What's Here
Report from the Chair June MeetingPhoto from April Meeting Delegate Selection Plan Betty the Yeti June 4 ! News from Rich Riggs Campaign News from Jason Brown Campaign What are HD 20 & 23? Felton for Polk DA General Election Kick-Off and BBQ
The Monmouth Peace Vigil continues
Links to Candidate Websites
midst of a historic wave of change of massive proportions in American
politics. Here in Oregon, at last count, we have had over 118,000 new
Democratic voter registrations since December 2007. Marion County now
has a Democratic majority, and adjacent Polk county has had over 1,100
new D’s to pull within 2000 votes of the R’s and enough Independents to
make up the difference. The trend is statewide and bodes well for
Democratic candidates who will likely ride this wave to a new and
powerful majority in the Oregon House and Senate. Additionally, Gordon
Smith is seriously threatened; to have an all-Democratic pair of
Senators from Oregon would be a big win.
As chair of the Polk County Central Committee, I am at once encouraged
yet frustrated. There is something wrong when you look at the whole
political picture of involvement because the sentiments motivating the
changes are largely focused on the Presidential race. Local
involvement, measured by county precinct committee persons filing is
not reflecting the same trend. We need D’s to know that in order to see
change in government that most directly affects us daily, work needs to
be done for state, county, and municipal elections. It is well and good
to get Barrack or Hillary elected so we get out of Iraq, work on
affordable health care, improve energy policy, and restore
constitutional balance to the federal government. But the President is
only one person responsible for one branch of government and the
Executive needs the legislature to enact the laws.
But what about local land use practices affecting our own environment,
water availability, and personal quality of life? What about our school
funding and prison expenses? Collective bargaining rights and unions
are under attack, too. We may face a dozen ballot measures in Oregon.
Local officials are more influential in creating a fair and sustainable
economy, while balancing growth and need for jobs while providing
stable and adequate funding for all our human needs and investments.
Democrats need to have volunteers and PCPs to work on local elections,
inform voters, and get out the votes for local candidates and issues.
This is a call to activism for people to join and work for county
parties. I extend a welcome to Democrats who want real change, who will
phone, staff offices, organize fundraisers, canvass, put up signs,
write letters to papers, and do the myriad of other tasks required to
elect local candidates and deal appropriately with ballot measures. The
Presidential campaigns have millions of dollars and great inspiration
behind them, but real change we need and can see must start at the
county party level and continue after the big guys leave Oregon. We can
use your help. Polk County Democrats can reach us via our site:
http://www.PolkDems.org
On Apr. 29 I asked Polk Co. Clerk, Val Unger for a Voter Registration report.
| Dems | Repubs | Con | LBT | NA | PAC | IND | Others | |
| Dec. 31 | 12988 | 16306 | 78 | 249 | 8105 | 134 | 204 | 109 |
| Apr 29 | 4348 | 16400 | 79 | 243 | 8038 | 126 | 356 | 101 |
| NET CHANGE: | +1360 | +94 | +1 | -6 | -67 | -8 | +152 | -8 |
Regular Monthly Meeting of Polk County Democrats
Thursday, June 12
Salem Electric, 633 7th St. NW, Salem
6:30 pm: Refreshments and conversation
7:00 pm: Business meeting
9:00 pm: Adjourn. Business meeting
Come to meet our candidates and help us achieve victory in 2008!
From the Monthly Meeting, March 13
Several more in last month's newsletter - but here's a nice one -
Looks like it was cheerful!
