Search Results

Dear LWVOR Members, Welcome to fall, with cooler weather and harvests. There is plenty for League members to do this September despite being between major election cycles. You can virtually attend and testify in redistricting hearings next week! Join the Pesticides study discussions. National Voter Registration Day 2021 is September 28. A virtual October Fall Workshop is in the works. Please read on for details and more news: Oregon’s redistricting is our current Top Priority Issue Studies updates, and Pesticide consensus links Voter Education, Ranked Choice Voting, and National Voter Registration Day Reserve your evenings October 13-15 and part of Saturday the 16th for the Fall Workshop Please welcome our new VOTER editor--Connie Bozarth--from Corvallis! Action is wrapping up the post-session Sine Die report Recommended reading: Six Grandfathers Mountain, (aka Mt Rushmore). Please keep in touch, be well, stay safe. Let’s dig in and get back to work! Becky Gladstone, LWVOR President Redistricting Important redistricting events are happening right now that may alter the power of our votes for the next decade. If that sounds like overreaching, please watch the LWVOR Redistricting webinar and see our Redistricting page for details, including the timeline. Act now! Midnight, September 2, tomorrow, is the deadline. Apply here . If the legislative redistricting process fails, the SoS may convene a Secretary of State’s Redistricting People’s Commission . This is not the Independent Redistricting Commission we tried to get on the ballot. Legislative (virtual) redistricting hearings are next week! Attend your congressional district’s hearing and testify; register on the Oregon State Redistricting Page . The Brennan Center offers 6 Tips for Making Effective Comments at a Redistricting Hearing . Catch up by reading the August LWVOR Redistricting news . Studies Update The Election Systems study update is ready to begin expert interviews. The committee has sent a proposed scope to the board for adoption. Email our staff to join the committee for the 1985 Child Care position study update . Please read the LWVOR Pesticides and Biocides study . It’s posted with consensus questions and the study timeline. The goal is to complete consensus by the end of October. Local leagues have paper copies to borrow to read or copy, and our office has a few extra print copies which you can request from lwvor@lwvor.org . Please check with your local League for your consensus meetings or join Portland’s consensus meetings, summarized from Judy Froemke , LWVPDX Discussion Units Coordinator: LWVPDX will hold a Pesticides panel discussion on Sept 14th (attendance limited). They will post the video by Sept. 17th at LWVPDX.org . Any Oregon League members are welcome to participate in one of the Portland League’s six (ZOOM) Discussion Units for the LWVOR Pesticides and Other Biocides study . Review the consensus questions before discussions. Contact these Leaders to participate in a consensus meeting: Thursday, September 16th, 1-3 pm - Lynn Baker , DU 4 Leader Dr. Amelia Nestler, study chair, will attend Monday, September 20th, 1-3 pm - Tia Wulff , DU 7 Leader Dr. Amelia Nestler will attend Wednesday, September 22, 7-9 pm - Jean Trygstad , DU 1 Leader as of 8-16-21, awaiting speaker confirmation Monday, September 27th, 10-noon - Barbara Bryd , DU 2 Leader Paula Grisafi, study co-chair will attend Monday, September 27th, 7-9 pm - Olivia Smith , DU 3 Leader as of 8-16-21, awaiting speaker confirmation This DU will continue to meet on Zoom (not in someone's home post-pandemic). Some regular participants live outside the Portland area. Tuesday, September 28th, 9:30-11:30 am - Carolyn Buppert , DU 6 Leader Paula Grisafi, study co-chair will attend Voter Education/Service News LWVOR seeks a Voter Education Chair. The Voter Education Chair leads strong teams: local League Voter Ed Reps, Vote411.org, Voters’ Guide and Video Voters’ Guide production, social media campaigns, and Ballot Measure Researchers and Editors. If you have organizational skills, please contact me, b.gladstone@lwvor.org . Initiative campaigns are evaluating timing for the critical 2022 elections. We need to be organized now. Check out the great social media Voter Service news coverage, links at the bottom of this newsletter. Register NOW to help and get free materials for this year’s September 28th National Voter Registration Day . Washington Monthly reports on America's Best Colleges for Student Voting . I urge members to contact local colleges to learn what our schools are doing and to push for improved voter registration and GOTV. Hats off to the Washington County Unit for its work on Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). Read about it in the Fall VOTER! Fall Workshop Please reserve time for the Fall Workshop, October 13-16. We are thrilled to announce that our Keynote speaker will be Professor Garrett Epps, LL.M, J.D., returning after headlining our 2015 LWVOR Convention. The LWV of Oakland, CA will present a workshop on volunteering, and Will Miller will speak about Oregon’s native communities. We are discussing arrangements for how to deal with civil discourse and intervening and redirecting polarized conversations. Our usual one-day workshop is being reconfigured to reduce Zoom fatigue. The virtual sessions are spread over several evenings and culminating with Saturday’s workshop and keynote address. Look for more information and registration in the next few weeks. LWVOR Communications Welcome our new VOTER Editor, Connie Bozarth, from the Corvallis League. We hope you will enjoy it! We will take a serious look this year at the effectiveness of our communications for members and other audiences. I have learned that some members feel very disconnected, which is of deep concern because we are also a social organization. My sense is that with all of today’s stresses, members miss the personal connection we all need and value. We gather online communications analytics and are exploring new ways to improve communications and information access. Expect short surveys to assess member needs; we hope you will participate. We look forward to hearing from you. Action News Our Action team is completing the 2021 Oregon legislative session Sine Die report, held until after the Governor’s final actions. Our advocates will be attending this month’s special session. We continue ongoing campaign coalition work for campaign finance reform and redistricting, and participate in numerous state Task Forces, Work Groups, and Commissions. Please see our website for news from our more than 25 advocates. Recommended Reading This month we’re looking at several articles and a video to prepare for the Fall Workshop. Take Another Look! In case you missed it and can use a refresher, this is Professor Epps, our Fall Workshop Keynote speaker. He has a dry sense of humor. I almost missed his aside about US Constitution authors referring to “Congreff.” 😊 The 14th Amendment: The Framing of America’s Second Constitution . Finally, some thought-provoking reading offers perspective on the less well known history of Mt. Rushmore (from three online friends). It reminded me that we must be open to questioning our veneration or tolerance of memorials as we learn of their complicated contexts. From National Geographic: “ The heartbreaking, controversial history of Mount Rushmore . Tourists flock to South Dakota’s massive presidential portraits. How they got there is a complex tale of land grabs, egos, and foiled movie scenes. ” From Washington Post: The creator of Mount Rushmore’s forgotten ties to white supremacy . Sculptor Gutzon Borglum was deeply involved with the Ku Klux Klan while designing a Stone Mountain, Ga. Confederate memorial. From Native Hope, The Six Grandfathers Before It Was Known as Mount Rushmore . “ Part II in a series of articles that attempt to give more perspective into the truths our history books are avoiding.” It has been fun recommending reading from members and local League book groups, along with mine. Please send your recommendations! In closing, I saw a social media comment about President Biden’s Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, praising her “Intellect, confidence, empathy, preparation, patience, wit, a straight razor woman.” With this in mind, let’s commit to renewing our energy, with hope that our challenges will ease as we address them intelligently, especially during COVID and the current fire season. Thank you for reading this newsletter. Please be safe and keep in touch. Becky Gladstone President, LWVOR

