Search Results

Dear Friend, Welcome to our Fall Voter Newsletter! Read on to learn about our youth-led efforts to empower the next generation of voters through a series of dynamic youth voter service events, plus opportunities to get involved in impactful initiatives that will shape the future of our communities in Oregon. LWVOR Advocacy Fund Promotes Both IP 14 and IP 9 By Norman Turrill, President, LWV of Oregon Advocacy Fund The LWVOR has endorsed both Initiative Petition 14 (IP 14) and Initiative Petition 9 (IP 9). IP 14 would end gerrymandering in Oregon by creating an independent redistricting. You can learn more about IP 14 by going to the People Not Politicians (PNP) website. IP 9 would end big money dominating candidate campaigns in Oregon by setting strict contribution limits and revealing dark money sponsors of campaign advertising. You can learn more about IP 9 by going to the Honest Elections website. To qualify for the 2024 general election ballot, IP 14 must collect some 160,000 valid voter signatures by July 5, 2024, less than a year from now. IP 9, because it is a statutory measure, must collect some 120,000 signatures by the same deadline. This signature gathering phase is well underway. These petitions will accomplish their goals next year with your help, provided that they have more petition circulators and more money. The LWVOR Advocacy Fund is now organizing county coordinators who will identify volunteer petitioners and send them to events like street fairs and markets where many people gather. Please volunteer at a link below if you would like to help. Also, you may now download and print your own IP 14 petitions by carefully following the instructions here. If you will be petitioning in public, then you must also print and carry a complete copy of the IP 14 text. You know the drill to have an initiative succeed in Oregon: • volunteers and more volunteers • gathering of qualifying signatures by circulators • signature validators (at home and online!) • donors! PNP is a broad coalition of organizations covering the whole political spectrum. The coalition organizations comprise together some 400,000 members. If each of these members just downloads, prints, signs and returns a petition with their family and friends, then IP 14 would have more than enough signatures to qualify for the 2024 ballot! Do that today! Recall Study Team Opportunity by Annie Goldner, LWVOR Issue Positions Director LWVOR 2023 Convention delegates voted to undertake a study on recall elections. LWV of Lane County proposed the two-year project, and now works with LWVOR support and resources. Why do we want to study recall elections? A recall election enables voters to remove an elected official from office through a referendum before the official's term of office has ended. LWV Oregon supports the recall process as provided in the Oregon Constitution. However, the studies leading to our position on Initiative, Referendum, and Recall (Adopted 1988; Revised 1996; Educational Update 2001) did not specifically examine the recall process itself. This means we are not able to weigh in on whether or not the process is working as it should. The state-mandated timeline for recall elections has implications for voter education and turnout, which directly ties into the League’s goal of protecting and expanding voting rights to ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. How will we work on this issue? There will be small tasks and larger ones, including: Research relevant League positions and actions in Oregon and across the country Research the history of recall in Oregon. Survey articles and research by legal and policy organizations focused on democratic processes. Interview election officials and topic experts. Discuss and learn with League colleagues. Synthesize, write, and edit results. Becoming part of a study committee is a great way to learn about an issue, gain a better understanding of League process, and make a positive difference. We hope you will consider joining the folks below in this effort and they will help you find a right-sized task. Contact Keli Osborn to join the team. Alice LaViolette, LWV Marion/Polk, aklaviolette@comcast.net Rhonda Livesay, LWV Lane County, technologydir@lwvlc.org Linda Lynch, LWV Lane County, lindalynch28@gmail.com Keli Osborn, LWV Lane County, kelimosborn@gmail.com Youth Council Spotlight: Chris Walker By Chris Walker, League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council Vice President and Off-Board Liaison I’ve just finished my internship in the U.S. House of Representatives, and it is a wonderful opportunity for civic-minded youth. My experience with the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council helped prepare me for the role by inspiring me to think critically about why people, especially young people, vote or care about politics. Also, it has made me care even more about Oregon voters, who I was delighted to hear from while interning. My tasks included: Answering constituent calls, hearing the important beliefs, opinions, and questions of the district's constituents. Attending briefings and writing up memos that are used by members of the office for forming policy. Performing outreach for bills and letters— calling up other offices and sending emails to do so. Guiding tours for people living in the congressperson's district who were visiting. I showed the capital building, one of the beautiful centers of American democracy. Becoming familiar with Microsoft Office - which really, I had not used very often before my internship. Learning all I could (everyday, full time). Thank you for your support of the Youth Council! OSME Update for October 2023 We are excited to share that the League of Women Voters of Oregon (LWVOR) will be hosting Oregon Student Mock Election (OSME) for both the May Primary and November General Elections in 2024. The League is partnering with educators across the state to provide nonpartisan information and materials, giving students a greater understanding of participation in the Oregon electoral process, now and in the future. OSME helps students recognize the real world relevance of civics education. Are you interested in helping us contact educators in your area? Can you help us find civic education volunteers in your area? Email mockelection@lwvor.org. Since spring school schedules always fill up quickly, we ask that you mark your calendars with these important dates and deadlines for the upcoming May 2024 OSME: Monday, April 8 – OSME registration begins Tuesday, April 30 – Last day to register to vote in the Oregon Primary Election Tuesday, May 5-10 – Student Mock Election Week Friday, May 17 – OSME results released to the public Tuesday, May 21 – Oregon Primary Election Day Please share them with potential participating educators along with the following information: On the LWVOR.org website, educators can access the free, year-round, and award-winning Civics Education Curriculum. In addition, we will provide the following two lesson plans, which are specifically relevant to the 2024 May Primary: Parties and Primaries – Introduce your students to each of the 10 recognized Oregon parties and help them understand the impact of a closed primary on minor-party voters. Ranked-Choice-Voting (RCV) – Introduce your students to the process of RCV. This is appropriate for students in either social studies or math classes (requires an understanding of using percentages). The lessons include several suggestions for classroom activities, many links to resources, and information about how to prepare students for the election. We are looking for LWV members across the state to put us in contact with classroom teachers and administrators, both public/private and middle/high schools, along with charter school and homeschool educators. We need a name and email address for a contact person in each school and they need to have ours. Please email mimi.alkire@gmail.com if you have contact information for schools in your area. If you are able to drop off materials to local schools, we will provide you with flyers to take to schools, along with information for how they can register their students for the mock election. October 7 Fall Workshop Youth Council Panel Presentation By Diana DeMaria, LWVOR Youth Outreach Director Email Diana DeMaria at youthoutreach@lwvor.org to be added to the local League contact listserv, request printable materials for your voter registration activities or newsletter articles, and be invited to drop in on youth outreach meetings when your schedule permits. Review this year’s Youth Council Panel slideshow here on our Fall Workshop resources page. Meet the Youth Council. Looking to book a LWVOR Youth Council Member at a meeting or event? Book a speaker here. LWVOR Events: Fall Workshop The League of Women Voters of Oregon held its first hybrid Fall Workshop event on the first Saturday in October. This Voter Service-oriented event was held to prepare League members for the upcoming election work in 2024. Workshop attendees heard from a wide array of speakers, including LWV Liaison Alexis Juday-Marshall (an Oregonian now living in California) and Luana Chaires, Digital Relational Organizing Manager from LWVUS who spoke of the benefits of Outreach Circle/League in Action as a tool to further member engagement and voter education efforts. The Membership and Leadership Development group (MLD) offered an overview of their work in using MLD coaches to make a difference in addressing membership goals while Peggy Bengry (former Voter Service chair and current Vote411 Ballot Measure chair) spoke to the exciting work involved with engaging in Voter Service activities. Molly Woon, Oregon Elections Director, served as the workshop’s keynote speaker and offered an engaging and informative perspective on the Oregon election office’s efforts to serve voters in Oregon. The Elections Director is responsible for the administration of the Oregon vote-by-mail system as well as overseeing state initiative, referendum, and candidate processes. Woon spoke to the current efforts of the election office’s efforts to improve transparency and greater education across the state. LWVOR’s Youth Council held a panel to conclude the event. They spoke to the challenges facing young voters today and the goals to create a young LWV member pipeline in local and state Leagues nationwide, connect League of Women Voters to existing youth civic engagement around the country, and create more opportunities for young LWV members to participate in League activities. For an overview of the program and a copy of the recording, as well as copies of the Youth Council slide show and other information, please visit our LWVOR Fall Workshop resource page. Upcoming Events Legislative Process Day 2023 Registration open, get your tickets today! Nov 07, 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM Hybrid Event 250 Winter St NE, Salem, OR 97301 Youth Voter Summit Registration opens soon Jan 19, 2024, 10:00 AM Hybrid Event 250 Winter St NE, Salem, OR 97301

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. To attend, email LWVMPC@gmail.com. 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, at peggylynchor@gmail.com. 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.”

LWVOR Action for Climate 2023 Proposed Rulemaking! Time-Sensitive Deadline: On or Before Oct 13, 2023, 4pm Date: October 9, 2023 To: All League Members From: LWVOR Co-Presidents Lisa Bentson & Rebecca Gladstone (Advocacy Chair) Claudia Keith, LWVOR Climate Emergency Portfolio Coordinator Arlene Sherrett, LWVOR Climate Emergency Portfolio ACTION: Contact DEQ RE: Climate 2023 Rulemaking REQUEST: We are asking local League members throughout Oregon to protect this critical piece of climate rulemaking by emailing DEQ at cpp.info@deq.oregon.gov. EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS to DEQ: Tell DEQ what matters to you! See our DEQ letter and tell DEQ what matters to You! We feel the Climate 2023 Rulemaking should: Ensure direct benefits for Oregon communities by only allowing biomethane (aka Renewable Natural Gas) compliance credits for production within Oregon, not from out-of-state. Restrict hydrogen for CPP compliance unless DEQ ensures it is green electrolytic hydrogen. Other hydrogen sources and types are far more polluting, with more risks for our energy system. Strengthen emissions reduction requirements for industries. BACKGROUND: DEQ is developing rules to implement the Climate Protection Program (CPP), passed with overwhelming community support after 18 months of work. These rules have been developed and won’t be reviewed again for another five years. The LWVOR Climate Emergency Team feels changes are still needed to close loopholes and guarantee robust emissions reductions. The CPP’s Community Climate Investment (CCI) program is designed to play a key role in generating community benefits and limiting greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon. However, those benefits have been cut back by utilities’ input. This is our last opportunity to persuade DEQ to make changes before the proposed rules are presented to EQC for final approval in November!

