Summary
The Oregon onAir Hub supports Oregonians to become more informed about and engaged in local, state, and federal politics while facilitating more civil and positive discussions with their representatives, candidates, and fellow citizens.
- Oregon onAir is one of 50 state governance and elections hubs that the US onAir Network is providing to help reinvigorate US democracy. This post has short summaries of current state and federal representatives with links to their complete Hub posts. Students curate post content from government, campaign, social media, and public websites. Key content on the Oregon Hub is also replicated on the US onAir nations Hub at: us.onair.cc.
- Oregon students will be forming onAir chapters in their colleges and universities to help curate Hub content. As more students participate and more onAir chapters are started, we will expand to include more state and local content as well as increase the number of aircasts – student-led, livestreamed, online discussions with candidates, representatives, and the public.
Find out more about Who Represents Me in Oregon
Learn more about the US onAir Network
OnAir Post: Oregon onAir
News
The base content in each post in this Oregon onAir Hub has been updated as of 12/20/23. In addition to the eight posts on the home page, in depth posts on each US House member and posts on Oregon government and elections have been started. These posts have been shared with the US onAir Hub and will updated in the US onAir automatically when they are updated in this hub.
If your university or nonpartisan organization (such as a government focused research center, citizen engagement program or a League of Women Voters chapter) is interested in assisting the US onAir network to help curate new issue posts or other posts on this Hub and moderate the forums in each post, contact Ben Murphy at Ben.Murphy@onair.cc.
We are also supporting college students to start an onAir chapter on the their campus to coordinate the curation and moderation of posts especially on state and local representatives and government.
About
All hub content in onAir hubs is free to the public. Hub ontent is under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial license which permits content sharing and adaptation by nonprofit organizations as long as proper attribution is given to its author(s) and is used for non-commercial purposes. Content and moderation guidelines reinforce our commitment to fact-based, comprehensive content and civil and honest discourse.
To participate in aircast and post discussions, email usdemocracy@onair.cc and include your first name last name, and zipcode. Your real name and any other profile information will not be displayed unless you choose to do so. Your personal information is not shared with any other website or organization.
Hub membership will enable you to:
- Participate in issue and interview aircasts (student-led livestreamed discussions);
- Interact directly with post authors and curators giving them feedback, content suggestions, and asking questions;
- Ask questions, make suggestions, and give endorsement to representatives
Web Links
State Representatives
Oregon is located in the Western region of the USA with Salem as its capital. Kate Brown (D) is Governor.
The Oregon legislature has 33 Senate members and 99 House members.
| Office | Name | Party | Assumed office | Next election | Term limited | Maximum term length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Kate Brown | Democratic | February 18, 2015 | 2022 | Yes | Eight out of twelve years | |
| Secretary of State | Shemia Fagan | Democratic | January 4, 2021 | 2024 | No | Eight out of twelve years | |
| Attorney General | Ellen Rosenblum | Democratic | June 29, 2012 | 2024 | No | No limits | |
| Treasurer | Tobias Read | Democratic | January 2, 2017 | 2024 | Yes | Eight out of twelve years | |
| Commissioner of Labor and Industries | Val Hoyle | Democratic[a] | January 7, 2019 | 2022 | No (retiring) | No limits | |
Governor Tina Kotek
Current Position: Governor of Oregon
Affiliation: Democrat
Kotek served eight terms as the state representative from the 44th district of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2007 to 2022, as majority leader of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013, and as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2013 to 2022.
Before being elected to office, Kotek worked as a public policy advocate for the Oregon Food Bank and then as policy director of Children First for Oregon.[19] She co-chaired the Human Services Coalition of Oregon during the 2002 budget crisis and co-chaired the Governor’s Medicaid Advisory Committee.
OnAir Post: Tina Kotek
US Representatives
Senator Ron Wyden
Current Position: US Senator since 1997
Affiliation: Democrat
Other Positions: Chair, Committee on Finance;
Chair, Subcommittee on Water and Power – Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Former Position: US Representative from 1981 – 1996
He received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1974, but has never been a member of the Oregon State Bar.
While teaching gerontology at several Oregon universities, Wyden founded the Oregon chapter of the Gray Panthers, which he led from 1974 to 1980. He was also the director of the Oregon Legal Services Center for Elderly, a nonprofit law service. From 1977 to 1979 he served on the Oregon State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators.
Quotes:
This is wonky, but it’s a big deal: in Republicans’ 2017 tax law they included something called a pass-through deduction. Over 61% of benefits from this provision go to the top 1%. I introduced a bill to end this giveaway to the ultra-wealthy and help true small businesses.
OnAir Post: Ron Wyden – OR
Senator Jeff Merkley
Current Position: US Senator since 2009
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: State Delegate from 1999 – 2009
Other Positions: Chair, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies – Committee on Appropriations
During his tenure, Merkley has been an advocate of progressivism and was the only U.S. senator to endorse Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries. Merkley was President of the World Affairs Council of Oregon for seven years and continues to serve on the board of trustees.