The League of Women Voters of Oregon is still hard at work with statewide redistricting efforts. Look for these important developments and events in the next several weeks. The August 12 (Early) Census Data Release The U.S. Census Bureau will release the first local level results from the 2020 Census on August 12, ahead of the previous target date of August 16. States use these data on race, Hispanic origin, the voting-age population, and other demographic characteristics to redraw the boundaries of their congressional and state legislative districts. A federal census news conference on August 12 will provide initial analysis of the first local level 2020 Census results including: population change, race, ethnicity, voting-age population, and housing occupancy status. Learn more about the conference and find access links here. Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Announces “People’s Commission” Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan has announced a new “People’s Commission” to advise her on redistricting. This People’s Commission will convene only if the Legislature misses its September 27 legislative redistricting deadline, imposing the Oregon Constitutional requirement for Secretary Fagan to conduct redistricting. If convened, the Commissioners can advise Secretary Fagan and her staff as they conduct public hearings and fulfill the Secretary of State’s constitutional duty in legislative redistricting. Quoted from Secretary Fagan’s August 5 press release: “Today, redistricting is the Legislature’s job. While I am optimistic they will pass a redistricting bill by the September 27 deadline, I owe it to Oregonians to be ready to go if they don’t,” said Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. “I made a commitment to Oregonians to convene a People’s Commission to advise me on redistricting and that is exactly what I am preparing to do.” Oregonians seeking to serve on Oregon’s People’s Commission must complete the application at the Oregon Secretary of State’s website by September 2nd. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and must be an Oregon resident since at least April 1, 2020. Additional information and the application for Oregon‘s People’s Commission can be found here . Redistricting Webinar on August 25 Oregon’s redistricting process is underway and we’re days away from receiving the population data to build our new state legislative and congressional districts for the next decade. Are you and your organization ready to engage in the process to create fair districts? Are you ready to testify or submit written testimony, critique the legislature’s draft redistricting maps, and even submit your own maps, at the early September hearings? Join us for a virtual information session . We will answer your questions and discuss what you need to know, including key deadlines coming in the next few weeks, your opportunities to be heard, an explanation of ESRI (the free publicly available map-drawing tool), the impact of “differential privacy”, and more. Be involved, be ready, and be there on Wednesday, August 25 to learn more. Event sponsored by LWVOR, Common Cause and other coalition members. Hearings on Proposed Redistricting Maps Once the needed redistricting data arrives on August 12, legislative committees will spend several weeks developing draft congressional and legislative maps. Starting in September, the committees plan to embark on a statewide tour to gather feedback and learn about communities of interest. The following meetings have been tentatively scheduled, though they are subject to change. Locations to be determined. September 8 – Bend at 5:30 PM September 9 – Eugene at 5:30 PM September 10 – Salem at 9:00 AM September 10 – Oregon City/North Clackamas County at 3:00 PM September 11 – Central Portland at 9:00 AM September 11 – Hillsboro/Beaverton at 3:00 PM September 13 – Oregon Capitol at 9:00 AM and 1:00 and 5:30 PM Check our frequently updated redistricting page for location updates and related news on Oregon’s upcoming legislative redistricting hearings.

Click below to read the President's Message.

Use the Download link below to view the President's Message for June 1, 2021.

Written by Dr. Ron Jarmin, U.S. Census Bureau Acting Director Since releasing the apportionment results in April, we’ve had several teams working hard on the next set of 2020 Census data — the redistricting data. These data play an important role in our democracy and will begin to illuminate the changes to the local and demographic makeup of our nation over the last decade. These data include the first sub-state population counts and demographic characteristics from the census, information that states typically use for redistricting — the process of redrawing electoral district boundaries based on where their populations have increased or decreased. Although redistricting is a state function, the U.S. Census Bureau performs an important role in the process — providing quality data to the states from the census that states may choose to use in redistricting. Read full article here.

At Convention in May of this year, LWVOR adopted a forestry position adapted from the League of Women Voters of Washington State. Read here: https://www.lwvor.org/forestry-position

Written by Barbara Klein, Action Chair of League of Women Voters of Rogue Valley. In criticizing the idea of creating an independent redistricting commission, Oregon House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner recently said “The most representative body is a 90-person Legislature, elected and accountable to the people, rather than a hastily convened 15-20 person commission” (“ Top Democrats unlikely to allow public hearing on Oregon independent redistricting proposal ,” June 10 ). My personal experience during 2001 and 2011 redistricting efforts in Arizona show that Smith Warner appears to have the wrong idea of how independent redistricting commissions work. Read the full article here.

Contact your State Representative to oppose SB 16, a bill that allows housing with septic systems and wells in farmland Date: June 12, 2021 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator Please email or phone your representatives requesting a NO vote on the House floor against SB 16 ASAP. The League’s testimony is here to help explain our reasons for our opposition. LWVOR has strong positions in support of our land use planning program and water quality and quantity. SB 16 would allow 100 homes somewhere among 55,000 acres of farmland outside of the City of Ontario. In recent years, Ontario has expanded its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) to bring in about 600 acres from its urban reserve, leaving about 1500 acres still available in the Ontario Urban Reserve, in addition to vacant residential lands already in the Ontario UGB. Advocates argue that Idaho’s doing this so Oregon needs to do the same. That’s not the Oregon Way! We are in a severe drought in all of Oregon. These homes would be allowed to have water wells that will draw from a groundwater which we don’t know exist. Certainly, the limited water in farmland should go to their vital agricultural industry—critical to Malheur County’s economy. As mentioned in our letter, the taxpayers in Oregon are being asked to help domestic well owners in Harney County this session—to the tune of $500,000! Will we be setting up that same need in a few years for these homes? You can access the testimony of all sides here . This bill will have a Work Session on Monday, June 14 , in House Rules . It is likely to move to the House floor with a vote as early as Tuesday, June 15. A NO Vote is needed. We are now in the final weeks of the session. The Oregon legislature 2021 regular session must end by June 27 and this bill only needs to pass the House chamber to be enrolled. Please email or call now and ask your Representative to Vote NO!

