directors is that, because almost all the positions are unpaid, almost all candidates run unopposed and are not interested in our help in mediating between them and the electorate. Some of the positions, however, particularly for school boards, are becoming more contentious in today's partisan climate. Local league Voter Service leaders have decided that local leagues will decide which local district races will be covered in Vote411 for the May election, although we will make an attempt to cover all school districts throughout the state. [i] "What is a Special District", Special District Association of Oregon, www.sdao.com , accessed 2-26-23. NOMINATING COMMITTEE Your state nominating committee still has LWVOR Board vacancies to fill for this May’s Convention. Please let us know if you are ready to serve or have suggestions for potential nominees. On February 23 there was a meeting for local League representatives discussing successes and challenges in the nominating process. It was a very productive and fun meet up. Another meeting will occur in March. Come join in and see what you missed. Watch for a Doodle poll to choose a date and time. ANNOUNCEMENTS Caring for Our Children March 22, 7:00pm Please register for the Zoom webinar here. Join us for a webinar on the state of child care in Oregon! The topics will include: Why affordable, quality child care is critical for Oregon; challenges and successes of childcare providers; and a report from the nascent Oregon Department of Early Learning and Childcare. Our moderator will be Terry Styner from the League of Women Voters. We are looking forward to an informative panel discussion from our knowledgeable speakers: Martha Brooks , Oregon State Director, Western Region States Regional Director, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids and ReadyNation, Council for a Strong America Julie Hurley , Co-Leader of the Child Care Coalition, Douglas County and Executive Director Early Learning, Douglas ESD and Heather Freilinger, Co-Leader of the Child Care Coalition, Douglas County | Program Coordinator Douglas ESD | Care Connections and Education Program David Mandell , Chief of Policy & Research, Early Learning Division, Oregon Department of Education State Legislator TBD PROGRAM PLANNING 2022 As the LWVOR recently appointed Study Chair, I’m sharing my plan to bring our attention to what causes our league heart …to beat. Our interest in issues leads to League Study which results in writing our positions on issues, ultimately leading to ACTION and ADVOCACY. In the past, the League has encouraged our members to write and present a Study because this is the only way to create issue positions and, thus, the only way we may take action with ONE VOICE! League members pledged 103 years ago to participate in government and defend democracy and to do so ONLY with accurate, balanced, shared, and nonpartisan understanding. That understanding comes from Study that was created by and shared with league members, and with our community and public policy makers in our government. How does Study begin? A local League(s) will identify an issue or topic that is or will be addressed by the government through the creation of public policy, action, or legislation. A study committee forms with a designated leader. A title is declared, a time frame committed to, and ultimately, presentation, and approval for Study by their Board. Once a Study is completed, consensus from members is given, and positions are created, it is archived and reviewed annually, usually in January. These Studies and their positions are neatly stored and accessible on our websites as tools for us to use when taking Action or Advocacy. Local, State, and National Leagues have created Studies and positions. Let’s pause here to recognize that our interests in a particular issue by League individuals or as a group could also result in a white paper or a discussion group or a public forum. We recognize the truth that our eyes, ears, hearts, and brains may hunger for information, yet not always with the ultimate goal being…STUDY. The League encourages interest in various topics and interests, recognizing that the end goal may not be a Study. Study will be an important topic during our LWVOR Convention, May 19-21st . Read the studies and concurrence to be presented to our league delegates on the Convention tab on our website. Please contact me by email or phone if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. Annie Goldner LWVOR Interim Study Chair 541-389-9660 a.goldner@lwvor.org DEVELOPMENT UPDATE We are most grateful for the generous donations we received in January of this year: $1,000 from the Dicentra Fund of Oregon Community Foundation, and $5,000 from Norman Turrill, former president of LWVOR, and one who has a vast understanding of the needs and potential of our League. Thank you! Our outstanding staff is a most important part of our budget, and we could not function as a state League without their availability and professional skills. There are multiple ways you can help sustain the LWVOR operational costs. Convenient monthly giving through your bank’s auto-pay A charitable contribution from your IRA to benefit the LWVOR - tax neutral! A donation in honor or memory of a loved one A bequest to our League - please consult an attorney or estate planning professional Consider legacy giving to build our endowment for increased annual returns Our Youth Outreach (YO) committee is working with Development to apply for a Community Challenge Grant from AARP to enhance civic engagement. Our proposal will be a short-term project in which our Youth Council and senior-aged League members will form a team for an essay-writing contest to be held this fall in selected districts across Oregon. The program is designed to foster intergenerational communication and help amplify the voices of our youth on issues affecting their communities and their future. Jackie Clary, Freddi Weishahn LWVOR Development IN MEMORIAM Marion-Polk welcomed Willie Richardson as a new member of the League of Women Voters in October. From the Statesman Journal: Willie Richardson, a champion for minority education and respected voice for racial equality in Salem for more than four decades, has died. She was 74. Service arrangements are pending. The family told the Statesman Journal it will be open to the public. Richardson in 1987 was the first Black person elected to the Salem-Keizer school board and is the past president of Oregon Black Pioneers, whose board and staff posted condolences on Facebook : "Willie's immeasurable impact on the organization, the city of Salem, and the state of Oregon will be felt for many generations." Salem Art Association also posted condolences and celebrated Richardson's impact on its organization.