After completing his master’s degree, Merkley was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow, working at the Office of the Secretary of Defense on the security of American military technology. After his fellowship, he worked in the Congressional Budget Office, where he analyzed nuclear weapons policies and programs. In 1991 Merkley returned to Portland, where he served as executive director of Portland Habitat for Humanity until 1994.
Quotes:
My message to young Americans: Take risks with your style, but not your health! I know that this roller blading aficionado would have gotten vaccinated—and you should too. Head to http://vaccines.gov to find a vaccine near you.
OnAir Post: Jeff Merkley – OR
Suzanne Bonamici 0R-01
Current Position: US Representative of OR District 1 since 2012
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Positions: State Senator from 2008 – 2011; State Delegate from 2007 – 2008
District: includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington counties
Upcoming Election:
After college, she became a legal assistant at Lane County Legal Aid in Eugene. After law school, she became a consumer protection attorney for the Federal Trade Commission in the nation’s capital. She went into private practice in Portland and represented small businesses.
Quotes:
I’ve seen the power of workforce training programs in NW Oregon, & talking with workers inspired me to fight for robust investments in workforce development. The $100B workforce investment in the American Jobs Plan is what will meet the need at this time in our country’s history.
OnAir Post: Suzanne Bonamici 0R-01
Cliff Bentz OR-02
Current Position: US Representative of OR District 2
Affiliation: Republican
Former Positions: State Senator from 2018 – 2020; State Delegate from 2008 – 2018
Other Positions: Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife – Natural Resources Committee
District: district covers roughly two-thirds of the state, east of the Willamette Valley
Upcoming Election:
From 1977 to 1980, Bentz was a law associate with the Ontario, Oregon, law firm Yturri Rose, and was made a partner in the firm in 1980, a position he still holds. He specializes in agricultural, water, and real property law. He also owns a 100-acre alfalfa farm.
Bentz began his career as a member of the Oregon Water Resources Commission from 1988 to 1996.[4] He served as chair of the commission from 1994 to 1996.
Quotes:
Cattle & wildlife are being senselessly slaughtered. Ranchers lives are being ruined, many whom are risking their own lives to save their animals. These are gut wrenching photos. These fires should not be this intense but decades of forest mismanagement got us here #BootlegFire
OnAir Post: Cliff Bentz OR-02
Earl Blumenauer OR-03
Current Position: US Representative of OR District 3 since 1997
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Positions: Portland City Commissioner from 1987 – 1996; State Delegate from 1973 – 1979
District: most of Portland east of the Willamette River is in the 3rd District.
Upcoming Election:
Blumenauer previously spent over 20 years as a public official in Portland, including serving on the Portland City Council from 1987 to 1996.
Before starting law school in 1970 and until 1977, he worked as an assistant to the president of Portland State University.
Quotes:
I just announced my Securing Protections Against Carbon Emissions (SPACE) Tax Act. Space travel isn’t a tax-free holiday for the wealthy. We pay taxes on plane tickets. Billionaires flying into space—producing no scientific value—should do the same, and then some! #SPACETax
OnAir Post: Earl Blumenauer OR-03
Val Hoyle OR-04
Current Position: US Representative of OR District 4 since 2023
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: Commissioner of Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries from 2019 to 2023; Oregon House of Representatives from 2009 -2017
District: includes West Eugene, Junction City, and Cheshire
Upcoming Election:
Until 2023, she served as the commissioner of Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI).
In 1999, Hoyle and her family moved to Lane County, Oregon, where she joined the education advocacy group Stand for Children. Before serving in the Oregon legislature, she worked in sales and marketing for bicycle manufacturers Burley Design and Cane Creek, and served as legislative aide and policy analyst for State Senator Floyd Prozanski. She was also a director of the United Way of Lane County.
OnAir Post: Val Hoyle OR-04
Lori Chavez-DeRemer OR-05
Current Position: US Representative of OR District 5 since 2023
Affiliation: Republican
Former Position: Businesswoman; Happy Valley City Council from 2004 to 2010 and Mayor from 2010 to 2018
District: from the Southeast suburbs of Portland through the eastern half of the Willamette Valley and then reaches across the Cascades to take in Sisters and Bend.
Upcoming Election:
In June 2017, Chavez-DeRemer formed a political action committee to explore a gubernatorial bid in 2018. In October 2017, she announced in a YouTube video that she would not run for governor, clearing the primary for eventual nominee Knute Buehler.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer is the first Republican woman to represent Oregon in the House.
OnAir Post: Lori Chavez-DeRemer OR-05
Andrea Salinas OR-06
Current Position: US Representative of OR District 6 since 2023
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: Oregon State Representative for the 38th district
District: includes all of Yamhill and Polk counties, the part of Marion County that includes Salem and Woodburn, a small piece of Beaverton, and the suburban communities to the southwest of Portland, including Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood.
Upcoming Election:
In 2004, Salinas registered as a federal lobbyist on behalf of the National Treasury Employees Union. She lobbied for two years before moving to Portland, where she later lobbied from 2015 to 2017.