By Lisa Medway Jun 13, 2021 01:00 AM - Reposted from Mail Tribune When I moved to the Rogue Valley in the summer of 2018, the only person I knew was my Realtor. Within one month of my rebirth as an Oregonian, a familiar name from my way-distant past began popping up in the news every day: Jeff Golden. Jeff moved to Oregon 50 years before I did. He was running for state senator to represent the 3rd District — my district. Jeff and I went to high school together. Or, to be more accurate, we attended the same high school. He had triple the IQ, double the GPA, was student body president, and was voted “Brainiest” in his senior year. I was in the Spanish Club and school plays. We never met. I voted for Jeff Golden for student body president at Beverly Hills High School and again in 2018 for state senator. He won both elections. Besides his top-notch education (Harvard, Stanford), Jeff is an author, outdoorsman, producer, TV host (PBS series “Immense Possibilities”), husband, father, conservationist and protector of Planet Earth. Senator Golden holds virtual town hall meetings (the first Thursday of the month at 5 p.m.), and it was during the February 2021 town hall that he touted the League of Women Voters: a venerable, nonpartisan, can-do organization that’s been around for 101 years. When the town hall ended, I joined the LWV of Rogue Valley. The “League” (its short-hand nickname) was founded by a key leader of the American suffrage movement, Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947), as a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit and educational organization to celebrate women getting the right to vote in 1920. Her vital role led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Today, the LWV has thousands of members in all 50 states and 700 communities across the USA. My first encounter with the LWV of RV was in a ZOOM meeting in March. My reaction was: “OMG! These overachievers are super-smart and more well informed than most hosts on MSNBC. “Energizer Bunny” Margie Peterson is the president of the LWV-RV and our spokesperson. She reminded us that “we are one voice.” Brilliant Barbara Klein is the action chair and head of local issues. Lovely and patient Jackie Clary, membership coordinator, was my LWV “doula” who introduced me to the whirlwind world of the LWV. Sage member Bill Walsh (yes, there are many male members — it’s 2021 people!) summed-up the No. 1 goal of the League: “Our job is to urge lawmakers to do what’s best for the common good.” The way in which the league succeeds cannot be better illustrated than by the indefatigable work of Shirley Weathers, climate change coordinator for the LWV-RV and LWV Oregon, along with a team of league members from Klamath, Coos Bay and Umpqua. I love a good David and Goliath story — this one’s fantastic. Shirley and her team of superheroes helped get the Canada-based energy behemoth Pembina to drop its application to build a natural gas pipeline. The Jordan Cove Energy Project was, thanks partly to Ms. Weathers and the other leagues, thwarted after 10-plus years of dogged effort and unrelenting persistence. Along with everything good, fair and kind it stands for and strives to accomplish, the League of Women (and men) Voters continues, among a litany of other important issues, to protect and defend Oregon: its beauty and natural resources. And I still have never met Jeff Golden. Lisa Medway lives in Medford.

Contact your Senator and Representative to support SB 762 A, the omnibus wildfire bill! Date: June 9, 2021 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator Josie Koehne, Forestry Portfolio Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator Please email, or phone your representatives requesting support for SB 762 A ASAP. SB 762 A will prepare Oregon for the future related to wildfire preparedness and will provide appropriate resources to fight fires when they happen. The bill provides a section-by-section roadmap to help Oregonians prepare for the future of Oregon’s forests and our nearby cities and towns. Requires electric utilities plans Requires development of a statewide map of wildfire risk Addresses the need for defensible space around homes at risk Addresses the need for wildfire hazard mitigation building codes on new construction Recognizes the need to support communities impacted by smoke Requires an update to our statewide emergency plan for wildfire emergencies Includes a treatment program to reduce wildfire risk by targeted thinning Creates a NEW Wildfire Workforce Corps to train youth and young adults for future careers in a variety of important outdoor opportunities Establishes a Small Woodland Owners Grant Program Addresses the need for wildfire response capacity Requires rules to identify the wildland urban interface in Oregon as is done in all other western states (See map .) Establishes a Wildfire Program Advisory Council and State Program Director Because this is a big bill, the Staff Measure Summary might be helpful. And the League is part of a larger group providing a website with a list of other advocates for this comprehensive but very important wildfire bill. We are now in the final weeks of the session. The Oregon legislature 2021 regular session must end by June 27 and bills must be heard in both chambers to be enacted. Please email or call now!

Contact your representative to request a public hearing for HJR 7! Date: June 3, 2021 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Norman Turrill, LWVOR Governance Coordinator Chris Cobey, LWVOR Redistricting Specialist Please write, email, or phone members of the House Rules Committee and your representatives requesting a public hearing for HJR 7 ASAP. HJR 7 calls for the establishment of an independent citizens’ redistricting commission (ICRC). An ICRC would let voters select their representatives, instead of the other way around, and would eliminate one of the most basic conflicts of interest for our legislators – drawing their own districts. Does the current system, allowing politicians to draw their own district lines, need to be changed? Well, for the last twenty years, incumbent legislators have won more than 97% of their general election races! Over 60,000 Oregon voters endorsed independent citizens’ redistricting commissions for last year’s ballot. Please also ask your representatives to support this concept during their virtual coffee hours, town halls, or constituent office hours. We are now in the final month to schedule public hearings. The Oregon legislature 2021 regular session must end by June 27 and bills must be heard in both chambers to be enacted. Please write now!