All-Members Newsletter - September 19, 2023 Yesterday (September 19) was National Voter Registration Day! We don’t need to remind you to take 30 seconds to register to vote or check your registration status at oregonvotes.gov. But maybe some outreach tools would be helpful? Find all the content you need to spread the #NationalVoterRegistrationDay news in the NVRD Vote Ready Social Hub. Click through the tabs near the middle of the page for Voter Registration Reminder Graphics, #VoteReady Memes, Infographics, and more. Co-President’s Message Dear Members and Friends, Please pardon the scheduling hiccup as we resume with first-of-the-month news, adapting to sharing Co-Presidency. We will highlight more committee and local League news features. Please let us know what you appreciate reading and want to hear more about! Suggestions can be sent to lwvor@lwvor.org. Here’s to pulling together to accomplish so much more! Lisa Bentson and Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR Co-Presidents Upcoming Events Fall Workshop 2023 Register Now Oct 07, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM 155 High St, Eugene, OR 97401 This 2024 Election Season League Voter Service Event is open to League members and the public for in-person or virtual hybrid participation. Invite your friends and family for a great lineup! On the agenda: League In Action/Outreach Circle Presentation (LWVUS is funding this expensive voter and community outreach tool, so FREE to us!) Download the app to your desktop computer and phone to start learning and using the call to action and other features for member communication. Keynote Speaker: Elections Director Molly Woon Oregon Student Mock Election (OSME) LWVOR Coordinator: Mimi Alkire on Spring 2024 Primary Election school involvement in local League community activities and Civics Learning Project collaboration. Email mockelection@lwvor.org if you can help update your local area school contacts to get ready for Spring 2024 OSME! Youth Council: Overview, DEIJ Resources and Social Media Strategies for local League Young Voter Outreach plus Social Media workshop schedule for later October. Meet the Youth Council. Looking to book a LWVOR Youth Council Member at a meeting or event? Book a speaker here. Plus special guest speakers and a boxed lunch. Promo available - bring your friends! We are offering a promotional ticket rate for League members and their non-League guests! Bring a friend who is not a current League member and your tickets will be $20 each. Please email lwvor@lwvor.org with the name and contact email of your non-League member. You need to email for the code prior to your ticket purchase, then use the registration code we email you when purchasing your tickets. Promo codes are limited to two tickets at $20 each with a member purchasing the tickets for both individuals. 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 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 Wednesday, September 20 - Coos Bay Visitor Center, 50 Central Ave., Coos Bay Friday, September 22 - Bandon Farmer's Market, Farm & Sea, 250 1st St. SW, Bandon Saturday, September 23 - Myrtle Point Harvest Festival, Downtown Myrtle Point ⭐LWV of Deschutes County DEIJ Discussion Group: Do the Work Tuesday, September 26, 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM, Zoom ⭐LWV of Marion and Polk Counties Fall Membership Get-Together Saturday, September 23, 10 a.m. - noon - Willamette Mission State Park. Coffee, tea & finger food will be provided. Please RSVP to Amy Vandegrift, 503-364-0492, vandebloom@gmail.com ⭐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 September 19, via Zoom, Portland is Changing! Charter Implementation Successes and Challenges 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, September 19 – Jared Cordon, Superintendent of Roseburg Public Schools, will speak about the state of our schools, a vision for the future, and how our community can support the best for our students. 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, at peggylynchor@gmail.com. Training will be offered. 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: Youth Civic Leadership Opportunities Members of the LWVOR Youth Council attended the Convention in May. We believe the promotion of democracy relies on organizations with similar goals working together to share ideas and resources. Each month beginning October 1st we will share opportunities for young people across Oregon from LWVOR and other great organizations to increase intergenerational civic involvement in our communities. Please email youthoutreach@lwvor.org to contribute great ideas, requests, and to stay informed. Oregon’s Electronic Portal Advisory Board (EPAB) News A CYBER alert from Oregon’s Electronic Portal Advisory Board. Do not give your personal information to anyone who calls you. They may spoof your caller ID as official government agencies or as our merchants, with their actual names and phone numbers showing on your phone. State agencies are seeing increasing “authorization testing fraud” in the last few months, where bad actors call, claiming they are trying to verify stolen credit card information. The defensive push now is to help various agencies understand and address needed measures. They explain that this is not a breach of state systems & data, per se. These people use other websites, passing data on to third party fraudsters or actually working on the fraud themselves. This is being seen not only by our state agencies and state portals but also by many merchants, now collaborating to mitigate these threats, and building higher walls to keep fraudsters out. Did you know that LWVOR advocates are appointed to state groups? The League is represented in the EPAB (roster) and the DWAC, Drinking Water Advisory Committee (members). Our LWVOR Advocacy Team welcomes your help, meeting year-round, including for Cybersecurity and Privacy legislation. Recommended Reading Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome – America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing Our September Recommended Reading is from UO Professor Randall Blazak, required reading every term for his classes. He is Chair of the Oregon Coalition Against Hate Crimes and LWVOR is an attending member. In Memoriam: Alice Bartelt We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear colleague, Alice Bartelt, who has been President since May 2023 and long-standing Action Chair, trusted informally as Parliamentarian for the League of Women Voters of Oregon. Lisa Bentson, our First Vice President, and Rebecca Gladstone, Second Vice President, are Acting Co-Presidents of the League of Women Voters of Oregon until a replacement is found. Please contact lwvor@lwvor.org with any questions or messages you would like to share. A Celebration of Life for Alice Bartelt has been set for 4pm October 13. Responses from members (More can be read on our website): I knew Alice as a dedicated, knowledgeable, respectful, and generous League leader. She was committed to helping the Oregon League achieve its advocacy priorities. She also kindly shared her time and expertise to serve as a parliamentarian and a speaker for local Leagues as well as LWVOR. Her death is a sad loss for all of us who knew her and who benefited from her service to the League and to Oregon. -Margaret Noel Alice was a model for many of us. She could be responsible to groups, keeping up with her political commitments, but also keep an individual life. She could be generous and kind, and also keep things in order with Robert’s Rules. One of the lights in the room we were blessed to know. -Jody Wiser My deepest sympathies on losing Alice. She was a guiding light in our League as Chair of the LWVOR Action Committee and newly elected President. Her contributions and work ethic were an inspiration to us all. It was an honor to be a member under her leadership in the state Action Committee. She was a remarkable woman and her work will live on both in the League and in our hearts. My sincere condolences, she will be dearly missed. -Nancy Donovan, member of the LWVOR Action Committee, and Chair of the LWVPDX Education Committee

We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear colleague, Alice Bartelt, who has been President since May 2023 and long-standing Action Chair, trusted informally as Parliamentarian for the League of Women Voters of Oregon. Read more about Alice's life and legacy in her obituary. A Celebration of Life for Alice Bartelt has been set for 4pm October 13. Lisa Bentson, our First Vice President, and Rebecca Gladstone, Second Vice President, will be Acting Co-Presidents of the League of Women Voters of Oregon. Please contact lwvor@lwvor.org with any questions or messages you would like to share. Responses from members: I always felt connected to Alice by her responsible activity on behalf of all us Leaguers and by extension all Oregonians. A loss for all LWVers of Oregon. My condolences you — and to family. Fran Greenlee, Bend This is so very sad. I send ALL of us sympathies for this unwelcomed event. She was one very special person. Barbara Klein This is truly sad news. What a loss for the League and all of us who worked with Alice for so many years. Marge Easley Oh dear! She will be so missed! She really cared so much about doing the right thing! Josie Koehne This is such sad news. What a great loss. Katie Riley Alice gave so much to the League for so long, as well as to her work as a parliamentarian. A great loss. Debbie Kaye Alice was a model for many of us. She could be responsible to groups, keeping up with her political commitments, but also keep an individual life. She could be generous and kind, and also keep things in order with Robert’s Rules. One of the lights in the room we were blessed to know. Jody Wiser Oh, my deepest sympathies to her family and friends. I had many positive experiences working alongside her at the capitol and in meetings. Alice, thank you for all you did for the people in this state. John Bartholomew My sympathies to Alice's family, friends, and her League family and friends too. Carol Moon Goldberg Condolences to all her family as well as to the League family. Abigail Bok In sadness I join you to mourn the passing of Alice Bartelt. What a woman. What a leader! Please continue to keep all of us in the loop regarding any memorial service and how her memory can be honored. Most Respectfully, Kathleen Mason A profound loss. Our condolences to Alice's loved ones and the LWV of Oregon community. League of Women Voters of the United States We will miss Alice, not only for her expertise, but for her grace. Carolyn Buppert Alice's passing has shocked and saddened so many of us. My sympathy to her family and to all those that love her. She had an impressive memory for Robert's Rules of Order and League protocol. At meetings I attended where she was Parliamentarian, she never referred to the rule book. She was organized, knowledgeable about so many things, gracious in conversation, and devoted to the League. Her passing is a loss to so many people. Judy Froemke, LWVPDX Member Education Chair I knew Alice as a dedicated, knowledgeable, respectful, and generous League leader. She was committed to helping the Oregon League achieve its advocacy priorities. She also kindly shared her time and expertise to serve as a parliamentarian and a speaker for local Leagues as well as LWVOR. Her death is a sad loss for all of us who knew her and who benefited from her service to the League and to Oregon. Margaret Noel We mourn the loss of this hardworking, effective leader. As chair of the League of Women Voters of Oregon's action on state issues, she made a difference to all Oregonians, and she will be sorely missed. Peggy Bengry I was so saddened to hear of the death of your president and wonderful League leader, Alice. I know her family and your league family are in mourning and devastated. I am reaching out to let you know that we are here to help in any way we can and mourn along with you. Take care and extend my condolences to your board and membership. Yours in League, Deborah Turner My deepest sympathies on losing Alice. She was a guiding light in our League as Chair of the LWVOR Action Committee and newly elected President. Her contributions and work ethic were an inspiration to us all. It was an honor to be a member under her leadership in the state Action Committee. She was a remarkable woman and her work will live on both in the League and in our hearts. My sincere condolences, she will be dearly missed. Fondly, Nancy Donovan, member of the LWVOR Action Committee, and Chair of the LWVPDX Education Committee I knew Alice in a variety of contexts — the American Association of University Women of Oregon and the Oregon League of Women Voters. I am profoundly saddened that I won’t see and hear her leading the LWVOR State Public Policy team, receive her informative emails about the legislature or experience her keeping AAUW of OR members on track with her wise leadership as Parliamentarian. I don’t usually use the signature I typed in below, but I thought it might give you an idea about how Alice and I intersected. There are many qualities I admired about Alice, but perhaps the most important to me was her generosity. When I took over from her, Kappy Eaton and Marcia Kelley as the AAUW of OR State Public Policy Chair some nine years ago, Alice was always helpful in getting me going, answering questions and so on. I frankly felt that she wasn’t given enough credit for the work she did before I came on, but I hope she heard my appreciation. Although I didn’t see her organize things, I experienced the results of that organizing talent. It’s hard for me to believe all the “balls in the air” that she balanced. Alice was very perceptive and I so very much appreciated her willingness to be honest. It is a quality I cherish and one which is all too often in short supply. I have some wonderful memories sitting at a luncheon table, trading a chuckle or two about this or that — sometimes about the state legislative world, sometimes about the AAUW and LWV worlds. I sought her company when she wasn’t sitting at the head table, although we shared that assignment as well. My sincere condolences to you, her family. I will miss Alice. Warm regards, Trish Garner, J.D., M.S.W. Member, State Action Committee, League of Women Voters of Oregon Member, Board and Portland Justice Interest Group, League of Women Voters of Portland, Oregon Member, National Inclusion and Equity Committee, American Association of University Women State Public Policy Chair, 2014 - 2022 and Current State Diversity Chair, American Association of University Women of Oregon I am so sorry to learn this. I worked with Alice on the state Higher Education study and was immediately impressed with her wealth of knowledge about the League and other matters, as well as her organizational skills and ways of dealing with people. She was one of the major influences on my becoming active in LWVPDX. We have all suffered a major loss. Linda Mantel, LWVPDX Development Chair Sorry to hear about this, she has been a dedicated and effective activist for so long. The world is a better place for her commitment and work. Mike Hiland What a devastating loss! Alice was an amazing woman and leader. I had the privilege of working with her on several league projects. Alice's attention to detail never flagged, so it's no surprise that she was a parliamentarian par excellence. I offer my sincere condolences to Alice's family and friends, and to her league family as well. Alyce Prudden, Past President, League of Women Voters of Curry County