All-Members Newsletter - October 2023 Happy October! As we embrace the crisp and colorful Fall season, we are excited for the upcoming local and statewide events that promise to bring us together once again, both in-person and virtually. First up is the LWVOR Fall Workshop on October 7 (details below!). We are renewing our commitment to empowering our communities through voter education activities that will ensure our voices are heard in the 2024 elections. Read on to discover some of the exciting events on the horizon. Upcoming Events Fall Workshop 2023 Register Now Oct 07, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM 155 High St, Eugene, OR 97401 Register for virtual tickets by October 6. In-person registration is now closed. Join us in Eugene and online on October 7, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. We are excited to bring you this voter education focused event, filled with great guest speakers, new tools for voter outreach in 2024, plans for upcoming Oregon Student Mock Elections, and more! Don't miss our keynote speaker, Molly Woon, Oregon Elections Director and a special workshop hosted by the LWVOR Youth Council on youth voter outreach. We hope you’re able to join us! More Upcoming LWVOR Events Legislative Process Day 2023 Registration open soon Nov 07, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Hybrid Event 250 Winter St NE, Salem, OR 97301 Youth Voter Summit Registration open soon Jan 19, 2024, 10:00 AM Hybrid Event 250 Winter St NE, Salem, OR 97301 Local League Events ⭐Event Highlight: Tour the Oregon Supreme Court Building with the Marion/Polk League From LWV of Marion and Polk Counties: "Join us on Thursday, October 19, to tour the Oregon Supreme Court Building. We haven’t received confirmation of the time yet. The tour will last about 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours and will require standing, although there will be chairs available when we are in the courtroom. Paid parking is available along State St. If the weather is nice, we will also visit the Women’s Suffrage memorial in Willson Park, about ½ block from the Supreme Court Building. At our get-together at Willamette Mission State Park, 10 members signed up to go on the tour. We have space for 10 more. The 119-year-old building is one of the state’s oldest continuously operating government buildings. To preserve the three-story structure and its historic features, the building recently went through a seismic retrofit. It features terra cotta, marble, and mahogany, with classical detailing, a grand staircase, and stained-glass lighting in the courtroom. We will learn what changes have been made, see the Percent for Art installation and hear about the workings of Oregon’s appellate court system." ⭐Event Highlight: National Voter Registration Day (9/19) at Rose Haven Women’s Shelter By LWVPDX Voter Service Chair Chris Cobey LWVPDX celebrated National Voter Registration Day (September 19) at Rose Haven, a Portland women’s shelter, where we registered voters, distributed voter registration forms to women who wanted to register later, answered questions about voting and upcoming elections, and provided links to information on Portland’s new government and online voter registration. We averaged a new paper voter registration every 15 minutes -- a robust rate of public voter registration in a period of no imminent elections! As a result of this activity, we have learned of and received inquiries from Rose Haven's youth outreach group, have provided additional information to them, and look forward to including them in future LWVPDX-Rose Haven on-site voter registration events. More Upcoming Local League Events Local League events coming up in the next few weeks. Have events to add? Please send them to us at lwvor@lwvor.org : ⭐LWV of Coos County September Voter Registration Stations Tuesday, October 10, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm - Coos Bay Public Library ⭐LWV of Deschutes County DEIJ Discussion Group: Do the Work Tuesday, October 31, 2023, 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm ⭐LWV of Marion and Polk Counties Fall Membership Get-Together Thursday, October 12, 10 am - Tea & Talk - Taproot Old Mill Cafe