This article was originally posted on OregonLive. By The Oregonian Editorial Board There are two bills in the Oregon House proposing campaign contribution limits. One, House Bill 3343 , proposes clear, modest limits and has the support of good-government groups that have long fought to cap donations. The other, House Bill 2680 , does little to curb the massive contributions that corporations and labor unions have long donated to candidates and political parties. So, guess which bill has the momentum? Unfortunately for Oregonians who want to get big money out of politics, that would be HB 2680, which is scheduled for a work session in the House Rules Committee on Friday. The bill, in its current version, does impose some limits. Candidates for a statewide office – such as governor or secretary of state – could not accept more than $2,900 per election from a person or $40,000 from a political party caucus committee. Candidates for state house and senate seats face lower limits. Local governments could set their own caps, provided they do not exceed the state’s. The range of per-person contributions are much higher than the $500 to $1,000 caps contemplated by HB 3343, but more important, HB 2680 would have little effect on changing the dynamics set by the same players who have long dominated the political landscape – corporations and unions. Loopholes and design flaws abound in the legislation, which is opposed by League of Women Voters of Oregon, Common Cause Oregon, OSPIRG, Honest Elections Oregon and several other groups that have pressed for meaningful contribution caps. Among the flaws: A “person” who can give to a candidate is defined as an “individual, labor union or corporation, including any corporation operated for economic gain or any not-for-profit corporation.” Entities can easily skirt the limit by forming new corporations, which takes $100 and a couple of minutes, as campaign finance reform activist and lawyer Dan Meek has said, noting that many exploited a similar campaign contribution loophole in New York before the state closed it. There’s more. The bill would allow corporations – for-profit and nonprofit – to provide a candidate with $50,000 a year in paid staff time, such as a political consultant. That gives the donor considerable influence in a candidate’s campaign. It would permit Democratic and Republican caucus committees to amass and redirect donations at levels far higher than most other political committees. And it would continue to bless game-changing donations by public-employee unions and other so-called “membership organizations” that would still be able to indirectly steer massive sums to candidates through “small-donor committees,” as The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Hillary Borrud reported . Corvallis Democratic Rep. Dan Rayfield, the bill’s chief sponsor, deserves credit for wading into the campaign finance morass. But even he can’t support the current version without changes, telling The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board that he would want the amendment allowing donation of staff time to be narrowed, though not eliminated. He said the provision furthers a legitimate policy objective ­­­– helping organizations that have been historically left out of the political process to participate on behalf of candidates. That’s a worthy consideration. But legislators should look for other avenues to support that goal that don’t allow the same old players to keep playing the same old game. Nineteen states ban contributions from corporations and unions outright, according to Meek, who helped author the successful campaign finance limit initiatives in Portland and Multnomah County. Another 23 states have limits far stricter than those under consideration in Oregon. The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Polluted by Money series in 2019 exposed how Oregon’s lack of campaign contribution limits has translated into weaker environmental laws and lower standards than neighbors with stricter campaign-finance requirements. Oregonians responded by overwhelmingly supporting a constitutional amendment last year to allow the setting of campaign limits. And voters in Portland and Multnomah County have already enthusiastically embraced ballot initiatives establishing strict caps. The only part that’s missing is the Legislature. While it’s an admittedly difficult challenge to divorce campaigns from the limitless cash infusions that have fed them, lawmakers across the Capitol need to summon their political courage to do what Oregonians elected them to do. They should start by scrapping HB 2680, embracing the straightforward approach in HB 3343 and committing to pass meaningful campaign finance reform this session. -The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

Voting Rights and Election Integrity A Talk by Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan The 2021 Governor Tom McCall Memorial Lecture in Public Affairs The School of Public Policy in the College of Liberal Arts at Oregon State University presents the 2021 Governor Tom McCall Memorial Lecture in Public Affairs, featuring Secretary of State Shemia Fagan speaking on voting rights and election integrity. Thursday, May 27 at 6:00 PM via Zoom Register here to attend the webcast.

Office Support Specialist Part-time position serving as member liaison/membership manager, event manager, project manager, and administrative staff for key statewide program areas. Coordinator is responsible for coordinating communication between state and local League offices and project teams; arranging and overseeing League events, both virtual and on-site; and providing staff and office support for various committees and committee project work. Provides administrative, technical, and scheduling support for a small office while reporting to multiple remote volunteer project leaders. Part-time position, 20-30 hours/week, varies with project scheduling needs. Office location: Salem OR; position is currently remote, when office opens some on-site work will be required. Qualifications: 3 years relevant experience or education; non-profit experience preferred. A multi-tasking position that requires excellent office management, organizing, and interpersonal skills; attention to detail and time management; work independently and on team; written and verbal interpersonal communication; business and technical writing; strong computer, data, and internet content delivery skills; and commitment to League of Women Voters mission. Successful candidate will be flexible, cooperative, self-directed and able to set priorities and follow through in a timely manner. Experience with Office Suite, Google/G-Suite, database and website management, video conferencing, and social media. Work schedule: flexible with occasional weekend and evening hours; may need to adjust schedule to meet key deadlines. Pay: From $15.00 per hour Send your resume and a cover letter to lwvor@lwvor.org to apply by 5/25.

Sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Rogue Valley May 20, 2021 at 11:30 AM PST Oregon Secretary of State, Shemia Fagan, has made a video for us, to specifically address the current redistricting situation in our state. Scheduling did not allow her to attend but in lieu of her appearance, she is sending Kathy Wai, who has been appointed by Secretary Fagan to be her point person for redistricting. Secretary Fagan is also sending her Chief of Staff, Emily McClain. Both women will be available for the Q & A. Redistricting is on our minds as a result of the 2020 Census data. New lines will be drawn. Politics, geography, population, and culture will all play their part! What will your district look like and how will it be formed? Register for Redistricting Update Webinar here!