President's Report Dear Members and friends, It’s a new League year and a very new board. The Board had its retreat in June and there was much enthusiasm and creative ideas from our members. I am definitely discovering the many talents that this group has, and I very much appreciate all of the energy and willingness to take on new tasks. In an effort to be more inclusive, board meetings will be held on Zoom and will occur on the 4th Monday of the month at 7:00 pm. We are hoping that this might make it possible for more members to join the board. Alice Bartelt LWVOR President Save the Date Fall Workshop – October 7, 2023 in Eugene Legislative Process Day – November 7, 2023 at the State Library in Salem Youth Voter Summit – January 19, 2024 in Salem You will receive more information about these events in the near future. Help Wanted LWVOR has an open board position: Voter Services Chair (formerly, Voter Education Chair). Voter Education includes Youth Outreach, Mock Elections, civics educational programs, etc., and no longer will oversee Vote411, Voters' Guides, or other General Election activities. We know that local activities are important, but we cannot be effective during the next election cycle without state volunteers to cover these important tasks. The specific duties can be sent to you if you have an interest in doing any of these. We want to thank Susan Cobb for leading the effort to revamp this position so that several folks can do the work for Voter Services at the state level. More News The Sine Die Legislative Report (sign up here)will be coming soon. It had to wait to confirm which bills would be signed or vetoed by Governor Kotek. This was a fairly successful legislative session in many ways for the people of Oregon. We hope that you will have time to read it to see how much work our volunteers do. As promised at the Convention in May, the Farmworker Issues position was amended by the State Board to replace “farmworker” with “agricultural worker.” This broadens our position to allow workers who do agricultural work to be included when we use our position in advocacy. This is especially important in this time of rising temperatures and other risks for these workers. If you have not visited the LWVOR website in the last month, you will find that it has been updated by Sarah Andrews and Abigail Hertzler. It looks fantastic and we hope that it is more user-friendly. You will need to sign up to access members-only information but most of it is available to the public. This was a huge undertaking and we appreciate the work of our staff on this. The Youth Council and the board advisors who liaise with them are very busy. They are planning the Youth Voter Summit in January, but are undertaking many projects before then. We are hoping to have a presentation by them at the Fall Workshop as well. If you were at our Convention in May, you had the opportunity to meet some of these energetic folks. We are extremely fortunate that this group has formed and that they are doing outreach to other youth.

TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Column Action Committee Report Development Report Youth Council Perspective 2024 OSME Update Website Update LWVOR Convention 2023 In Memoriam PRESIDENT’S REPORT By Alice Bartelt, LWVOR President It is my pleasure to serve as the President of a very active organization. What is important to me is that the board represents most parts of the state and that they have various League experiences. The Nominating Committee did a great job of recruiting board members. At the convention in Eugene, the members voted to allow flexibility in sharing offices. Even though I am serving as president, I will be sharing some duties with the First and Second Vice Presidents. Leadership in the League is much work, but we in Oregon know that training for our leaders is essential. We are hopeful that anyone looking to lead a local league or to serve on the state board will be rewarded in the successes that we have every day. I want to give you a little bit of background about myself. I have served as president for several state-wide organizations, including the American Association of University Women, Oregon NARAL, International Training in Communication, and the Oregon Association of Parliamentarians. I am a retired attorney. Since I retired in 2007, I have become a volunteer in a number of organizations, including the Oregon League. I joined the League in 2008 and have served for most of the time since 2009 as Action Chair. Because of my work on Action, I have not been as involved with other aspects of the League. But I will learn as I go along. I look forward to serving as your President, with assistance from the board. ACTION COMMITTEE REPORT By Becky Gladstone, Action Chair The LWVOR Action committee followed the contentious 2023 Oregon legislative session, stymied by the minority party senators’ walkout from May 3 to June 15, 2023, and limited building access for continuing seismic construction—completion now forecast for 2025. Most of our efforts were influential for the many bills we supported or opposed, so overall it was a surprisingly successful, though not positive, session for us. We worked with coalitions, posted Action Alerts in our Newsroom, and sent weekly legislative summary emails, backed up by extensive Legislative Reports (LR). Meanwhile, our active initiative petition work continues for campaign finance reform and redistricting. We are getting requests to work with others, including preliminary research into defining legislative quorums. Subscribe and watch for our final Sine Die LR after session completion, with the Governor signing or vetoing the session bills in early August. End-of-session rumors swirled as information was not shared for purported weekend leadership meetings, partisan bill lists for negotiation, interpreting consequences for Legislators’ absenteeism, and scheduling special sessions, with failure imminent for agency budget bills. Public access was absent and it seemed that many bills were likely to die with too little time for procedural requirements, which could include returning amended bills to the House for concurrence with subsequent amendments. The walkout delayed Senate floor hearings for probably hundreds of policy and budget bills across all issue portfolios, including many of the 160+ issues we testified to. Some Senators’ unexcused absences, to prevent assembly of the minimum quorum required to vote, were intended to prevent otherwise likely majority passage of legislation for reproductive and/or gender affirming health care and gun safety bills. As the end of session was declared imminent, advance public meeting notice periods shrank and sometimes were omitted. The Action Chair position has changed from Alice Bartelt, newly elected LWVOR President, to Becky Gladstone, LWVOR past President. We will meet this summer to celebrate our successes and to face our issue and leadership gaps, looking to reorganize. Watch for a roster of issues that need volunteer support, especially from organizers who can support our volunteers and issue experts. We are planning for a summer Action Retreat, a Legislative Process Day in the fall, and Day at the Legislature in spring of 2024. For information, please write to Becky Gladstone, b.gladstone@lwvor.org. DEVELOPMENT UPDATE By Jackie Clary and Freddi Weishahn, Development Co-Chairs The LWVOR received the Carol and Velma Saling Foundation grant for $50,000 on May 24, 2023, for our essential work providing Oregonians across the state with trusted, non-partisan voter information and civic education. The Saling Foundation has been a stalwart supporter of LWVOR, and we are deeply grateful. We were also awarded the Oregon Humanities Public Program Grant for $8,152 on June 6, 2023, for our Youth Outreach to encourage civic engagement among young voters in rural, urban, and marginalized communities across Oregon. Our non-partisan Youth Council, joining efforts with LWVOR, will engage in online and in-person training and mentoring to create an accessible and equitable path for youth to civic education and engagement. Their peer outreach workshop at our LWVOR State Convention, May 20, 2023, was inspiring! Watch for news of their Youth Voter Summit, planned for January 19th, 2024. LWVOR YOUTH COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE By Celine Ioffe, Youth Council President I have always believed perspective is everything and the national perspective I gained attending LWVUS Council in Las Vegas last weekend is exciting for all present and future young League of Women Voters members. In all my conversations, whether it be with a member of the Colorado League or a member of the National Board, there was not a single person who wasn’t deeply interested in learning how to involve and create more opportunities for youth within the League. Attending Council also made me aware of the many different youth involvement projects across the League nationally, including several college campus chapters, Maine’s youth internship program, and more. This made me realize there is no one direct youth pipeline into the League, which makes it difficult for youth in certain areas to get involved. Connecting and following up in the weeks ahead with as many state Leagues as we can and offering collaboration, support, and sharing of resources for their own Youth Councils in their state or local League was my goal for the weekend. Representing my other nine LWVOR Youth Council members at a national Council in Las Vegas as a 17-year-old, only six months into my work with the League, was one of the most growing and grounding experiences I’ve had. I was able to gather diverse League perspectives from practically every state and met so many incredible and inspirational people. I am so thankful to the League for giving me this opportunity, for my other two Oregon attendees, Diana DeMaria and Jackie Clary, for being so supportive and helpful the many times I needed it, and for the kindness of LWVUS President Dr. Deborah Turner and LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase Solomon to include and devote valuable time to one of their newest League members at such a busy event. I am motivated and excited to expand the future of Oregon’s Youth Council and the growth of youth involvement in our local Leagues and beyond. 2024 OREGON STUDENT MOCK ELECTION (OSME) By Mimi Alkire, State Board Secretary In the November 2022 General Election, LWVOR hosted the first statewide student mock election since 2012. For that mock election, nearly 5,000 students were registered to vote by 38 educators from 21 different cities/towns, representing 15 counties from every corner of the state. However, because of the formidable firewalls around urban school district emails, we were only able to get a response from exactly one (1!) Portland Public Schools educator and only a handful of educators from other large urban districts. So, to try to make headway in the Portland area, LWVPDX hosted a Multnomah County student mock election in May 2023. PDX volunteers contacted or visited their neighborhood middle and high schools to deliver information about the 2023 student mock election. That effort brought us active contact information for 64 local educators! These come from 13 middle and 14 high schools in the Portland metro area. They include both public and private schools. We hope to replicate that process in other leagues around the state for 2024. In May 2023, students in Multnomah County voted on Measure 26-238 (Tenant Eviction Representation) and Portland City Measure 26-240 (Children’s Levy). Many of the 2023 contacts were unable to participate in the spring county election but expressed interest in the 2024 statewide mock election. Although we had a small turnout, we count this as a success in collecting contact information for 2024. Reports and feedback from 2023 participating teachers were positive and helpful. Mock ballots are always accompanied by instructions and an optional lesson plan with many ideas and resources for teachers to use in preparing their students to vote. For the 2024 primary we plan to provide two lesson plans for teachers to use all or parts of: 1. A lesson plan addressing Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV). This one will answer the questions: What is ranked-choice-voting and how does it work? It would be appropriate for social studies classes but is also geared toward math classes. 2. A lesson plan addressing the Parties and Primaries in Oregon. This one will answer the questions: What are the political parties of Oregon and what do they believe? What is a closed primary and why do we have one? The OSME Committee would love your input as we prepare for the upcoming primary election. If you have comments, questions, ideas, or would like to join the OSME team, please contact Mimi Alkire (mimi.alkire@gmail.com), Chris Cobey (VoterService@lwvpdx.org), and/or Diana DeMaria (YouthOutreach@lwvor.org). REGISTER YOUR MEMBER ACCOUNT ON OUR NEW AND IMPROVED WEBSITE! The new website was designed with members and the public in mind. Please take a few moments to explore the new format and let us know what you think. A few highlights: • Members-only section featuring an interactive forum (register and sign in to view) • Improved Legislative Report and Study accessibility • In development: An extensive Knowledge Base featuring toolkits and tutorials for, DEIJ, Voter Services, New Members, and commonly used digital services such as Google products, Zoom, Canva, and more! Login to view. PLEASE NOTE: You will need to re-register your account on the website to log in and view the members-only section. After logging in, click on the profile icon to see the dropdown list for members only. Feel free to contact us at media@lwvor.org if you have any questions. LWVOR CONVENTION 2023 By LWVOR Staff After years of remote meetings to keep each other safe in a pandemic, League members gathered in-person once again for the LWVOR Convention in Eugene, OR. Laughs, hugs, smiles, and handshakes were shared in the lobby of the Eugene Graduate Hotel, as the oversized University of Oregon duck statue overlooked the reunion of League members coming together for the first time at a Convention since 2020. LWVOR Bylaws dictate that every other year, delegates and observers from the majority of Leagues across the state come together to approve bylaws updates, discuss the budget, approve potential study topics, and vote in new Board members. It was also a time of meeting those who may only have been seen on a Zoom screen. Some League members chuckled as they met their tall colleagues for the first time, commenting that virtual meetings make for deceptive perceptions of height. The weekend kicked off with a tour of the Shelton-McMurphy house, a historical landmark of the Eugene community. League members then gathered for the tradition of the “dine-around,” where groups gathered at well-reviewed restaurants recommended by the Lane League host, enjoying the chance to explore downtown Eugene. Saturday marked the beginning of the business proceedings of the League Convention, where Becky Gladstone, outgoing LWVOR president, conducted a program that addressed some of the key foundations upon which the League operates. Reports were presented from several committees, including Nominating, Budget, and Program, while an energetic discussion ensued from delegates and observers on several clarifying points. A midmorning business intermission saw Representative Nancy Nathanson making an informative, stirring presentation about her work in the Oregon Legislature. The Saturday morning program concluded with lunch speaker Regina Lawrence, who spoke eloquently on the timely, critical topic of local journalism in Oregon. Four workshops followed the Saturday business program, including Youth Council members introducing themselves and sharing their goals for the newly-formed committee, a panel discussion of the First Amendment, a Nominating Committee task force presentation, and an update of LWVUS activities relating to climate change. Saturday ended with Pulitzer finalist Les Zaitz offering a moving and forthright presentation on the importance of truth in journalism and the role of news writers in furthering fact-centered reporting. The Sunday business meeting wrapped up the Convention with votes by delegates on the budget, proposal of studies, and more. League members passed by the silent auction tables for last-minute bids, coffee mugs in hand. The newly-designed LWVOR banner served as a backdrop for group photos for local League members, our renowned Action committee members, and the outgoing and incoming Board members. Becky Gladstone, passing the gavel after four years of exemplary leadership, smiled as she pulled on her Youth Council beanie and held up her commemoration plaque. The League leadership then passed into the highly capable hands of our esteemed parliamentarian, Alice Bartelt. The LWVOR Convention ended the same way it began: With handshakes, hugs, smiles, and a renewed sense of commitment to the League principles and mission. League members have adapted swiftly over the past few years to achieve greatness in unprecedented times, defending democracy across the state and in their communities through one challenge after another. While political perils of great magnitude persist, the attitude at the 2023 Convention was one of hope. Together, League members have faced down adversity across the decades in their fight for democracy, and that spirit was evident in the passionate discussions and resolute perspectives. As Les Zaitz concluded in his rousing speech on the importance of fighting for truth: “There is one step that you and I have to take, and that is to not give up.” IN MEMORIAM In June, the League of Women Voters of Oregon mourned the passing of the esteemed Norma Jean Germond. Norma Jean was an active member of both her local Clackamas League and the state League, where she served as President from 1979-1983. Her influential volunteer work included stints at several organizations, including as the chair of the LWV Columbia River Task Force, member of National Board of Association of Community College Trustees, chair of the Oregon State Advisory Committee on Adult Education and Literacy, president of the board of the Association of Environmental Education Centers at Clackamas Community College, first chair and founder of the Northwest Conservation Act Coalition (now NW Energy Coalition), and elected to Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition Board. Germond was honored with a Distinguished Service Award at the LWVOR Century Celebration in 2020 for her volunteer work.

Today, the US Supreme Court affirmed the importance of our system of political checks and balances. The Court rejected state legislatures’ exclusive and independent authority over federal elections as seen in the dangerous “Independent State Legislature” theory. The case, Moore v. Harper, involved the “independent state legislature theory” (ISLT), a fringe political theory that would give state legislatures nearly unrestricted authority to set the rules and manipulate the outcomes of federal elections. The case that brought the issue to SCOTUS - Harper v. Hall - raised concerns about the extreme partisan gerrymandering of North Carolina’s congressional maps. Though this case was overturned by the North Carolina Supreme Court on April 28, 2023, the question of ISLT at the US Supreme Court remained. In today’s decision, the Court rejected the ISLT. How the Ruling Affects Oregon If the US Supreme Court had ruled in favor of ISLT, it would have meant that the Oregon Legislature could gerrymander the state districts, and there would have been no avenue to appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court. Furthermore, if “legislature” was narrowly defined, then initiatives would not have been included. Fortunately, six justices decided that the rule of law and our system of political checks and balances was more important than the strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. “LWV Oregon stands with all 50 state Leagues of Women Voters to protect our elections from state government partisan gerrymandering.” - Rebecca Gladstone, Former President, LWVOR (October 2022) On October 26, 2022, the League of Women Voters of Oregon, alongside every state League in the nation and the League of Women Voters of the US, filed an amicus brief urging the Court to rule against the Legislature and protect state courts’ power to use state law to protect free and fair federal elections. Today’s SCOTUS decision is a major victory for our democracy because it rejects the dangerous idea that state legislatures have free rein to determine the rules for elections in their states. LWVOR applauds the Supreme Court’s decision to reject the ISLT and choose people over politics.

Date: June 24, 2023 To: All League Members From: Alice Bartelt, LWVOR President; Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR Action Chair; Barbara Klein, Election Methods Lead; and Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator Support Ranked Choice Voting bill, HB 2004! Our League supports Ranked Choice Voting bill, HB 2004. We are now so close. The bill is up for a vote on the last day of the legislative session—which is this Sunday, June 25. Write as soon as you see this, no later than the Senate floor convening at 10am, Sunday. HB 2004 is the 6th vote on the roster, but they will be busy! Please consider writing your senator in support. There are 3 Senators that might be in need of hearing some encouragement to vote "yes": Senators Woods, Frederick, and Meek. Please send a short note asking them, or other senators, to vote yes. Contact them directly at: Senator Woods, Sen.AaronWoods@oregonlegislature.gov Senator Meek, Sen.MarkMeek@oregonlegislature.gov Senator Frederick, Sen.LewFrederick@oregonlegislature.gov For those in Benton County, please remind your senator that RCV here is appreciated; and it's easy to use and understand. We would like to see the option on the 2024 ballot. We are so close. Contact your senator now.

