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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.

DATE:  December 2, 2024 TO:  All League Members FROM: Lisa Bentson, President, LWVOR               Jean Pierce, Chair, Action Committee  Norman Turrill, Coordinator, Governance Portfolio Becky Gladstone, Governance Advocate Contact Senator Jeff Merkley   and Senator Ron Wyden   and urge them to OPPOSE HR 9495 which would grant the Treasury Secretary the authority to suspend the tax-exempt status of organizations deemed “terrorist supporting” without providing meaningful due process. The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation at all levels. The League further believes that governmental bodies must protect the citizen’s right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible. We are requesting that local League members throughout Oregon ask our US Senators to oppose this critical legislation which: Threatens the freedom to dissent  without fear of government retribution Would grant the executive branch new powers  to investigate and functionally shut down and silence its critics Would harm all Americans' free speech and due process right s by creating new executive authorities that could be abused by any presidential administration seeking to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations arbitrarily

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This article was originally published by KGW. Author: Brittany Falkers Published: 6:30 PM PST November 9, 2020 Updated: 6:32 PM PST November 9, 2020 PORTLAND, Ore. — In her vice president-elect acceptance speech, Kamala Harris thanked those who paved the way for women in politics and set the course for the future generation. “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” she said. Those words resonate with women and girls across the country, no matter what party you are a part of. “I think that it’s amazing that we’re going to have a female vice president,” 11-year-old Alma Ben-Zaken said, “And, actually, we should have had one already.” For the next generation of leaders, Harris’ ascent to the White House will have a profound impact. “I think that’s really inspiring and cool,” 12-year-old Mitzi DuPlain said. “It’s really really, really awesome,” 11-year-old Siri Rettmann said. These three middle schoolers are all part of Girls Count , a non-profit group in Portland that provides programs to inspire girls to be the next generation of innovators, critical thinkers, and decision-makers by giving them opportunities to see academics in action. Mary Hlastala is the founder and executive director. “Really our mission is for girls to understand that their voice matters in the world,” Hlastala said. “And it’s important to understand what’s going on in the world so they can make informed decisions and become, hopefully, the next generation of leaders and innovators.” “I actually learned stuff that even my parents didn’t know about,” Ben-Zaken said. Programs focus on showing girls academics in the real world. Their programs focus on everything from business and finance to their most recent lesson: the election. “We learned about the Electoral College, which I found very important to know about,” Ben-Zaken said. In that lesson, they’re learning about the importance of having diverse leadership to represent our diverse country. “You get different ideas and some of those ideas could be better than the ones previously thought of,” Rettmann said.” Women make up 51% of the U.S. population, but only account for a quarter of the U.S. Senate and less than a quarter of the U.S. House of Representatives. When it comes to local government, women make up just 22% of mayors in cities with populations over 30,000, according to Represent Women. Women of color, Republican women, young women, and low-income women are especially underrepresented. “Representation does matter,” President of the League of Women Voters of Oregon Rebeca Gladstone said. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan group that encourages informed and active participation in government. They are celebrating their 100th birthday and the anniversary of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. However, Gladstone is quick to point out that while the ratification happened a century ago, it took decades more for Black women and POC women to be able to exercise their vote alongside their white counterparts. While Harris’ new role as vice president-elect is breaking barriers, Gladstone says that we still have a long way to go for an equitable future. “There’s a diversity in our society and our government should reflect that. Our democracy should have people that speak for all of us,” she said. “There are some really great ideas out there, but we just have to give them a chance to come up and speak.” For these young girls and girls around the country, seeing someone who looks like them in the White House matters, right now and for the future ahead. “I’m really, really glad we’re having one, especially a mixed-race vice president,” Ben-Zaken said. “And if we start with the vice president then we’re going to work our way up to president someday.” Girls Count is working to grow its mission of empowering middle school-aged girls. They’re in the middle of a fundraiser to provide a permanent space in Portland for their non-profit work. To learn more and donate visit www.girlscountpdx.org.

✨Oregon Student Mock Election Results Announced! Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. Youth Civic Engagement Join the League Legislative Reports Read Our Studies The Power of Nonpartisan Advocacy The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization committed to empowering voters and defending democracy. We advocate for issues, not parties or candidates, and believe in free, fair, and accessible elections for all. Read more Attend An Event See Events Check out upcoming public events happening around the state. Events are hosted by LWVOR and other Oregon Leagues. To become a member, join one of 14 local Leagues and Units in Oregon. Learn more about join ing JOIN US Empower Voters In Your Community Become A Member Latest News League Updates New Volunteer Data Collection Form! Action Alerts Action Alert: Oppose HR 9495 - Protect Nonprofit Free Speech and Due Process All-Members Newsletter All-Members Newsletter - December 2024 Read More

/ Calendar / Calendar Upcoming Events Communications Cafe: LWV Structural Transformation Thu, Jan 09 Zoom Jan 09, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Zoom Jan 09, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Zoom Share Learn more LWVOR Convention 2025: "Currents of Change" Fri, May 02 Salem May 02, 2025, 7:00 PM – May 04, 2025, 11:00 PM Salem, Salem, OR, USA May 02, 2025, 7:00 PM – May 04, 2025, 11:00 PM Salem, Salem, OR, USA Learn more and register on our event page: https://www.lwvor.org/lwvor-convention-2025 Registration will open soon! Share Learn more Communications Cafe: Federal Judiciary Study Date and time is TBD Zoom Date and time is TBD Zoom Date and time is TBD Zoom Share Learn more Meetings, Holidays, and Other Events Find events, meetings, and holidays linked in the calendar below. Contact media@lwvor.org if you have any questions or require a meeting link. Note: Many events are open to League members only. Email membership@lwvor.org or call us at (503) 581-5722 for more information. Join or renew League membership or join for free as a student . Looking for the 2024 Election Calendar? Find it here.