Delegates and observers, Thank you for your diligence in setting the course for our next two years and beyond, by attending Convention, addressing profound issues, proposed studies, and board elections. Please report back to your Leagues, and tell them we loved the photos and videos you sent! Look for the June All-members’ letter for a review of recommended reading from the past two years. It is almost summer and I hope we all have a chance to catch our breath, rejuvenate, and Reset, Reboot, and Reconnect! Convention Evaluation In Ashland, we committed to improving communications. How are we doing? Please fill out the evaluation form. It is a quick series of questions, mostly for this past week, but the final question can be answered broadly. We called for guidance to the board at Convention. And if something occurs to you afterward, please let us know. Board Thank You Dear outgoing board members, Please accept my deep thanks for your service as you go off the board. My comments in the Saturday business session to each of you are heartfelt! I look forward welcoming Connie Bozarth and Kermit Yensen! I’m looking forward to retreat, maybe reconsidering meeting in-person? Friday morning staff meetings have had a sunny agenda item we’ve had fun with, how to thank board members, but that’s been delayed by the intensity of the Action support, the Primary election this Tuesday, this convention, and a staff transition. Thanks to the Convention Events Committee! Thank you to Robin Tokmakian and to all of the presenters for the workshops and caucuses. You have raised the bar and we need to act on these! Staff Thank You! Thanks to staff for making the Convention VIRTUAL! Recordings are on our website so we can refresh and work on those volunteer suggestions, etc. Amazing Amanda was the tech guru of the day, managing the polling, etc.! Please sign Sarah Andrews’ Farewell card! It has been a happy six year span of competence, above and beyond at every turn, Thank You! We wish you and your family all the best as your husband starts grad school in Stockholm! The freedom to VOTE (Election Day tomorrow!) Check VOTE411.org! As legislative voting restrictions loom around the country, we must protect them here. We want voters to be well-informed and properly represented by those they elect. Does that make you think of fighting gerrymandering with an Independent Citizens Redistricting Committee? I hope so! And spread the word for everyone you know to share to VOTE by Tuesday! Local Elections matter! All politics is/are? LOCAL! Our STUDY and Position Development Process For studies, now you know it really isn’t too early to start issue searches for Convention 2023! Weigh topics, rally support for them, and bring your study committee rosters! One member noted that our program adoption prioritized process over study content. LWVOR Bylaws call us to vote to consider studies, concurrences, and resolutions, deferring substantive content discussion to a separate business session for content debate and voting to adopt. This intermittently causes consternation. This process is intended to protect our League brand. We must ensure vigorous wherewithal, that local Leagues will be able to process the roster of studies’ consensus, to maintain the reputation of the trustworthy League voice. We cannot spread ourselves too thinly by adopting too many studies and demand too much of our local Leagues and volunteers. I was floored by Jane Cravens volunteerism comment, that asking more than 5 hours a week of our volunteers is too much. We have a true need for the positions we get from studies. Our entire study process has become daunting to the degree that LWVUS has seriously slowed down with national studies and we will be addressing that. LWVUS Council I want you to know and I’m very pleased that our Program Chair, Sheila McGinnis, wants to push next month’s national Council to take a hard look at fixing the problems we have with our study structure. And Alice Bartelt wants to review how member agreement committees edit new study positions in the context of earlier positions that might be contradictory. That’s a daunting process and we need to address it! Thanks to you both! Robin Tokmakian will also represent Oregon at the US Council, bringing her strong Oregon voice for Climate Emergency and perspective from League UN work. I love meeting leaders from around the country at the national councils and suggest to you that it is a hidden benefit to membership on our state board! DEI We are all thinking more of DEI now, thank heavens. From the tribal lands of the Kalapuya. We are celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander and Wildfire awareness month. Look at the composition of our new board, we aren’t getting far with diversity. Let’s expand from our obvious similarities. and consider: 1. Ability/disability 2. Age 3. Appearance. One legislative concept this session proposed eliminating candidate photographs because of the proven track record of discrimination they enable in the military. 4. Empowerment 5. Ethnicity, Race, & Nationality 6. Gender, sex, and sexuality 7. Spirituality, religion, + Atheism 8. Socioeconomic status Oregon needs to work on inclusion. I am so pleased with the Portland League study on Police Reform and hope that this summer our Leagues will have a strong voice of Civil Discourse that we so need. The Dept of Homeland Security sends alerts. A couple of years ago, the US Civil Rights and Civil Liberties person who keeps in touch told me they were trying hard to shift focus from foreign terrorists to domestic violent extremism. As we look forward to another Oregon summer, I got another heads’ up last week about the creation of a New Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships. Looking ahead, new board Are we optimistic about the future? It is a relief to be coming out from under the pandemic. It will take determined optimism to catch up. I am thrilled to welcome new board and members around Oregon! You make the future bright. You, our delegates and observers, and the members you represent, are a big part of my confidence in the future. I am so proud of you and the work we’re accomplishing. Thank you! Please pace yourselves and pull in help! Mentoring is necessary, welcome new energy to share the joy. We have our work cut out for us. Please keep in touch, and thank you. Becky Gladstone President, LWVOR

As you may have already seen on the front page, LWVOR's 2021 Virtual Convention is next week ! Starting Monday, May 10th, we have 5 short days of position discussions (caucuses) and workshops to learn more about our positions on healthcare, childcare, and others, as well as a forestry panel addressing climate change impacts. Following the workshops, the Saturday and Sunday LWVOR Business Sessions are necessary for biennial organization work, adopting program studies, bylaws and budget, and electing officers and board directors. (Skip to the end for a summary) And you're invited! Information you might need: Everything you need is on the Convention 2021 page Caucus and workshop schedule (no registration required) Caucus reading materials and resources Zoom Meeting links Pre-registration links for panels and business sessions Because this is a virtual event, we're doing things a little differently this year. (I'll bet you haven't heard that one before!) First up, we have a few different Zoom meeting rooms. For caucuses and workshops, we have one LWVOR Virtual Meeting room link . Think of this as the "main room" during physical events. A couple of caucuses are being held in Local League meeting rooms . Look out on the schedule for those different Zoom links! These are like little, separate conference rooms you'll move between. We have two panels during Convention: Forests, Fire, and Sustainability , and a Keynote presentation by Kristin Eberhard . Both of those events have SEPARATE links, and you'll need to PRE-REGISTER each one. You'll also find those registration links on the Convention page or further down in this post. And finally, we have two more separate meetings for Business Sessions 1 and 2 , held on Saturday and Sunday, the 14th and 15th. Your local league leader should have signed delegates already, and you'll receive an email with the Subject line "Business Session 1/2 Invitation for Observers" with a meeting link for each of the two sessions. Members of the League are welcome and encouraged to register as observers for the business sessions. Observers are allowed to weigh in on discussions and give opinions, but cannot vote. Use this form to register as an observer. This might sound like a lot, but don't worry! Keep an eye on the Convention page and this blog where we'll keep the links hot, fresh, ready for you. During caucuses, you will be able to ask questions in the chat and use the "Raise Hand" feature located in the Reactions tab at the bottom if you'd like to speak. Otherwise, your video will be muted and turned off. You can come and go as you please using the Virtual meeting room link on the Convention page. Caucuses and workshops will be open earlier than the 10 AM start time so you can come in early and get your Zoom set up. Remember, use the Virtual Meeting Room link in this email or on the Convention page. Let's start off with an intro to next week: On Monday morning, May 10th at 10 am we have a Pre-Convention tutorial for you to join before caucuses start. We'll be available to help you out with joining Zoom, how to use chat and reactions like raising your hand, or anything else you need. We will try to make this process as easy as we can! Use this link to join! Next up at 10 am, our first caucus will be Healthcare in America , presented by Bill Walsh, Action Committee Healthcare Coordinator. We have an updated position to share with you. Remember, no registration is required - just open the Zoom link and come on in! If you joined us for the pre-convention tutorial and are already there, just sit tight and we'll come to you. Following right after that will be a caucus on Forestry by Josie Koehne - no need to switch Zoom rooms! LWV of Washington State has a very relevant position on Forestry that Oregon hopes to concur with. See the new position on our website convention page and come into the caucus to share your thoughts. If you're late, no worries - use this Zoom link to the Virtual Meeting room and join! In case you happen to run out of time during the meeting, we've set up a WhatsApp group to continue the conversation! A "WhatsApp group" is like a group text message. Everyone will be able to talk via text-based messages to everyone else! Let's take a peek into the future: Friday at 12 PM: a panel on Forests, Fire, and Sustainability . Preregistration is required - register here! Panelists include: Professor John Bailey from OSU Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Senator Jeff Golden, Oregon Senate District 3 Chandra LeGue, Western Oregon Field Coordinator for Oregon Wild Dr. Andrew Yost, Forest Ecologist with the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Scott Swearingen, Field Support Unit Manager at ODF. Saturday, May 15th, 10 am: Business Session 1 (join Zoom meeting early) Saturday, May 15th, 2 pm : Keynote speaker, Kristen Eberhard, presenting "Democracy - How to make it work better " based on her book Becoming a Democracy. Pre-registration is required - register here! We hope spreading these workshops out over the course of a week keeps the Zoom fatigue to a minimum. Summary - The Convention page has everything you need! - Monday morning, come into the Virtual Meeting room here whenever you like. Pre-convention tutorial at 10 am, Healthcare caucus at 11 am, and Forestry caucus at 12 pm. - Remember to pre-register for the panels on Forests, Fire, and Sustainability or Democracy, How to make it work better . - If you'd like to observe the business sessions on Saturday and Sunday, use this form to register. Hope to see you there!