Personal information for nearly 3.5 million Oregonians could be vulnerable to a June 1st international “MOVEit” data breach. LWVOR supports increased cybersecurity awareness, by educating individual consumers and advocating in the state Legislature. Here’s what happened A cyber attack exploited vulnerable software Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) uses from a private vendor. ODOT uses “MOVEit” to securely transfer files and internal data. The vulnerability enabled hackers’ access to entire systems. Hundreds of government agencies and private companies that use this software have been affected by this global breach. According to ODOT, we should assume active Oregon driver's license drivers’ permit, and ID card information is part of this breach. ODOT imposed additional security measures to safeguard their systems when they learned of the MOVEit vulnerability. But defenses were breached for a significant amount of Oregon DMV data, from millions of Oregonians. While much of this information is available publicly, some of it is sensitive personal information. According to ODOT, we should assume active Oregon driver's license, driver’s permit, and ID card information is part of this breach. Protect yourself Make sure your personal information is not misused. Check your Credit Report(s). ODOT urges Oregonians to monitor their credit reports. Under federal law, you have the right to a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three consumer credit reporting companies. You have to ask for them at www.annualcreditreport.com or call: 1-877-322-8228. Check report entries. Recognize the transactions or accounts? See who got your credit history. If you see anything you don’t understand, call the phone number on the credit report or visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Recovering From Identity Theft. If necessary, ask each credit monitoring agency to freeze your credit files: Equifax: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services or 1-800-685-1111 Experian: experian.com/help or 1-888-397-3742 TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-help or 1-888-909-8872 Start with Ask ODOT, for information, services or resolving ODOT issues. Email: AskODOT@odot.oregon.gov.

Date: February 7, 2023 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Alice Bartelt, Action Committee Chair Josie Koehne, LWVOR Forestry Climate Action Portfolio Contact Your Legislators to Support SB 530! ACTION: Contact your Legislators (2023 Find Your Legislators) and Senate Natural Resources Committee members: Sen Jeff Golden, Sen Fred Girod, Sen Floyd Prozanski, Sen David Brock Smith, and Sen Kathleen Taylor REQUEST: SUPPORT SB 530, Establish a state policy for Natural Climate Solutions. We are asking local League members throughout Oregon to advance this critical piece of climate legislation, to build support before the first public hearing. DEADLINE: ASAP, before February 15 A first hearing is expected as early as Feb 15. We need to build support to “give this bill legs!” Tell Legislators what matters to you. Background information on SB 530 can be found in Oregon Conservation Network's "Oregon’s Untapped Climate Solution" 1-pager. Tell Legislators that SB 530 will: Position the state to leverage federal funding and private investments in natural climate solutions on natural and working lands Create a source of state funding for voluntary actions to remove climate pollution from the atmosphere and store it in natural and working lands Fund and direct state agencies to provide incentives and technical support to forest owners, farmers, and ranchers to implement natural climate solutions on natural and working lands and Invest in a comprehensive Oregon natural and working lands inventory and study opportunities for workforce development and training.

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. diana.bodtker@gmail.com or medleylj@gmail.com. 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.

Date: May 14, 2023 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President, Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator This is a key moment to stop HB 3382! Passing this bill would pose a serious threat to Oregon’s largest estuaries, ecologically vital habitat areas where careful land use review is especially important. Share your personal story about why these Ports and critical estuaries are important to you. Ask them NOT to pass HB 3382 even with the -3 amendment. DEADLINE: 5pm May 16 Public Hearing 5pm May 18 for testimony Sign up NOW to testify in person or remotely. Attend the public hearing if possible. Write and submit testimony to the Joint Committee on Transportation before 5pm May 18. CONTACT: Joint Transportation Committee and your State Senator and Representative. HB 3382 exempts major Oregon ports from land use and environmental regulations, including allowing extensive dredging and channel modification in estuaries without local jurisdiction, public input, or environmental review. The current -3 amendment as proposed sets a dangerous precedent, allowing certain interests to fast-track development and bypass input and Oregon’s land use laws that protect communities, ecosystems, and economies across the state. League testimony explains our opposition. LWVOR has strong positions supporting our land use planning program, coastal management, water quality and quantity and climate change. Oregonians expect our elected leaders to support processes that allow public participation and protect Oregon’s special places. This bill says local elected leaders and the public who engaged in Comprehensive Plans, specifically Estuary Management Plans, other planning and zoning requirements and related regulations adopted by a local government…no longer matter. We implore the committee to reject this concept and oppose the bill. Proposed -3 amendment changes allow selected parties to apply for a new Goal 16 exception and provides an extensive list of “purposes” that would automatically be allowed to gain that new Goal 16 exception. Estuaries are nurseries for a wide variety of fish and wildlife species, including our iconic salmon. Eel grass that would be destroyed is essential habitat for many species and functions to improve water quality to support ocean health. HB 3382 is also at odds with Oregon’s Climate Goals by removing critical protections for estuaries, which sequester carbon 10x more efficiently than forests and serve as key species nurseries. The bill as submitted poses an additional threat. Land use regulations as applied to coastal areas are part of Oregon’s integrated Coastal Management Program under the Coastal Zone Management Act. This bill would weaken that program, triggering NOAA review for compliance with the CZMA. The CZMA-approved program provides the state leverage and review when faced with federal projects (including, for example, dredging in a federal navigation channel), as well as funding through CZMA grant programs. The bill could eliminate this “federal consistency” under the CZMA, at least where these estuaries are concerned. Thank you for adding your voice to stop HB 3382.

Dear Members and friends, Here’s to the most beautiful May Day! I’m sending virtual May Day doorknob baskets to each of you! As our LWVOR Convention nears, I invite you to look forward with me. We are seeing transitions, new growth in the League, and promising new leaders as we face chilling challenges to step up and defend our values. The last few years have been, well, an example of the probably English expression that is both a blessing and a curse: “May you live in interesting times!” With thanks to our hard-working Board, our members, our committees, our lateral communications work groups, our donors, our staff, and to our colleagues, I urge you to take care of yourselves and each other. To pace yourselves for the work ahead, to include time to refresh. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as President and to keep in touch with these 1st of the month newsletters. I am crossing my fingers to be elected as incoming LWVOR Action Chair and looking forward to hearing what you’ll each be doing! Thank you for being part of the League Team! Becky Gladstone, outgoing LWVOR President _________________________________________________ CONVENTION UPDATE It is truly time to REGISTER for the LWVOR Convention! Delegates, please register through your leadership (leaders will register their delegates as a group). Observers, we can still make room for you. One Action member, who will be coming and handing out bumper stickers, asked why she should attend. Here are some reasons: Speakers: Come to hear our keynote speaker Les Zaitz, a publisher of local Oregon newspapers, on “Free Press and the Survival of Democracy”. Feels *so very local* and newly urgent–last week, OPB reported “Rogue Valley station KTVL to lay off all news employees, staffer says.” Action! Talk to our Action volunteers about news from the Legislature. Bring your questions from reading our Legislative Reports and find out how you can help. Voter Service Reps: Meet and thank them! Vote411.org is live now and ballots are in the mail for our May 16 primary! All their work behind the scenes, collecting candidate contact info and reaching out to them, inviting them to share their campaign info with voters! Youth Outreach: Come to meet newly elected Youth Council leaders and members attending. They are extraordinary. They are *our future*! Bylaws changes: VOTE on a gradual transition to annual meetings and Nominating Committee changes. This will be a start to talk about our processes. Studies: VOTE on proposed studies. Workshops: A pre-Convention tutorial, Youth Engagement, a 1st Amendment Panel, and Climate Change, LWVUS activities. Caucus! Set up and offer one of your own, spur of the moment! RECOMMENDED READING Eugene author Lauren Kessler’s just won the Oregon Book of the Year for General Non-Fiction! "95% of the millions of American men and women who go to prison eventually get out. What happens to them?" From the book description: There's Arnoldo, who came of age inside a maximum security penitentiary, now free after nineteen years. Trevor and Catherine, who spent half of their young lives behind bars for terrible crimes committed when they were kids. Dave, inside the walls for 34 years, now about to re-enter an unrecognizable world. Vicki, a five-time loser who had cycled in and out of prison for more than a third of her life. They are simultaneously joyful and overwhelmed at the prospect of freedom. Anxious, confused, sometimes terrified, and often ill-prepared to face the challenges of the free world, all are intent on reclaiming and remaking their lives. What is the road they must travel from caged to free? How do they navigate their way home? A gripping and empathetic work of immersion reportage, Free reveals what awaits them and the hundreds of thousands of others who are released from prison every year: the first rush of freedom followed quickly by institutionalized obstacles and logistical roadblocks, grinding bureaucracies, lack of resources, societal stigmas and damning self-perceptions, the sometimes overwhelming psychological challenges. Veteran reporter Lauren Kessler, both clear-eyed and compassionate, follows six people whose diverse stories paint an intimate portrait of struggle, persistence, and resilience. The truth—the many truths—about life after lockup is more interesting, more nuanced, and both more troubling and more deeply triumphant than we know. Thank you for reading! To each of you, please accept my heartfelt gratitude for making this team work with your curiosity, dedication, dogged persistence, senses of humor, and civility. I am proud to be part of this organization and I hope you are too! Here’s to progress and sharing the joy with our new members! Becky Gladstone President, LWVOR