Wednesday, October 18, 7 pm - Being Nonpartisan - Zoom Link here ⭐LWV of Lane County Annual Fall Luncheon Thursday, October 19, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm - The Shedd Institute, Eugene Oregon 97401 ⭐LWV of Portland Programs/Events – Free and Open to the Public October 11, 2023, via Zoom, panel discussion on progress in creating a Community Board for Police Accountability ⭐LWV of Umpqua Valley A Year of Education Events Tuesday, October 17 – Sarah McGregor, the Feeding Umpqua Program Manager at UCAN, will teach us about efforts to alleviate hunger in our communities and how we can help. Tuesday, November 14 – Thomas McGregor, Executive Director of Phoenix Charter School, will inspire us with “2031: Let’s Define the Future for East Roseburg”. Phoenix turns 50 in 2031. How can we help dream, develop, and actively create what the community wants Phoenix to be on its 50th birthday? Register for Member Section The new LWVOR website features an improved Member’s Section including an exclusive Member’s Forum, where League members can engage in discussions on a variety of topics: Voter Service, Communications, DEIJ, Membership, and more. We’re adding new topics all the time, so please feel free to explore what is there and suggest new topics if you see a need. 👉 Register to Access LWVOR.org Member’s Section We welcome all current League members to join the forum and check it out! It is a great place to share ideas, links, resources, and anything you think your fellow League members will find useful. Please contact s.andrews@lwvor.org with any questions about getting started. Volunteers Needed LWVOR Board Opportunities Voter Services Chair Welcome our LWVOR Voter Service leads: Abigail Bok (Vote411), Marianne Germond (Voter’s Guides), and Peggy Bengry (State Ballot Measures). LWVOR is still looking for a Voter Service Chair to represent this work as a liaison to the LWVOR board. With the reduction of work off the shoulders of the VS Chair into these other lead positions, the VS Chair will be able to activate, coordinate, and manage the various efforts to closure across Voter Services each year. Read the full position description here . League Voter Services makes election information available to the public to encourage citizen participation in government. The Chair inspires Voter Service volunteers and dedicated professionals to produce clear, unbiased information for tens of thousands of Oregon voters. The VS Chair directly contributes to making democracy work. Please contact us at nominating@lwvor.org or lwvor@lwvor.org if you are interested in the VS Chair role. Advocacy Team Opportunities Natural Resources What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. The 2023 legislative session is over, but 2024 is just around the corner. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator. Training will be offered. Dept of Environmental Quality Air Quality Programs Dept of Environmental Quality Land Quality Programs Dept of Environmental Quality Recycling and Waste Prevention Dept of Land Conservation and Development Coastal Programs Dept. of Agriculture Programs (any or all) Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Programs (any or all) Columbia River Gorge Commission Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries Oregon Marine Board Oregon Dept. of Parks and Recreation Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Climate Emergency Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA (Oregon Dept. of Agriculture) Transportation, I-5 Bridge and ODOT state agency Environment/Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA, Oregon Health Authority) Regional Solutions/Infrastructure (with NR team) State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment Please contact us at lwvor@lwvor.org if you are interested in helping out in any of these areas. Social Policy Human rights Immigration, Refugee & Asylum Seekers/Migrants GLBTQ+ Basic Human Needs Please contact us at lwvor@lwvor.org if you are interested in helping out in any of these areas. DEIJ: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Toolkit for local Leagues LWVOR Youth Council DEIJ Chair Deenie Bulyalert and LWVOR Youth Council DEIJ mentor Elizabeth Kirby