Dear LWVOR Members, Volunteers all, This is National Volunteer Week and we need to celebrate our collective energy and accomplishments! From my perspective, across the state to all of our local Leagues and Members at Large, as an ad hoc member of almost all state committees, I am uniquely positioned to see the magnitude of our work and the diversity of our issues and efforts. The League of Women Voters of Oregon is formidable! I track our strength through our local Leagues who meet and inspire interest and activism, to our interest groups, the book groups, study committees, from our Advocates who apply the study positions to legislative policy work, to our Voter Services, who inform voters to choose elected officials carefully, and to those who network across leagues around the country, focusing on shared concerns. Thank you to all of you who bring your interest, wisdom, professional experience, vigor, and endurance! This past year has been so challenging! We are organizers, researchers, teachers, even warriors, and this year, we hope we are all survivors. For this Volunteer Week, I offer these inspiring, comforting words from The Book of Joy, by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. A woman asked Archbishop Tutu how she can find joy in her life when there are so many suffering. He replied: "Start where you are, and realize that you are not meant on your own to resolve all of these massive problems. Do what you can. It is catching. Remember that you are not alone and you do not need to finish the work. It helps no one if you sacrifice your joy because others are suffering. We people who care must be attractive, must be filled with joy, so that others recognize that caring, that helping and being generous are not a burden, they are a joy. Give the world your love, your service, your healing, but you can also give it your joy. This, too, is a great gift". I owe you all, we owe each other, and society owes the League a debt of gratitude for the mountains we move. With my warmest thanks, Happy Volunteer Week! p.s. Tongue in cheek—the Titanic was built by paid professionals and Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers. Warm thanks too to our Staff, who routinely go above and beyond! Becky Gladstone President LWVOR

The LWVOR's latest study, Pesticides and Other Biocides, is now available for download! This is a very informational study on the effects of pesticides on multiple areas. Consensus questions will be available soon.