Hello Oregon League members and friends, **What does the state League DO for us??** 🡺 LWVOR State-Wide Convention! With only one month until the convention starts, we need you to commit to being there!! We will meet for the first statewide, in-person event we’ve held since our 100th Anniversary Centennial Celebration in Salem, March 7, 2020! 🡺 Be sure your leaders REGISTER your Delegation. Check with them to be a delegate! Read for more info on the May 19-21, 2023 LWVOR Convention, in Eugene, OR. Your State Board is SO excited to welcome you to Convention 2023! Join us in-person and meet members from our local Leagues, Advocates, Voter Service Reps, our new Youth Council and students members, scholars, and our speakers! _____________________________________________________ Here’s an Overview: LWVOR Convention Hotel Rooms Convention delegation/ observer registration Silent Auction Caucuses LWVUS All- Members’ (short) SURVEY: deadline April 22! Transformation news from LWV President, Dr. Turner (full letter) Recommended Reading from LWV Coos Voter Service (Inspiring!) LWVOR Convention LWVOR Convention Hotel Rooms: we have filled our initial room block and the hotel is expanding our initial discounted room allotment. Please make your hotel reservations ASAP so we can try to cover you with the discounted rate. Sooner is better! Details are on the LWVOR Convention page. Convention delegation/ observer registration: League leaders are registering their delegations. Please check with yours to be sure you’re included. Registered League observers are welcome. To avert any possible confusion, double check with your local leaders to be sure you do get registered and don’t get double-booked. We are looking forward to seeing you in-person! Silent Auction: Local Leagues, bring a Gift Basket to the LWVOR Convention, enter it in our traditional Silent Auction and take your top bid proceeds for your League! You’re Welcome! Caucuses: use these caucusing opportunities; reach out now and network in advance. Be sure your fellow strategists know You Want to Meet! One group (the local and state Fund Raisers?) are having breakfast together early Saturday morning. We know that our MLD, and Nominating Committee Groups are planning to get together.! For the rest of you, network in advance for the “lateral communication” we keep talking about! Strategize for 2024! LWVUS All- Members’ (short) SURVEY: LWVUS All- Members’ (short) SURVEY: deadline April 22! This survey of ALL members around the country is outreach to get your feedback on the TRANSFORMATION PLAN. From Dr. Deb Turner, President, LWVUS (full letter): Over the past few weeks, I have shared Transformation Journey updates and our current phase, Framing the Future. League voices are the foundation for this process, so we have assembled four core working groups and launched a League-wide membership experience survey. Thank you to the 7,000+ League members who have completed the survey! If you have not done so already, I encourage you to take our short survey and share it with your fellow League members. It is crucial that we hear from everyone in our League community, because all your voices are critical to our transformational success. The survey closes Saturday, April 22. If you have already completed the survey, you still have time to share it with your League members and in your internal League communications. This link is not personalized to you: you can share or forward the link directly to other members. For more information, please visit www.lwv.org/framingthefuture. As we celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Week, I wanted to thank you for all that you do. I hope you take time this week to celebrate yourself! I am honored and proud to serve with you and power our democracy every day. –Dr. Turner, President, LWV (US) Recommended Reading As a special treat to yourself, read this inspiring report from our Coos County Voter Service Representative. Abigail, thank you! Hi, Leaguers, from rural Coos! In this area we have a very active political group called Citizens Restoring Liberty (CRL). Associated with a local evangelical church. CRL has promoted hyper-conservative issues for several years. They sent 14 to the January 6 demonstrations in Washington. It is not clear whether any participated in the subsequent attack on the Capitol. In 2022 they started running members as candidates for local office and supporting other candidates. One was elected by a razor-thin margin as one of our three County Commissioners. They have also repeatedly sued our County Clerk over election issues, and they populate the Coos County Republican Party board of directors. So I wanted to meet them! I approached the new Commissioner at a town hall and asked if he thought CRL would allow a League delegation to attend one of their meetings and give a presentation about the League and its programs. They eventually agreed and I went with Carol Ventgen, a past president and longtime Coos League member. The Commissioner, I might add, bucked the trend last year by posting campaign info on Vote411 and participating in our candidate forum, afterward giving us mostly positive feedback. So I felt he was at least open to the League and willing to listen. He gave us a very cordial welcome and the group followed his lead, applauding and praising us for “having the courage” to show up. Carol led with a brief League history and a discussion of our “two hats,” advocacy and voter service. We picked the most neutral studies we could as examples of the way the League deeply researches topics and then brings them to members for consensus before adopting a position or advocating. (They loved the Privacy and Cybersecurity study especially.) We talked about Voter Service, detailing steps we take to make our forums as evenhanded as possible. The Commissioner backed this up. We talked about our current election efforts to reach many different groups to solicit candidate questions for our three League School Board forums. For instance, I was invited by the Democratic Party to a meeting to ask for question suggestions, so I immediately wrote to the Republican Party to do the same. When I didn’t get a response, I based some questions on a right-wing candidates’ campaign flyer I found and sent those to the Republican Party. I still got no responses, but some party officers were in the room when I talked about it. We stressed that the public is invited to submit questions. We talked about how our Voter Service programs are free publicity for cash-strapped local candidates, and how these programs serve our mission of promoting a well-informed and engaged electorate. Then we went into how Vote411.org and the Voters’ Guides are assembled. One of the group’s lawsuits last year cited a “partisan voter guide” the County Clerk had put outside the Elections Office in the primary, naming the League’s Voters’ Guide. So we explained that Voters’ Guide text is the same as on Vote411.org, word-for-word what candidates supply to us, and the ONLY difference is that the Voters’ Guides have a shorter deadline, so if candidates don’t respond quickly, they get onto Vote411 but not into printed guides. We suggested that if candidates CRL is interested in don’t appear in these publications, it’s because those candidates chose not to post, not because we didn’t ask them—and if CRL members want to see more of their candidates represented on Vote411 and in our forums, they need to pressure them. And we told them how to get candidates contact info. Then we asked if anyone wanted to join and opened it up to questions. Many questions were friendly or simply asking for more details or clearing up misunderstandings. One member had done his research on the League and pointed out that it was Republican women who were behind its founding as the primary women’s suffrage movers. (We added a pitch for the new Votes for Women board game.) A local right-wing radio personality was quite aggressive, detailing many National League positions as tracking with Democratic Party positions and demanding to know why conservatives should trust us if that’s the case. We agreed that both the national League and, to an extent, the state League lean left, but pointed out that the League is a grassroots organization, and choices are made by people who turn up in the room. (One of the most aggressive members of the group immediately stood up and asked for a membership form.) We were able to communicate a bit more about our process for reaching positions and the meaning of “nonpartisan,” using the Bucks County op-ed currently on the National League’s website (we’ve also put it on our website). One thing they really disliked was our practice of screening forum audience questions. Carol did her best, pointing out that we try to combine similar questions to reduce repetition, we don’t allow slander or profanity, and we usually get far more questions than there is time to ask. But for a group that is into performative political direct action, that answer wasn’t entirely satisfying. The Commissioner spoke up again to say he thought the questions were fair and on important topics. (We mentioned that it didn’t do him any harm to participate in our programs, because he won.) They tried to trap us into hot-button issue political discussions, especially “biological woman” and trans people in women’s sports questions. Sticking to the League’s “brand,” we said the League hadn’t studied women’s sports so we had no opinion, but maybe they could get back to us on in 3-5 years. We talked about ethical neutrality requirements for League leaders and noted that one Coos League board member resigned last year because she didn’t want to give up her partisan activity. I don’t know if we changed any minds, but I do think we made it harder to demonize the League or to spread misinformation about us, and if we’re lucky it MIGHT get more candidates to participate in our programs. We received a thank-you note from the Commissioner. It is exciting to be in the middle of our expanded Voter Service for the 2023 Oregon primary election season with many local races! Our Action Committee is meeting weekly during this intense, long legislative session. We’ve reviewed 147 proposals so far this session to speak to issues. Our Convention is coming together and you will be getting more frequent updates as we get closer. Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week! Please accept my heartfelt thanks to all of you for contributing to our efforts to defend democracy! I truly hope to see you at Convention, Thank you! Becky Gladstone President, LWVOR

The Oregon State Legislature (The Joint Ways and Means Committee) will be holding a series of hearings statewide over the next several weeks. They are asking the public to tell them which state programs they consider important and should be funded this biennium with state funds. These town halls will allow Oregonians to provide input into the 2023-25 biennial state budget. All of these hearings will probably have standing-room-only crowds. They will have very strict time limits both for individual testimony (2/3 minutes) and total hearing time. If you want to testify make sure you get there early. This is Ways and Means; if you have programs you want to be funded be sure and tell them how they should be funded because unfortunately there is not enough money to go around for everything people want. If you have ideas for additional revenue then let our Legislators know these ideas also. We feel that it is important that these hearings away from the capital are monitored. We encourage local League members and friends to attend the hearing in your area and help by being the eyes and ears of the action team. The state League will not be testifying so all you need to do is listen and pick up any of the handouts (and send them to the state office). A short written report of what occurred would also be helpful. We encourage members to attend as individuals and express their opinions on any of the state funded programs that are important to you because it is your taxes they are spending. If you wish to testify please leave your League pin at home but if you are just helping us as monitors wear your League pin for everyone to see. They would like to see and hear from everyone. Friday, April 14th 5:00 PM Newport Newport Performing Arts Center 777 W. Olive St. NEWPORT Register Friday, April 21st 5:00 PM, Roseburg Umpqua Community College Jacoby Auditorium 1140 Umpqua College Rd. ROSEBURG Register Friday, April 28th 5:00 PM Ontario Four Rivers Cultural Center 676 SW 5th Ave. ONTARIO Register Wednesday, May 3rd 5:00 PM Salem at the capital This meeting is being held in person at the Capitol. To view a livestream of the meeting, go to: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Committees/JWM/Overview Register

