I've always wondered what it felt like to cast a meaningful primary vote...for any office, really; but especially for President and United States Senator. I finally got the chance to do just that this past Sunday; when I took a stroll on an absolutely beautiful sunny day here in inner SE Portland, and (finally!) dropped my ballot off at the Multnomah County Elections Division.
And it just so happens, that as I dropped my ballot off...the man I voted for in one of those races, our next President, was at that very moment speaking to 75,000 of my fellow Portlanders just across the Willamette...while elsewhere in that same crowd were a whole bunch of great, fantastic, excellent, beautiful, amazing, incredible (I'm running out of positive adjectives!) people who I had the great pleasure of meeting and working hard with over the last few months to send Jeff Merkley to the US Senate to replace Bush Republican Gordon Smith, and continue to add to the long and impressive record of progressive accomplishments that he's already built for us here as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.
The day's finally here! It's hard to believe that it was actually two and a half weeks ago when I got home from work that Friday and found my ballot in my mailbox...which I promptly ripped open (carefully, though!), so I could immediately fill in my circles for Jeff Merkley for US Senate and Sam Adams for Portland Mayor, amongst others.
I've focused almost all of my volunteer work so far this cycle on our US Senate race, and I can tell you right now that we're set up well here in Oregon to take out Bush Republican Gordon Smith in November. To be honest, I like the fact that we're considered a mid (or lower) tier race - quiet upsets 'from out of nowhere' are always the best kind...
Our Democratic Senate primary race is coming down to the wire, but there's never been any question in my mind as to who I'm supporting.
Just a few highlights of what Jeff Merkley's already accomplished for us here in Oregon -
Fighting for healthier food options for our children in Oregon Public Schools -
Hoping to reverse the growing problem of childhood obesity, the Oregon House voted Tuesday to ban the sale of most junk food in public schools starting in fall 2008.
That means goodbye to candy bars, sugary colas, high-fat chips, oversized slices of pepperoni pizza and other high-calorie snacks.
Ensuring that future problems won't be pawned off on those of us who can least afford it -
"Because of today’s vote, Oregon is poised to finally end the cyclical ‘boom and bust’ pattern that has made Oregon one grand casino and our fellow citizens unwilling gamblers for the last two decades," said State Representative David Edwards (D-Hillsboro), who made the case for Democrats on the House Floor. "No longer will the fate of our economic stability rest largely on speculation and chance. No longer, in periods of recession, will the system continue where our most vulnerable citizens—children, the elderly and infirm, the working poor—suffer because of drastic cuts to essential public services when times are tough."
Taking down Payday Lenders -
"We’re celebrating the departure of Check Into Cash, which is checking out of Portland," Merkley says. Because of a cap on interest that payday lenders can charge in Oregon—it’s 36 percent now, as opposed to the previous 300 to 500 percent annual interest, thanks to state legislation Merkley spearheaded—"they say they just can’t squeeze enough profit out of Oregonians," Merkley says.
And Jeff Merkley will take them on from DC, too -
Merkley championed the cause against scurrilous predatory lenders in Oregon by passing the Predatory Lending Cap Act, which imposed a 36 percent interest rate cap on state-regulated consumer loans, and the Check Cashing Fairness Act, which placed strict limits on check cashing fees.[1]
"The Bush economy is squeezing more and more families to the brink forcing them into the hands of loan sharks," said House Speaker Jeff Merkley. "Payday lenders are profiting off of innocent families who need help. We must change the system in Washington D.C. to protect families from predatory loan scams and get our economy growing again. In Oregon we took on the powerful predatory lender lobby and won. We need leaders in Washington D.C. to stand up to these big special interests and do what's right for families."
Standing up for Civil Rights for all Oregonians, with The Oregon Family Fairness Act, and the Oregon Equality Act -
The Oregon Family Fairness Act, Oregon’s domestic partnership law, was passed in 2007 by the Oregon Legislature to provide the legal protections necessary for families to care for their loved ones. This legal recognition keeps children safe in the event of crisis, brings financial and emotional security, and strengthens our community as a whole.