After graduating from Berkeley, Salinas was a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Harry Reid and U.S. Representatives Pete Stark and Darlene Hooley. She then worked as the legislative director of the Oregon Environmental Council. She left the Oregon Environmental Council to start her own legislative consulting practice.
OnAir Post: Andrea Salinas OR-06
More Information
Wikipedia
The government of the U.S. state of Oregon, as prescribed by the Oregon Constitution, is composed of three government branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. These branches operate in a manner similar to that of the federal government of the United States.[1]
Oregon also has a system of commissions, wherein private citizens are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate; these commissions have the authority to hire and fire the heads of the agencies they govern, and must confirm changes to the permanent rules governing those agencies.[2]
Constitution
In 1857, leaders of the Oregon Territory gathered at the Oregon Constitutional Convention and drafted a constitution for Oregon.[3] On November 9, 1857, Oregon voters approved its first constitution that then became effective upon statehood on February 14, 1859.[3] The constitution was unchanged for the remainder of the 19th century, but has been amended numerous times since 1902. The changes include the introduction of a direct legislation system, which enabled numerous popular decisions via initiative, both to the constitution and to the Oregon Revised Statutes.
The current document contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights.[4] Oregon’s bill of rights contains most of the rights and privileges granted in the United States Bill of Rights and the main text of the United States Constitution. The remainder of the Oregon Constitution outlines the divisions of power within the state government, times of elections, designating the state capitol, the state boundaries. The original implementation provisions included a vote excluding African-Americans from the state.[4]
Executive branch
- Elected Executive Officers of Oregon
Treasurer Tobias Read (D)
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- Governor of Oregon
- Oregon Secretary of State
- Archives Division[5]
- Oregon Sustainability Board (The Secretary of State is the board chair)
- Oregon State Treasurer
- Oregon Attorney General
- Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries
- Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction (1872–2012)
- Oregon Department of State Lands (governed by the State Land Board, which is composed of the Governor, Secretary of State, and Treasurer
Legislative branch
Judicial branch
Oregon’s state level judicial branch of government consists of the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) which operates four state run court systems. Two of those courts are primarily trial level courts, while the other two are primarily courts of appeal. The chief executive of the OJD is the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court.[6] At the local level are some justice courts, municipal courts, and county courts.[7]
The Oregon Supreme Court is located in the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem. It consists of seven judges that are elected to six-year terms in statewide popular elections, with vacancies filled by appointment by the Governor of Oregon. As the highest court in the state, it is the final authority on state law and its decisions can only be overturned by the United States Supreme Court. The court is headed by the Chief Justice, who is elected to a six-year term by fellow justices.[6]
Oregon’s Court of Appeals is an intermediate court of appeals hearing appeals from decisions of both civil and criminal cases decided at the trial court level. This court has ten judges that in most cases sit in three judge panels to determine the outcome of appeals. The judges are also elected statewide to six-year terms, with vacancies filed by appointment of the governor. The Oregon Supreme Court’s Chief Justice appoints one of the ten judges to serve as Chief Judge, who acts as the head of the Court of Appeals. Appeals from decisions of this court go to the Oregon Supreme Court.[6]
The OJD operates the Oregon Circuit Courts, which are 27 trial level court districts across the state that receive both civil and criminal court cases. As of January 2007, the courts had 173 judges spread over the 27 districts that cover the state’s 36 circuit courts. The majority of appeals from the Circuit Courts go to the Oregon Court of Appeals. Some limited cases go directly to the Oregon Supreme Court if appealed from at the trial court level.[6]
Cases involving issues of taxation are handled primarily through the Oregon Tax Court. This court has two divisions, with the Magistrate Division being an informal process appearing more like alternative dispute resolution. The Regular Division is a formal court headed by a single Tax Court judge elected to six-year terms on a statewide basis. Appeals from the Magistrate Division go to the Regular Division, and appeals from decisions of this court go directly to the Oregon Supreme Court.[6]
State agencies
- Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Oregon State Library
- Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission
- Oregon Lottery
- Oregon Parks and Recreation
- Oregon State Police
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
- Oregon Office of University Coordination
Former state agencies
- Oregon State Board of Higher Education (1929–2015)
- Oregon University System (1932–2015)
- Oregon Chief Education Office (2014–2019)
See also
References
- ^ “Constitution of Oregon: Article III”. Archived from the original on 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
- ^ Russell Sadler (February 5, 2005). “A Recent History of Oregon’s Citizen Boards and Commissions”. West by Northwest. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2007.
- ^ a b Oregon Blue Book: Constitution of Oregon. Archived 2018-10-24 at the Wayback Machine Oregon Secretary of State, accessed October 19, 2007.
- ^ a b Constitution of Oregon: 2005 Edition. Archived 2007-02-05 at the Wayback Machine Oregon Legislature, accessed October 19, 2007.
- ^ “Oregon Secretary of State Archives Division”. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- ^ a b c d e An Introduction to the Courts of Oregon. Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine Oregon Judicial Department. Retrieved on August 25, 2007.
- ^ Other Courts. Archived 2008-09-26 at the Wayback Machine Oregon Judicial Department. Retrieved on February 18, 2009.
External links
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