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, April 7, 2023 Contact: Mimi Alkire, LWVPDX lwvpdx.org www.lwvor.org/mock-election mimi.alkire@gmail.com 503.680.4184 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF PORTLAND ANNOUNCES STUDENT MOCK ELECTION AS PART OF THE MAY 2023 SPECIAL DISTRICT ELECTIONS This is an opportunity for Multnomah County students, in grades 6 through 12, to have an authentic Oregon voting experience. They will learn to vote with realistic mock ballots containing two of the same ballot measures that will appear in the May 16, 2023 Special Election in the cities of Portland and Gresham. The number of registered students, along with the Spring 2023 Special District Elections mock ballot results, will be released prior to Election Day, May 19, 2023. Invitations to participate in this year’s Multnomah County Student Mock Election have been extended by phone, mail, or delivered in person to all Portland and Gresham public middle and high schools by local neighborhood League of Women Voters member volunteers. Educator and classroom registration, lesson plan distribution, and training on ballot measure analysis followed by mock ballot distribution are commencing. City of Portland Student Mock Ballots will include: ● Multnomah County Measure 26-238 (establishes residential tenant resources program, eviction representation, capital gains tax), and ● City of Portland Measure 26-240 (renew Portland Children's Levy investment for five years). Gresham Student Mock Ballots will include the Multnomah County Measure 26-238 along with: ● City of Gresham Measure 26-239 (five-year operating levy for police, fire, homeless and crisis response) Registered educators will receive access to the free League of Women Voters of Oregon award-winning “Civics Education” curriculum, a comprehensive lesson plan with linked resources, additional website resources, and instructions to prepare students for an informed and authentic voting experience on mock ballots. These free and open civics resources are available to educators YEAR-ROUND on the mock election website LWVOR.org. Teachers report their students take researched analysis and ballot measure explanations from mock election lessons home to their families and start thoughtful, effective, issue-centered discussions that benefit their communities. The National Association of Student Councils and National Association of Post- Secondary Principals also recommend mock elections to provide leadership roles for students. Mock elections are very popular with educators and students, and the press can bring welcome visibility to civics in action. The League of Women Voters of Portland is a 103-year-old grassroots nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. We envision informed Oregonians participating in a fully accessible, responsive, and transparent government to achieve the common good. The League never supports or opposes any candidate or political party.

Dear LWVOR Members and friends, Here’s to celebrating April, everyone! As we look forward to our LWVOR 2023 Convention in Eugene, May 19-21, I am also looking back to my first April as President, in 2020, when we were just beginning to face COVID’s public health implications for the League. We met with LWVUS to advise on “social distancing” with Oregon Vote-by-Mail and we were writing ZOOM how-tos. We were using our new Privacy and Cybersecurity position in the Legislature and wondering how COVID might affect our 100th Anniversary plans for events all around the state, the issue forums, the suffrage quilt competitions, the parades, and all of our general operations. Now we have our work cut out for us to defend legislation accomplishments, newly resurfacing repression, pushing us to reach for reinforcements. Our membership and YO! Youth Outreach efforts are truly promising. Let’s welcome and mentor them! The League is all about citizen engagement and civic education. As Thos Paine said, “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way!” Now it is time to prepare for your own Certified League Member status, renewable for free, every April 1st. To prepare, you can you can use this Legislative Glossary to study, thanks to the Oregon State Legislature website. We recommend you Review Our History: What makes the League Special? For extra credit, read this newsletter and find more ways you can help! Your help as a committee member can make a board member’s work realistically manageable. See you at Convention? I hope so! Thank you for being part of the team by reading and helping as you are able! Yours In League, Becky Gladstone LWVOR President _________________________________________________ Here’s an overview: Second call to LWVOR CONVENTION, in Eugene, May 19-21, 2023 Nominating Committee – see gaps Voter Service news, Spring primary Vote411 & OSME Youth Outreach, OSME wrap, moving forward! Action, legislative update Announcements Recommended reading SECOND CALL TO CONVENTION The biennial State Meeting of the League of Women Voters of Oregon is held on alternate years to the State Council. First Call is issued so that local Leagues can begin to 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 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 through the local Leagues. Each local League shall be entitled to two delegates for the first 40 members or fewer. If possible, one delegate should be the President. An additional delegate is allowed for every 20 additional members or major fraction (10 or more) thereof 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. Make your Hotel reservations: Call 844-888-4723. Use BOOKING CODE: 0519WV. Use this booking link: League of Women Voters of Oregon – Guestrooms The cutoff date to book rooms at the discounted group rate is April 28th. Act quickly to book yours! NOMINATING COMMITTEE NO NOMINEES? MLD coaching to the rescue! THE MLD RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Identify your strengths, evaluate your assets, focus on our League values: What is it that only the League can do? Membership and Leadership Development (MLD) was introduced to our LWVOR by the LWVUS at the Oregon State Coaches’ Training in 2012. One of our MLD state coaches just happens to be a co-chair of our nominating committee, and her training led to the solution: apply an intentional combination of our LWVOR leadership’s willingness to serve with our bylaws to meet the challenge. Alice Bartelt, 2nd VP, stepped up and accepted responsibility to be President, recognizing the bylaws provision for an executive committee to guide the board through this challenge. Lisa Bentson, our Board Director in charge of Membership, volunteered to become 1st VP and add Events to her portfolio while retaining Membership. Becky Gladstone, who had dreams for the LWVOR during her terms as President, but was confronted with the impact of Covid, found a way to stay for one more year, filling Alice’s second year of her position as 2nd VP and providing a means to maintain the Action portfolio with the needed strong leadership until June 2024. The current board vacancies are an extraordinary opportunity FOR YOU as a member to experience working with dedicated and inspirational leaders to complete the leadership team for the coming year! Don’t hesitate – join Alice in the Adventure and experience what Wonderland is really like! PROPOSED SLATE OF NOMINEES for two-year terms: President: Alice Bartelt (Washington Co. Unit) First Vice President: Lisa Bentson (Lincoln Co.) Events, Membership, and HR Secretary: Mimi Alkire (Portland) Members of the Board of Directors: Annie Goldner (Deschutes Co.) Program Jackie Clary (Coos Co.) Development Chair Freddi Weishahn (Lane Co.) Development Nominating Committee Chair (off-board) Betty Coe De Broekert (Lane Co.) Nominating Committee Members (off-board) Judy Froemke (Portland), Jeanne Taylor (Lane Co.) Officers continuing or changing position on Board through 2024 to complete a second year of term: Second Vice President: Becky Gladstone (Lane Co.) Action Treasurer: Kermit Yensen (Deschutes Co.) Board of Directors: Filling 3 vacancies through 2024 to complete second year of term: Voter Editor: Jim Buck (Rogue Valley) Vacant: Two additional Board Directors are needed now to complete the 2023-24 slate Off-Board chairs: Budget Chair: Kathleen Hersh (Washington Co. unit) MLD Chair: Kathleen Hersh (Washington Co. unit) Youth Outreach: Diana DeMaria (Clackamas Co.) Youth Liaison: Chris Walker (MAL) BOARD VACANCIES: Board of Director Portfolios represent areas of work that need to be covered, sometimes with an off- board chair. Portfolios currently vacant are: Voter Education/Voter Service Chair. Also needed are assistance with Events, Membership, Action, Voter Education/Voter Service and TBD. If you or someone you know would be a good fit for one of these vacant positions please let the LWVOR nominating committee know: Libby Medley (Clackamas Co.) medleylj@gmail.com Diana Bodtker (Marion & Polk Counties/Lane Co.) diana.bodtker@gmail.com Doreen Binder (Portland) doreenbinder4@gmail.com Jackie Clary (Rogue Valley/Coos Co.) jackieclary@gmail.com Freddi Weishahn (Lane Co.) freddiweis@gmail.com VOTER SERVICE Thanks to our strong local League network and Chair Peggy Bengry, Voter Service is gathering candidate and local ballot measure information for the May 16, 2023 primary election! Next we look forward to gearing up for the So Important 2024 Elections! We need your help and now is the time to learn the ropes! Contact Peggy to help now, contact the Nominating Committee (above), or ask our staff, lwvor@lwvor.org. YOUTH OUTREACH The Youth Outreach Committee meets weekly and is running a Student Mock Election this spring, focusing on the Portland area. The new Youth Council is establishing parameters and adding members. See details for the LWVOR Youth Liaison, Chris Walker, and Youth Council supporting the Student Mock Election, led by Celine Ioffe, in the March newsletter and in the VOTER, both in our Newsroom. ⭐ To help develop an active Student Mock Election presence in your local schools, contact: LWV of OREGON YOUTH OUTREACH | youthoutreach@lwvor.org OREGON STUDENT MOCK ELECTION (OSME) | mockelection@lwvor.org ACTION We have completed week 11 (out of 24) of the 2023 long Legislative session. Limited bill introductions are still being seen, to Rules and Ways and Means Committees. Watch for Action Alerts by email, on relatively short notice, please! We have reviewed and approved almost 130 testimonies submitted so far. Subscribe for the weekly briefs linking to full Legislative Reports in our Newsroom! ⭐ Action can use all kinds of help. If you can help, please contact our staff, lwvor@lwvor.org. 📣SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE ROADSHOW The Oregon Legislature announced this session’s set of hearings away from the capital sponsored by the Ways and Means Committee. They will be asking for input on the budget and, except for the last one in the capital, they will be in person only. They would like to hear from everyone. Save the date for the one nearest you. Saturday, April 8, 2023 o 10:00 AM Portland Friday, April 14th o 5:00 PM Newport Friday, April 21st o 5:00 PM, Roseburg Friday, April 28th o 5:00 PM Ontario Wednesday, May 3rd o 5:00 PM Salem at the capital REDISTRICTING The People Not Politicians campaign is back with Initiative Petition 14, which would create an independent commission to draw Oregon legislative districts. This effort is supported by a broad coalition including the League, Common Cause, Forward Oregon, business groups, and many everyday Oregonians. This good governance effort needs our support! This effort is large, and every volunteer will be needed to collect signatures and to database those signatures. Sign up to help here, and donate here. Download the signature petition. Contact Betsy Schultz for further information. Stay informed on League happenings at the state and local levels! You can sign up and manage your LWVOR newsletter subscriptions directly. Don't miss our event updates, Action Alerts, newsletters, and other important information. Questions? Contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org. ANNOUNCEMENTS 📣 Caring For Oregon's Children See Caring for Oregon’s Children, a webinar from March 22, 2023, with thanks to the LWVOR Study Committee for bringing experts together to discuss issues and answer questions. 📣 Spring Clean & Affordable Energy Conference, 2023 This information comes from the NorthWest Energy Coalition. LWVOR is a member and attends quarterly regional meetings. We're excited to have Sonia Aggarwal as our keynote speaker! Sonia is the CEO of Energy Innovation and formerly with the Biden Administration, serving through the development, passage, and initial implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. 📣 Let’s Talk About: Digital Threats to Democracy **This is the Reading Recommendation for this month, see below for the prep link! To prepare for Dr. O’Neil’s talk, visit her blog, Mathbabe. From LWV Maine, LWVME in partnership with LWVAK has been presenting this (mostly) monthly discussion series, and the one coming up for April promises to be one of the best ones yet. I hope you will share this invitation with friends and colleagues in your state. Best, Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine 📣 What are Algorithms? And are They Undermining Our Free Will? Hosted on Zoom. Register now for this important conversation Computer algorithms are manipulating us all the time, whether we know it or not. They determine what social media content and search results we see. They may impact our buying decisions, and they may also push us toward disinformation and conspiracy theories. Join us for a conversation with Cathy O’Neil, a leading expert on algorithms and the CEO of ORCAA, an algorithmic auditing company. Please share this invitation with anyone you think might be interested. Register here. RECOMMENDED READING Weapons of Math Destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy Cathy O’Neil earned a Ph.D. in math from Harvard and worked as a math professor at Barnard College before switching over to the private sector, working as a quant for the hedge fund D.E. Shaw and as a data scientist in the New York startup scene. She is a regular contributor to Bloomberg Opinion and in 2016 wrote the book Weapons of Math Destruction: how big data increases inequality and threatens democracy. She is the CEO of ORCAA, an algorithmic auditing company, and is a member of the Public Interest Tech Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is the author of Weapons of Math Destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy. Her new book The Shame Machine: who profits in the new age of humiliation came out in March 2022. My best to all of you. I look forward to seeing you at Convention! Step up, we welcome you! It is your turn. Thank You for reading and be sure to smell the flowers. Becky Gladstone President, LWVOR