have produced a DEIJ Toolkit for League members! This Toolkit is a collection of resources and tools to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in your organization and community. You can find it linked in the Knowledge Base in the Member's Section of the website. Once you've clicked on the Toolkit link be sure to check out the READ ME document first to get a snapshot view of all of the enclosed folders. If you're looking for a good place to start, feel free to check out pronouns.org , where you can learn about personal pronouns and why they matter. Please reach out to Elizabeth at deij@lwvor.org if you have any questions! Youth Outreach Update LWVUS Mobilizing Young Voter Pilot Program Launch Nile Blass, LWVUS DMV Community Organizer, is thrilled to announce the Young Voter Pilot Program is officially launching. Over the coming weeks and months, you can anticipate a wide array of updates, resources, and supplementary materials designed to support our young voter outreach initiatives. We have a lineup of workshops, training sessions, and special speaker events in the pipeline, and we are committed to making these accessible both virtually and in person whenever possible. To keep you in the loop, LWVUS will feature these special programming updates in the monthly League Update, on LWV's event website, and across various LWV informational forums. Thank you once again for your commitment to this important cause. Email Nile at nblass@lwv.org to request your email be added to the listserv, and make sure to sign up for LWVUS League Updates at lwv.org ! Membership Update Everyone is invited to drop in to the Membership and DEIJ Special Interest Group Wednesday, October 11⋅1:00 – 2:00pm Meets Monthly on second Wednesdays Join Zoom Meeting This month's meeting will begin with an interactive tour of the LWVOR website functionality by LWVOR Digital Director Sarah Andrews, including the members only side, and how to sign up for newsletters and Forums. The next topic is discussion with local League examples and ideas from around the state for new member orientation since the pandemic, a question submitted by LWV of Corvallis member Laura Evenson. Diana DeMaria is interim LWVOR Membership for Lisa Bentson, who has stepped up to co-President our state league while the nominating committee works on Board vacancies. Count on LWVOR Membership as a local League resource! Diana DeMaria (she/her-- Why do pronouns matter? ) call/text 503.319.8601 Interim Membership Chair membership@lwvor.org Recommended Reading From LWVOR Advocacy Chair, Becky Gladstone: This month's book is THE HANK SHOW , about Hank Asher, “the pioneering computer programmer known as the father of data fusion”. This new-release is timely, coming shortly after Oregon’s first in the nation Data Broker Registry signing, HB 2052 Enrolled (2023) . Here's LWVOR testimony . The author, McKenzie Funk, is from Oregon. We cited his 2016 NYTs Magazine article, Should We See Everything a Cop Sees? in our Privacy & Cybersecurity study and alluded to in LWVOR public records advocacy. The official release date is October 3 and it can pre-ordered through Bookshop.org , for delivery to your favorite independent local bookstore -check for your favorite! The freely shared advance excerpt , The Man Who Trapped Us in Databases , was in the Sept 24 NYTs Magazine. From the author, McKenzie Funk: “Recently, I spent a half-decade writing a book. It’s called The Hank Show . As you can imagine, it’s about a guy named Hank—in this case the pioneering data broker and onetime cocaine smuggler Hank Asher. It’s sort of about him, at least. I always told myself it was really about what he left behind for us when he died in 2013: hidden tracking numbers that will stalk each of us for the entirety of our adult lives. Data and database systems that still course through the computers of the FBI, the IRS, the CIA, and ICE and through most American police departments, most Fortune 500 companies, and most of the world’s biggest banks. Digital dossiers that increasingly determine who among us gets loans, who gets insurance, who gets job offers, who gets arrested, who gets deported, who gets what healthcare, who gets ahead in life, and who’s left behind.”

Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. Read more about our Board of Directors. / About / Board of Directors / Board of Directors Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. All League of Women Voters of Oregon Board Officers and Directors are generally affiliated with their local Leagues and are either appointed by the Board or elected by League member representatives at our annual meeting in May. We're looking for you! Our state's next great democracy heroes are out there right now – they just don't know it yet. They're community leaders, professionals, and passionate citizens ready to make history on our Board of Directors. Could one of them be you? Sign Up President Lisa Bentson Lisa joined the League of Women Voters of Oregon as Membership Chair in 2022. Read More l.bentson [at] lwvor.org 1st Vice President and Communications Chair Barbara Klein Barbara was born and grew up in the northeast. Step by step, living in many states, she’s made her way around the nation to land in southern Oregon. Read More communications [at] lwvor.org 2nd Vice President and Action Chair Jean Pierce Jean was introduced to the League in 2008 after she retired as a Professor of Educational Psychology at Northern Illinois University. Read More advocacy [at] lwvor.org Secretary Mimi Alkire Mimi Alkire lived in Portland, Oregon, from 1966 until 2005, when she and her husband moved to Bend. Read More lwvor [at] lwvor.org Treasurer Kermit Yensen Kermit graduated from Denison University with a B.A. in Economics, and from Harvard Business School with an MBA. Read More k.yensen [at] lwvor.org Development Co-Chair Freddi Weishahn Freddi joined the League of Women Voters of Oregon as Development Co-Chair in 2022. Read More f.weishahn [at] lwvor.org Development Co-Chair Jackie Clary I moved to Ashland at age six, spent my idyllic childhood in Lithia Park, building dams in the creek, watching OSF rehearsals - long before paid actors - with Angus Bowmer (our neighbor) directing. Read More lwvor [at] lwvor.org Issue Positions Chair Annie Goldner League of Women Voters of Deschutes County since 2003 and on the local league board since 2017, as Event Chair and Program/Study Chair until present. Read More a.goldner [at] lwvor.org Voter Newsletter Editor Jim Buck Jim joined the League of Women Voters of Oregon as Voter Newsletter Editor in 2023. Read More lwvor [at] lwvor.org Youth Director Evan Tucker Born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, civic engagement runs deep for Evan. Read More youthpresident [at] lwvor.org DEIJ Chair Elizabeth Kirby Elizabeth has held the position of LWVOR DEIJ Chair since 2023. Read More deij [at] lwvor.org Membership Chair Diana DeMaria Diana was born and spent her early years in Colorado. Read More membership [at] lwvor.org Events Chair Eileen Burke-Trent League of Women Voters Member since 1998. Read More lwvor [at] lwvor.org

Lisa joined the League of Women Voters of Oregon as Membership Chair in 2022. In 2023, she assumed the roles of 1st Vice President, Membership Chair, and Events Chair. At the May 2024 LWVOR Council Lisa was elected President of LWVOR. Lisa Bentson President Lisa joined the League of Women Voters of Oregon as Membership Chair in 2022. In 2023, she assumed the roles of 1st Vice President, Membership Chair, and Events Chair. At the May 2024 LWVOR Council Lisa was elected President of LWVOR.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 5/15 Governance Team Coordinator: Norman Turrill Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Campaign Finance Redistricting Oregon Legislature Paralyzed; Stand by to Act Ethics Issues Election Methods Governance By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Campaign Finance No bills on campaign finance have yet been scheduled for a hearing. However, there has been some movement behind the scenes about what could be passed during this session. Given the Republican walkout in the Senate, a deal to permit only certain bills to come to the Senate floor may be necessary. Such a deal is unlikely to include CFR, let alone HB 2003 , but the League is hopeful and working with other good government groups. There has been some suggestion that using Washington State’s contribution limits might be a better starting point for negotiations than HB 2003. For campaign finance reform, the League wants true reform without loopholes for large special interest organizations. Redistricting People Not Politicians has started collecting signatures on IP 14 petitions downloadable from its website. Thousands of signatures have been collected, but more donations are needed. Oregon Legislature Paralyzed; Stand by to Act By Rebecca Gladstone We are extremely concerned about critical budget and policy bills sitting in a logjam with hundreds of bills as time ticks away for lack of a Senate quorum. The Senate is hogtied with paralyzed partisan positions over guns and access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care, making negotiations fruitless. Now ten Senators’ “walkouts” have invoked M 113 (2022). Voters passed the measure, 68% to 32%, to disqualify legislators from re-election at the end of their terms if they are absent for 10 legislative floor sessions without permission or excuse. ** Action Needed : Please contact your State Senator and Representative to encourage them to support and prioritize these three, details in previous reports** Please stand by for League action alerts on short notice for these priority governance bills. The cybersecurity omnibus bill and the Attorney General’s Data Broker bill died mysteriously last session, despite unanimous passage from committee with do pass recommendations. Funding the SoS budget is imperative for2024 election security and efficiency, including replacing ORESTAR. No bills we are following have moved in the past week. HB 2049 -2 : This