IN THIS ISSUE PRESIDENT’S COLUMN REDISTRICTING UPDATE LWVUS DAY OF ACTION ACTION REPORT JORDAN COVE UPDATE LWVOR CONVENTION NOMINATING COMMITTEE PROGRAM NOTES A COVID SONG DEI LENS Find the printable PDF version of the Voter here! PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Dear members, Here’s to spring, to rejuvenating and recovering as we begin to re-emerge from COVID-19. As I write this, I realize that much of what I want to say belongs at our convention in May, “Reset, Reboot, and Reconnect!” I hope we can have record-breaking attendance, an easy commute! Please keep reading for Spring VOTER news: Redistricting, Nominating Committee, and lots more. I want to emphasize two serious pleas, with more in the related articles: Contact our Nominating Committee ASAP, Norman, Sheila, Jackie, or Jane, to recommend a few more names, including considering newbies with fresh perspectives. Our Action Committee currently needs a Social Policy Director and an Education Coordinator in training. The training and support for this challenging and rewarding work are a plus. Meanwhile, from me to you, the current stresses play out in ways that we may not realize, as damaging “secondary trauma”, like second-hand smoke, needing our attention for ourselves and those around us. Flags are still lowered nationally for one mass shooting as another happens. Partisan political division stymies negotiations and attending to the people’s business in Oregon and around the nation. I’ve heard that partisan pandemic attitudes could benefit from moderating, both taking mask-wearing and distancing more seriously and being more confident in our safeguards. I hope that we can find ways together to re-emerge from the pandemic, continue with our important work, supporting each other and the causes we hold dear. Thank you to our each of you, from being informed to participate and guide others who depend on you as a trusted League source to the specific work many of you do that would not happen without you! Here’s to Teamwork! Late-breaking—The Biocides and Pesticides study is off to the Board for approval! Becky Gladstone, LWVOR President REDISTRICTING UPDATE By Norman Turrill Senate and House redistricting committees were busy in February learning about their redistricting duties. They heard from experts on mapping software, from experts on the Voting Rights Act and preventing discrimination, from the Population Research Center at PSU, and from the Census Bureau. They also heard from Legislative Policy and Research Office about potential alternative data sources for redistricting, and from National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) about how other states are adjusting to the census data delays. The Census Bureau announced February 12 that apportionment data (used by Congress for distributing seats to states) will not be available until about 4/30/21. That is when Oregon will learn for sure if the state will receive a sixth congressional district. The Bureau also announced that it will not deliver to all states the data that is necessary for congressional and legislative redistricting until about Sept. 30, 2021. These dates are a major, major problem for Oregon. The Oregon Constitution says the legislature must complete any redistricting plans by July 1. After the legislature fails, the legislative redistricting process passes to the Oregon Secretary of State, who must complete the redistricting by August 15. However, the SoS will not have the census data by that deadline either. When the legislature fails, the congressional redistricting process will be controlled by ORS 188.125 (a law adopted in 2013 but never used). It currently specifies that a lawsuit challenging congressional redistricting must be filed by August 1. Such a lawsuit would trigger the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court to appoint a panel of five state judges to do the congressional redistricting. However, that now cannot happen without the legislature amending ORS 188.125. Speculation is rampant about how this situation will play out for legislative redistricting. There is talk of an appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus to extend the constitutional deadlines (as was done in California last year), so that the legislative redistricting could be done late in the year by the legislature in a special session. To this end, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Legislative Counsel has hired an outside law firm to research and assess the options to deal with the redistricting timeline created by the census data delay. This law firm may also represent the legislature in any court proceedings, such as an appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court. However, if the courts do not extend the deadlines, the Oregon constitution says, “At the odd-numbered year regular session of the Legislative Assembly next following an enumeration of the inhabitants by the United States Government, the number of Senators and Representatives shall be fixed by law and apportioned among legislative districts according to population.” Since the constitutional deadlines for redistricting will be passed before the census data arrives, does this mean that the legislature will have to wait until 2023 to do the job? Since filings for the 2022 elections start in September, will legislators have to run in the current districts in 2022? Alternative scenarios have emerged on how redistricting could happen this year. Since the Oregon Constitution does not explicitly require the use of census data, either the legislature or the SoS could draw “slapdash” maps based on other data such as DMV driver licenses or utility records, thus meeting their constitutional deadlines. See this House Redistricting hearing for a discussion of such alternative data sources. Such maps would inevitably be challenged in the courts, which would likely result in the SoS being ordered to correct the maps. The SoS would then have up to Dec. 1 to use the delivered census data to redraw the legislative district maps. Alternatively, there is nothing to prevent the legislature from passing new midterm redistricting bills for both congressional and legislative districts. The redistricting committees have set up a new website to help inform and involve the public in their work. They also have asked the League and others to publicize it widely. The two redistricting committees have begun a series of ten hearings focused on each of the five congressional districts of Oregon. Oregon law requires ten hearings before redistricting maps can be drawn and five hearings afterwards. It would be particularly helpful for individuals to testify about what they think are the “communities of common interest” in their area. However, these will likely not be the last opportunity for input into the process. In the meantime, the League has not given up its Positions advocating for an independent citizens redistricting commission or perhaps for an advisory commission as part of the legislative or SoS process. Likewise, the People Not Politicians Oregon coalition is still working to that end and may file a new initiative petition. PNP also filed a motion for summary judgement in its federal court case against Oregon, which is left over from the IP 57 initiative campaign. The PNP coalition is asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon to rule that Oregon violated the U.S. Constitution when it failed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by making reasonable accommodations in its 2020 ballot initiative process. See the media release here . See the motion for summary judgement here and the accompanying exhibits here . LWVUS DAY OF ACTION LWVOR’S REDISTRICTING OUTREACH RAMPS UP: LWVUS National Day of Action, April 29, 2021 By Chris Cobey, LWVOR Governance Specialist (redistricting) As part of the LWVUS’s People Powered Fair Maps (PPFM) initiative, LWVOR will be working in tandem with other groups and organizations to explain the importance and the process of redistricting to Oregon residents in the coming months. Thursday, April 29 , from 7:00 to 8:00 pm , PPFM national Day of Action activities Redistricting Update and ZOOM discussion ( Register here ) LWVOR will join with local Oregon Leagues and other groups in sponsoring a Zoom meeting to provide resources to League members and others for understanding the process of redistricting, why it is important to individuals, where the process now stands, how an individual can help shape their state legislative and congressional districts for the next ten years, and to answer questions from participants. IP 57 (People Not Politicians) Chief Petitioner Norman Turrill and others are expected to participate in the discussions. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the normal delivery date of the US Census Bureau population data the states use to revise their districts. The data is now due by September 30, 2021 -- more than six months later than its normal delivery date. As the Oregon redistricting process is spelled out in our Constitution with deadlines stated in specific months and dates which now cannot be met, the Oregon Supreme Court is currently considering a request of the legislative leaders that the Legislative Assembly be permitted to submit its redistricting plans by December 31, 2021. As this article went to press, the Court has not yet acted on that request. In February, the LWVOR submitted both oral and written testimony to the state House and Senate redistricting committees, explaining the League’s longtime state and national positions on redistricting, and again requesting that the legislature submit a ballot measure requiring the creation of an independent redistricting commission. League members from southern and eastern Oregon, and Portland, have also testified on their views of the process, a commission, and the application of one of the Constitutionally-mandated standards -- “communities of common interest” -- as that standard applied to their own communities. Join us on the evening of April 29 for an education and update on this once-a-decade activity! Further event details available here . ACTION REPORT By Alice Bartelt, LWVOR Action Committee Chair This has been a challenging session of the Legislature. Not being able to attend meetings at the Capitol has meant that our committee members have not been able to develop relationships with the many new legislators that were sworn in prior to the 2021 