Updating our Bottle Bill, to ensure that Oregon remains a leader on environmental issues -
Although the law is still working well, it is not fully keeping up with changes in the beverage world and the economy. Recycling rates, although still very high, are reduced from where they were a decade ago. Many new beverages line the store shelves that carry no refund value, even though they are sold in containers similar to beer and soft drinks. These teas, juices, waters, and other beverages are more likely to be littered or thrown away since they are sold in single-serve convenience packaging, are frequently consumed on the road or away from home and carry no deposit incentive for redemption. In addition, inflation has reduced the value of the deposit making it less of an incentive to reduce littering and waste.
The 2007 Legislature took note of all these changes and passed legislation that adds water and flavored water containers to the bottle bill, beginning in January 2009, and establishes a task force to study what further changes may be needed (see fact sheet titled "The Expanded Bottle Bill").
I like the energy I've seen from everyone, though. I've never really seen Democrats as energized as I've seen us here this year, no matter who we happen to support in any given race. If we keep this up? We're going to win everywhere in November, and we're going to win big!
The main thing to remember after today though, is that we're all on the same team. Let's put the bullshit aside as soon as possible, and get to work on beating Republicans!
It's our turn now, Oregon. Let's make it count!
If you're fortunate enough to live here in Oregon, or have friends or family who do; and if you (or they) haven't turned in your / their ballots yet? Today is it! Please do get them in by 8 PM tonight, and here's the contact list of our County Elections Divisions, who will be able to provide information as to local ballot drop sites -
Baker
Tamara J. Green
Baker County Clerk
1995 3rd St. Suite 150
Baker City, OR 97814-3398
(541) 523-8207 / TTY (541) 523-9538
Benton
James Morales
Manager of Records/Elections
120 NW 4th St. Room 13
Corvallis, OR 97330
(541) 766-6756 / TTY (541) 766-6080
Clackamas
Sherry Hall
Clackamas County Clerk
Elections Division
1710 Red Soils Court, Suite 100
Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 655-8510 / TTY (503) 655-1685
Clatsop
Fred R. Neal
Interim Clatsop County Clerk
820 Exchange St., Suite 220
Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-8511 / TTY (800) 949-4232
Columbia
Elizabeth (Betty) Huser
Columbia County Clerk
Columbia County Courthouse
230 Strand St.
St. Helens, OR 97051-2089
(503) 397-7214, Ext. 8444 / TTY (503) 397-7246
Coos
Terri Turi
Coos County Clerk
Coos County Courthouse
250 N. Baxter
Coquille, OR 97423-1899
(541) 396-3121, Ext. 301 / TTY (800) 735-2900
Crook
Deanna (Dee) Berman
Crook County Clerk
300 NE Third, Rm. 23
Prineville, OR 97754-1919
(541) 447-6553 / TTY (541) 416-4963
Curry
Reneé Kolen
Curry County Clerk
PO Box 746
Gold Beach, OR 97444
(541) 247-3297 or 1-877-739-4218 / TTY 1-800-735-2900
Deschutes
Nancy Blankenship
Deschutes County Clerk
1300 NW Wall St., Suite 200
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 388-6546 / TTY 1-800-735-2900 / Fax (541) 383-4424