cybersecurity omnibus bill was referred to W&Ms March 3 with a unanimous Do Pass recommendation. See our testimony . SB 619 We strongly support this AG’s consumer privacy bill went to W&Ms April 12 by prior reference, with a Do Pass with amendments recommendation. See our testimony , now with a coalition letter. SB 167 : This SoS elections bill would replace candidate filing software, add efficiency improvements, address some privacy and cybersecurity issues, with efficiency tweaks. See League testimony . Ethics Issues By Chris Cobey HB 2038 : Requires statements of economic interest to include certain information about sources of income for any business in which public official or candidate, or member of household of public official or candidate, is officer, holds directorship or does business under, if the source of income has legislative or administrative interest and 10 percent or more of total gross annual income of business comes from that source of income. Prohibits candidate or principal campaign committee of candidate from expending campaign moneys for professional services rendered by certain businesses required to be listed on candidate's statement of economic interest. Creates exceptions. 5/16: House Rules public hearing held. HB 5021 A : Limits biennial expenditures from fees, moneys or other revenues, including miscellaneous receipts and reimbursements from federal service agreements, but excluding lottery funds and other federal funds, collected or received by Oregon Government Ethics Commission. 5/8: Signed by the Governor. SB 168 A : Expressly prohibits public employees, while on job during working hours or while otherwise working in official capacity, from promoting or opposing appointment, nomination or election of public officials. 5/18: House Rules work session scheduled. SB 207 : Authorizes Oregon Government Ethics Commission to proceed on its own motion to review and investigate, if the commission has reason to believe that the public body conducted meetings in executive session that were not in compliance with laws authorizing executive sessions. 5/8: Signed by the Governor. SB 292 B : Narrows, on temporary basis, applicability of requirement that members of district school board must file a verified statement of economic interest to only those members of districts with specified number of students, or districts that are sponsors of virtual public charter schools. Expands applicability of requirement to all members of district school boards in 2026. Directs Oregon Government Ethics Commission to provide training on filing of verified statements of economic interest to members of district school boards. 5/11: House Rules public hearing held. SB 661 A : Prohibits lobbyist from serving as chairperson of interim committees, or certain legislative work groups, or legislative task forces. Provides exceptions. 5/16: Passed House, 57-0. Election Methods By Barbara Klein HB 2004 A work session was held May 16, at which time the -2 amendment was explained via PowerPoint by Blair Bobier (from the HB 2004 coalition). The LWVOR is one of 39 coalition organizational members and has been active in considering the amendment items. (Highlights of those amendment changes are listed below.) The bill (with the -2 amendment) received a “Do Pass” recommendation out of committee to the floor for a chamber vote. The bill passed along partisan lines (with Democrats in support). However, one important comment from Rep. Kim Wallan (District 6, southern Oregon) should be reported. She wanted to remind everyone that despite the vote from the committee, RCV “is not a partisan issue.” The League previously provided written testimony in support of this bill and another (HB 3509). We also continue to participate in the RCV coalition meetings with individual legislators to promote HB 2004. Four ballot initiatives on election methods are being watched by LWVOR, P 11 , from STAR Voting for Oregon, has secured a certified ballot title with the submission of 1,000 signatures. The title (or caption) for this measure on STAR (Score then Automatic Runoff) voting is: “Establishes new voting system; voters score candidates from zero to five stars.” IP 26 (basically the same as previously filed IP 16) known as All Oregon Votes, has collected its first 1,000 signatures. The verification of sponsorship signatures is completed, but a certified title is not yet posted as of this writing. IP 19 has no reportable movement, from Oregon Election Reform Coalition, which is a Final Five Open Primary, using RCV or STAR in the general. LWVOR supports IP 19. IP 27 is a new RCV initiative, expanding terms and offices covered by HB 2004 bill above. Summary HB 2004 -2 amendment. The HB 2004 coalition asserts that the -2 amendment moves an RCV policy forward that better reflects the perspectives of voters, election officials, community organizations, and elected leaders. Removes judges for now – saving ballot real-estate for election officers. Clarifies tabulation processes, gives explicit authority to county clerks to set key policy decisions, and prioritizes using RCV in races with historically crowded fields. Lifts the 5-limit ranking, especially important for new Portland races. This empowers election officials to create an implementation framework that works for all counties across Oregon. Maintains BOLI elections using RCV, but voted on with the primary ballot. Moves effective date of implementation from 2026 to 2028 (giving election officials and county clerks more time to transition to RCV). Refers the measure to the ballot to the Nov 2024 ballot, giving voters the final choice on using RCV in Oregon. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Worthy causes go unaddressed for lack of League volunteers. If you see a need and can offer your expertise, please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org .