session. Because the legislative committees are meeting remotely, participation by people across the state has increased dramatically. This may be a sign of things to come. People being able to testify without having to spend time and expense to travel to Salem is a plus. Our coordinators and portfolio chairs are working very hard. Much testimony has already been submitted to the legislature. Most bills must have had a work session scheduled by March 19, and considered by April 13. After that time, many bills will be dead. The Committee hopes that most of our members are reading the parts of the Legislative Report that interest them. The articles take time and energy to put together. Changes to the format were made in a effort to make the publication more user-friendly. Readers may now just read the items that are of interest to them. It is a privilege to work with such an energetic group of people. The committee meets once a week, and there are often as many as twenty folks attending. There are still areas that we would like to have followed, so more folks monitoring and reporting on bills are most welcome. Because there is no reason to have to go to Salem, even after the Capitol is reopened, new volunteers are encouraged. Hearings can be viewed online, and all testimony is submitted electronically. So, if there is an issue that a member is interested in, the Action Committee would welcome you. JORDAN COVE UPDATE By Shirley Weathers, LWV Rogue Valley Lots to report since the last issue. First, the long-awaited decision by the federal Department of Commerce on Oregon’s objection to Jordan Cove’s Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) certification came down in favor of Oregon on February 8! This makes two key state permit strikes against the project’s ability to be constructed. The first strike happened on January 19, when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected project owner Pembina’s charge that Oregon waived its authority to issue the Section 401 Water Quality Permit. That means that Oregon’s denial of that important permit stands, too. Despite FERC’s flawed authorizations of the Jordan Cove LNG and export facilities and Pacific Connector Pipeline in March 2020, the Order nonetheless mandates that all required permits must be obtained or construction can’t begin. Pembina has been steadily losing ground on that score. In fact, they haven’t had a victory since then. The LWVRV and three other local Leagues that have been collaboratively opposing Jordan Cove over the years (Coos, Umpqua, and Klamath) wrote a letter to the Governor and Attorney General Rosenblum earlier this month, thanking both for their defense of Oregon against this harmful project and for the diligent and competent work of their staffs on which their decisions are based. While not the only factors, these last two losses are central to serious negative indicators in the Canadian company’s Quarter 4 Report . Pembina was forced to take a C$350 million write-down on the project, as well as to reframe their previously optimistic public messaging about it. “In light of current regulatory and political uncertainty, Pembina recognized an impairment in its investment in Jordan Cove and is evaluating the path forward.” Financial and fossil fuel sites are taking note of all of this with headlines such as “ Pembina 'sadly' can no longer predict when Jordan Cove LNG will be built in US ” and “ Pembina eyes near-term Canada opportunities after US LNG project challenges .” One site observed flatly, “Jordan Cove has suffered too many regulatory defeats.” They have not thrown in the towel, but their pathway forward looks at least improbable at this point. Returning to the CZMA decision, it also exemplifies the dramatic and horribly overdue shift with respect to federal consideration of tribal communities. JCEP officials’ failure to deal appropriately with Native American leaders has been noted by the League and others over the years, but in upholding Oregon’s denial of the Coastal Zone Management Act certification, the decision specifically noted that the project developer had fallen far short of its obligations to consider impacts on cultural and historical tribal resources. "[E]ach of the responding tribes noted their disappointment with the degree to which they had received government-to-government consultations," as is required under tribal sovereignty agreements. Then on February 18, Governor Brown wrote to the new FERC Chair, Richard Glick, requesting that the agency “provide for meaningful consultation with Oregon’s federally recognized Tribes regarding the Jordan Cove Energy Project,” including inviting any Oregon Tribe to be a signatory to the project’s Section 106 Programmatic Agreement. Heretofore, FERC has offered only the lesser “concurring party” status to tribes. Brown indicated that this and other prior actions fall short of appropriate and meaningful government-to-government relationship with the tribes. LWVOR CONVENTION SAVE THE DATE: LWV Oregon 2021 Biannual Convention, Reset! Reboot! Reconnect!, will be held over the week of May 10 through 16. This will be a virtual event. We will spread workshops, caucuses, invited speakers and the plenary throughout the week. Each day will be limited to three to five hours, so as not to overwhelm our online time. Caucuses and workshops will be early in the week, with the plenary towards the end. We hope that many local members will be able to attend portions of the convention, even if they are not formally a delegate. If a local league is planning a caucus, please inform the state office. More here: https://www.lwvor.org/lwvor-convention-2021 NOMINATING COMMITTEE By Norman Turrill, Nominating Committee Chair The LWVOR Nominating Committee urgently requests suggestions now for future state League leaders. Suggestions can be either other members or self-nominations. The LWVOR Bylaws require the Nominating Committee to present a slate of officers and directors to be elected at the 2021 LWVOR Convention. These positions include President, First Vice-president, Secretary, three Board members, and three elected members of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will also be on the look-out for members who can be recommended to the Board to fill board and off-board positions, particularly a budget chair. Please send your suggestions to committee Chair Norman Turrill at n.turrill@lwvor.org . PROGRAM NOTES By Sheila McGinnis, Program Chair In preparation for the 2021 LWVOR State Convention, local Leagues completed their review of current state positions on issues to assess whether LWVOR positions are sufficient for advocacy on critical issues. The Program Review Committee—Alice Bartelt, Marge Easley, Barbara Klein, Betsy Pratt, and Sheila McGinnis— reviewed local League’s materials to develop program recommendations for the next two years, and their recommendations were reviewed by the state Board. Thank you ! to the many members who worked on local recommendations and developing proposals--you are helping to chart LWVOR’s future path. Several topics were identified related to voting methods, nuclear energy, forest management, and childcare, and will serve to inform potential studies, position adoption by concurrence, and position amendments. The state Board considered the Committee’s report at its March meeting and will submit their final 2021-2023 Program recommendation for member approval at the May convention. Watch for more information in upcoming convention updates. The two study teams are continuing their work on the 2019-2021 Program. The Pesticides Study team has finalized its report and is preparing consensus questions for state Board approval. The next step is to plan the consensus process, including how to handle the still-present coronavirus contingencies. The Cybersecurity Study team is continuing its work towards national concurrence. With advice from LWVUS program staff, they are developing plans to engage other states. A COVID SONG: "LET IT GO! LET IT GO!" From Kim Scott of Deschutes County: This song came about because I was asked to come up with a version of a Christmas song with league and Covid thoughts/ideas in the wording. My son and I enjoy making up different wording to songs so this is what we did one evening! Sent by Carol Loesche, president of the LWV of Deschutes Co, OR. Let it Go, Let it Go (tune of 'Let it Snow') Oh, the COVID outside is frightful I find patterns on masks delightful, And since we're on lock down low Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Covid, it's just not stopping But the vaccines will soon be dropping. Waiting so long just blows Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! When we finally say good night How we hate going out in the storm. But if we keep on fighting for rights. Here let me help you with that form Somedays they got me crying Last year has us all just sighing 2020 put on quite a show Let it go, let it go, let it go. DEI LENS A DEI lens is a way of examining a program, a process, a product, etc., with regards to how it is perceived by a variety of communities, voices, and perspectives, and what, if any, barriers may exist that is preventing it from being equitable or inclusive of everyone. What To Ask When Examining Your Work Through a DEI Lens Who is involved in the process? Are key stakeholders meaningfully included? Is this work that impacts a group or community? If so, is their voice represented? How diverse is the group of decision-makers? Is it diverse enough? Who will be impacted? Who benefits from this? Who is burdened by this? Does this help us meet the needs of underserved voters? Have we considered various, specific marginalized groups and how they might be impacted? What are the intended and unintended outcomes? What issue are we trying to solve? What do we hope will happen? What are the potential negative impacts? Who could be hurt by this? What data or evidence supports this? How might this be perceived by others? Does this align with our vision for an equitable and inclusive organization? How is equity addressed? What barriers might this place in the way of achieving equity? How does this impact the League’s culture? What changes could be made to make this more equitable? What are the short term goals? What are the long term goals? What, if any, policies or bylaws need to be added or amended? What are the benefits for members? What are the benefits for partners and/or members of the community?