Douglas
Barbara Nielsen
Douglas County Clerk
PO Box 10
Roseburg, OR 97470-0004
(541) 440-4252 / TTY 1-800-735-2900
Gilliam
Rena Kennedy
Gilliam County Clerk
PO Box 427
Condon, OR 97823-0427
(541) 384-2311
Grant
Kathy McKinnon
Grant County Clerk
201 S. Humbolt, Suite 290
Canyon City, OR 97820
(541) 575-1675 / TTY (541) 575-1675
Harney
Maria Iturriaga
Harney County Clerk
Courthouse, 450 N. Buena Vista
Burns, OR 97720
(541) 573-6641
Hood River
Sandra Berry
Director, Records/Assessment
601 State St.
Hood River, OR 97031-1871
Jackson
Christine Walker
Jackson County Clerk
1101 W. Main St. Suite 201
Medford, OR 97501-2369
(541) 774-6148 / TTY (541) 774-6719
Jefferson
Kathy Marston
Jefferson County Clerk
Courthouse, Annex A
66 SE "D" St. Suite C
Madras, OR 97741
(541) 475-4451 / TTY (541) 475-4451
Josephine
Georgette Brown
Josephine County Clerk
PO Box 69
Grants Pass, OR 97528-0203
(541) 474-5243 / TTY 1-800-735-2900
Klamath
Linda Smith
Klamath County Clerk
305 Main St.
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
(541) 883-5157 or 1-800-377-6094
Lake
Stacie Geaney
Lake County Clerk
513 Center St.
Lakeview, OR 97630-1539
(541) 947-6006
Lane
Annette Newingham
Chief Deputy County Clerk
275 W 10th Ave
Eugene, OR 97401-3008
(541) 682-4234 / TTY (541) 682-4320
Lincoln
Dana Jenkins
Lincoln County Clerk
225 W. Olive St. Room 201
Newport, OR 97365
(541) 265-4131 / TTY (541) 265-4193
Linn
Steven Druckenmiller
Linn County Clerk
300 4th Ave. SW
Albany, OR 97321
(541) 967-3831 / TTY (541) 967-3833
Malheur
Deborah R. DeLong
Malheur County Clerk
251 "B" St. W., Suite 4
Vale, OR 97918
(541) 473-5151 / TTY (541) 473-5157
Marion
Bill Burgess
Marion County Clerk
Elections Division
4263 Commercial St. SE #300
Salem, OR 97302-3987
(503) 588-5041 or 1-800-655-5388 / TTY (503) 588-5610
Morrow
Bobbi Childers
Morrow County Clerk
PO Box 338
Heppner, OR 97836-0338
(541) 676-5604 / TTY (541) 676-9061
Multnomah
Tim Scott
Director of Elections
1040 SE Morrison St.
Portland, OR 97214-2495
(503) 988-3720
Polk
Valerie Unger
Polk County Clerk
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338-3179
(503) 623-9217 / TTY (503) 623-7557
Sherman
Linda Cornie
Sherman County Clerk
PO Box 365
Moro, OR 97039-0365
(541) 565-3606
Tillamook
Tassi O'Neil
Tillamook County Clerk
201 Laurel Ave.
Tillamook, OR 97141
(503) 842-3402
Umatilla
Patti Chapman
Director of Elections
PO Box 1227
Pendleton, OR 97801
(541) 278-6254
Union
Robin Church
Union County Clerk
1001 4th St. Ste. D
LaGrande, OR 97850
(541) 963-1006
Wallowa
Dana Roberts
Wallowa County Clerk
101 S. River St. Rm. 100 Door 16
Enterprise, OR 97828-1335
(541) 426-4543, Ext. 17
Wasco
Karen LeBreton Coats
Wasco County Clerk
511 Washington St., Room 201
The Dalles, OR 97058
(541) 506-2530 / TTY (541) 506-2530
Washington
Mickie Kawai
Elections Division
3700 SW Murray Blvd. Ste. 101
Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 846-5800 / TTY (503) 846-4598
Wheeler
Barbara S. Sitton
Wheeler County Clerk
PO Box 327
Fossil, OR 97830-0327
(541) 763-2400 / TTY (541) 763-2401
Yamhill
Jan Coleman
Yamhill County Clerk
414 NE Evans St.
McMinnville, OR 97128
(503) 434-7518 / TTY (800) 735-2900