Date: March 13, 2023 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Alice Bartelt, Action Committee Chair Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator Arlene Sherrett, Climate Emergency PortfolioContact Your Legislators to Support ACTION: Contact your Legislators (2023 Find Your Legislators) and Senate Energy and EnvironmentCommittee members: Sen Janeen Sollman, Sen Lynn Findley, Sen Jeff Golden, Sen Cedric Hayden and Sen Kate Lieber REQUEST: SUPPORT The Resilient Buildings Package (SB 868-1, 869-1, 870-1, 871-1) Oregon's legislature must take action in 2023 to give more Oregonians access to more resilient and safer homes and buildings. Align state policies for Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Reduction in the Residential and Commercial Buildings Sector. We are asking local League members throughout Oregon to advance this critical piece of climate legislation, to build support before the first public hearing. LISTENING SESSION: March 14, 2023, 1:00 PM HEARING: March 16, 2023, 1:00 PM TESTIMONY DEADLINE: ASAP, before hearing date, March 16, or up to 1pm March 18. Tell Legislators what matters to you. Background information on the Resilient Buildings Package can be found at: We Are Building Resilience Tell Legislators the Resilient Buildings Package will: Align energy efficiency programs with state climate goals and establish a one-stop-shop information source for energy efficiency technologies and incentives. (SB 868-1, Healthy Heating and Cooling for All) Align building codes with Oregon energy and emissions targets and establish a goal of 60% reduction in energy use in the construction of new buildings. (SB 869-1, Build Smart from the Start) Establish a standard for large commercial buildings to reduce their energy use and climate emissions over time. (SB 870-1, Building Performance Standard) Remove barriers to accelerate energy retrofits and upgrades in state buildings. (SB 871-1, Smart State Buildings) Address the 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon that come from the residential and commercial buildings sector.

Dear LWVOR Members and friends, March is a time of optimism for me, a time to look ahead, eyes open, to face making the seasons ahead productive. We have our work cut out for us and it can be rewarding. Please read and think about how you can help a little more with the longer days coming. Consider reaching out to lighten the load for another League member who can then build our leadership bench and help fill our concerning leadership gaps. Job sharing is a really good idea! Ask a friend to step up with you! More hands make light work and you’ll be glad you didn’t sit this one out. Thank you for being part of the team by reading and helping as you are able! Yours In League! Becky Gladstone LWVOR President Table of contents: CONVENTION, LWVOR in Eugene, May 19-21, 2023! Keynote: Les Zaitz! Nominating Committee - gaps LWVOR Study and Concurrences, March recommendation review Voter Service news, Spring primary Vote411 & OSME Youth Outreach, OSME wrap, moving forward! Action, legislative update Announcements, please send yours! Recommended reading LWVOR CONVENTION Keynote Speaker Les Zaitz Our Keynote Speaker for “Free Press and the Survival of Democracy” will be Les Zaitz, Editor of the Salem Reporter and The Malheur Enterprise. Thanks to the Marion-Polk League for this: Zaitz established an online subscription-based publication because he thinks requiring people to pay for journalism allows him to be aware of which stories attract readers and thus to know the community needs for news. The Salem Reporter covers city news, schools, politics, economy, community, and Oregon news so readers can look for articles that interest them and learn about local events before they happen. All articles are archived on the website. The Salem Reporter will closely follow candidates before the next School Board election to provide unbiased reports on their campaigns; Zaitz believes news story readers should not be able to tell journalists’ personal views. Zaitz said the staff also relies on readers to let them know if a candidate is lying or hiding information about themselves so the journalists can check it out. Convention Attendance Information The LWVOR room block is active, make your reservation today! There are two ways you can make reservations using the League’s discounted group rate: Call 844-888-4723. Use BOOKING CODE: 0519WV Use this booking link: League of Women Voters of Oregon – Guestrooms *** The cutoff date to book rooms at the discounted group rate is April 28th *** See the First Call to Convention in our February News. NOMINATING COMMITTEE We need a powerful, full slate of Officers and Directors to guide our well-organized Board and Committees. The President and First VP for Voter Service slots are still open. Some of our local Leaders would step up if they knew you could fill their shoes locally. This is about building our bench and we need you! Our Nominating Committee took initiative with a Task Force as the “lateral communication” that is now strengthening most of our state-wide work, from local League Leaders to Membership, as directed at LWVOR Council 2022. The Task Force, with LWVOR Membership guidance, is bringing together local League Nominating Committee members from across Oregon. Read more in The VOTER and contact the Task Force and LWVOR Nominating Committee through our staff: lwvor@lwvor.org. STUDIES, UPCOMING AND ONGOING! Thanks to Program/Study Chair Annie Goldner for organizing study and concurrence proposals for this year’s Convention. The LWVOR Board will review them for recommendation status at our March 10 Board meeting. Thank you also for re-invigorating our review of local League Program planning! Please see the full report in The VOTER and send questions to Chair Annie Goldner. VOTER SERVICE Thanks to our strong local League network and Chair Peggy Bengry, Voter Service will gather candidate and local ballot measure information for the May 16, 2023 primary election! We look forward to hearing who will step up to take Peggy’s place. YO! YOUTH OUTREACH LWVOR Youth Liaison We officially welcome Chris Walker to the Board. Read his bio and the ambitious service plans in The VOTER. You can reach Chris at youthcrew@lwvor.org. Youth Council Our Youth Outreach Committee is establishing this Council, with a first project to support OSME, the Oregon Student Mock Elections. Celine Ioffe will lead a diverse team of Youth Council members to build effective power in their communities to achieve their goals. Read full coverage in The VOTER. Reach out to start Oregon Student Mock Election (OSME) local versions for this 2023 Primary! To help develop an active presence in your local schools, reach out to: LWV of OREGON YOUTH OUTREACH | youthoutreach@lwvor.org OREGON STUDENT MOCK ELECTION (OSME) | mockelection@lwvor.org ACTION This is week 7 of 24 for our 2023 long legislative session. We have reviewed and approved almost 80 pieces of testimony submitted so far. Subscribe for the weekly briefs linking to full Legislative Reports! We like to feature our Action Coordinators at Convention and hope they can attend and report, despite being in the middle of the session, at least on a weekend. Facing legislative process deadlines, another thousand-odd bills dropped last week and we are busy sifting through them, advocating, and reporting. Day at the Legislature planning is stymied by Capitol access trimmed for construction, as reported last month, and for want of an organizer –is that you? Please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org if you are interested in spearheading this exciting event, where you can learn about League positions, priority legislation, and the latest happenings at the legislature. The 2023 legislative session is well underway with over 2,000 bills filed. You can help! 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. SUPPORT OUR ADVOCACY The People Not Politicians campaign is back with Initiative Petition 14, which would create an independent commission to draw Oregon legislative districts. This effort is supported by a broad coalition including LWVOR, Common Cause, Forward Oregon, business groups, and many everyday Oregonians. This good governance effort needs our support! IP14 is a large endeavor and every volunteer will be needed to collect signatures and to database those signatures. Sign up to help here, and donate here. Download the signature petition. Contact Betsy Schultz for further information. 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 RECOMMENDED READING In the interest of defending the fun side of being LWVOR President, I can admit that a friend, a League member and Legislator, recommended this volume. I read it this past weekend: Eva Sleeps, by Francesca Melandri. I loved the German and Italian dialect, the place names familiar to me from high school. My husband appreciated the political history of borders and control shifting through upheavals. No other recommendations for League reading landed on my desk this month! Lots of my screen time goes to reading bills, testimony, committee emails and so forth. We all need to balance our work and play. YOUR LEAGUE COMMS Stay informed on League happenings at the state and local levels! You can sign up and manage your LWVOR newsletter subscriptions directly. Don't miss our event updates, Action Alerts, newsletters, and other important information. Questions? Contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org. My best to all of you. Step up, it is your turn. Thank You for reading! Becky Gladstone President, LWVOR