/ Advocacy / Legislative Priorities / Legislative Priorities 2025 Legislative Priorities We continue to protect democracy and our representative government. Our priority emphasis is on education, housing, health, safety, community resilience, environmental protection, and safety net services for the most vulnerable. It is important that Oregon generate adequate revenue for essential services. ASSURE ADEQUATE REVENUE for all levels of government to provide essential services while promoting equitable and progressive tax policy. Access federal funds for infrastructure and other Oregonians’ needs. PROTECT DEMOCRACY by expanding automatic voter registration and funding up-to-date, efficient and secure election software that can support alternative voting methods. Protecting elections against artificial intelligence mis-, dis-, and mal-information. Ensuring cyber security. SUPPORT NATURAL RESOURCES agency budgets that address water, land use and wildfire from border to border. Support policies that protect and enhance Oregon's natural bounty on land, sea and air. ADDRESS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY by supporting 2017-2021 Carbon/Climate Executive Orders, net zero greenhouse gas emissions before 2050 while ensuring environmental justice with a just transition for workers and impacted communities. SUPPORT HOUSING STRATEGIES THAT INCREASE INVESTMENTS in rental assistance, new affordable rentals, home ownership, and permanent supportive housing. Goals include preserving existing affordable housing; adding homeless shelters, staffing navigation centers; and providing state support for infrastructure and for pre-development expenses for affordable housing projects. SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH/ADDRESS ADDICTION: Expand accessibility to behavioral health services focused on addiction and treatment. PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY. Seek strategies to achieve a fairer and more equitable criminal justice system, to enact effective gun policy laws, and to successfully implement violence prevention and reduction programs. SUPPORT ADEQUATE AND EQUITABLE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION. Include funding for early childhood, child care, after school and summer care, as well as higher education. Advocate for coordination and transparency in funding. Find our 2023 Issues for Action here! Jean Pierce, LWVOR Legislative Action Chair, along with our team of volunteers listed below, are available to provide clarifications on League positions. Contact us at lwvor@lwvor.org . Call our office at (503) 581-5722 or directly contact portfolio chairs in specific areas listed below. LWVOR Action team members are experienced, unpaid volunteers . Our advocates focus on the broad areas of Climate Emergency, Governance and Protecting Democracy, Human Services, Public Safety, Health Care, Housing, Natural Resources, Education, and Revenue. Advocacy Sub-Categories Advocacy Leadership Our volunteers continue to monitor and work on all these issues. We mentor and add new volunteers with more issues, too. We encourage you to contact our office at 503-581-5722 or lwvor@lwvor.org and to reach out directly: Advocacy Chair & LWVOR 2nd Vice President: Jean Pierce Access Coordinator: Paula Krane Climate Emergency Coordinator: Claudia Keith Governance Coordinator: Norman Turrill Natural Resources Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Social Policy Coordinator: Jean Pierce Past President: Becky Gladstone Access Ensure the public have access so that they can participate in the process. Paula Krane Climate Emergency Using the best available climate science to ensure future generations’ stable climate systems (return to < 350 C02 PPM and < 1.5 Degree Celsius warming by 2100). LWVOR supports Our Children’s Trust/Crag Environmental Law Center federal lawsuits. We oppose fossil fuel infrastructure expansion. Climate Change Curriculum: Anne Nesse Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne Oregon Health Authority and Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Transportation: Claudia Keith Ways and Means Budget, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Governance Support ethics, efficiency, public records law, and contemporary privacy and technology issues. Our focus on election policies includes laws and administrative rules, campaign finance, redistricting, and alternative voting methods. 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 Natural Resources Improve air quality, combat climate change, and support coastal management, clean energy, proper disposal of hazardous materials and solid waste, conservation, land use, parks, clean and abundant water supply for all, wetlands protection and other resource preservation, and Oregon’s 14 natural resource agency budgets. Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Emergency Management: Lily Yao Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Social Policy Support housing, adult corrections, judiciary, juvenile justice, public safety, gun safety, violence prevention, health care, mental health, immigration and refugees, foster care, social services, gender-related issues, age discrimination, and reproductive health. LWVOR actively lobbies for anti-poverty programs to help low income and those at-risk move toward financial stability. After-School Care and Children’s Service: Katie Riley; Behavioral Health: Darci Standefer, Stephany Aller Education: Anne Nesse Equal Rights for All: Jean Pierce, Kyra Aguon Gun Safety and Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith, Becky Gladstone Higher Education: Jean Pierce Immigration/Refugee/Asylum: Claudia Keith Health Care: Christa Danielsen, M110 Public Safety, Justice Issues: Karen Nibler School-Based Health Centers: Chloe Acosta, Anai Beng Housing: Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner