REDISTRICTING. REDISTRICTING. REDISTRICTING.
What More Can I Say?
A majority of my time is spent on redistricting. I can't stress enough the importance of speaking up and lending your voice to the next round of redistricting hearings.
It is important for us to acknowledge this unprecedented pandemic and how it has affected our constitutional responsibility as legislators. As it stands, without the courts approval, we have no path to do this job. Oregonians need us to evaluate all possible solutions. Covid and the resulting Census delay has given us an opportunity any other year we wouldn’t have. We should pass legislation now to get the responsibility out of the hands of partisan legislators and into a nonpartisan, independent commission. Over 60% of Americans agree.
View the New Bipartisan Poll on Gerrymandering and the Supreme Court here.
One party controls the Secretary of State, the Governor’s office and supermajority’s in both House and Senate. They control all levers of government. The redistricting process is fundamentally political. To quote an expert in redistricting who spoke to our House Special Committee on Redistricting: Where Democrats have unilateral control in redistricting, they take it. (I would suggest the same about any party, which I believe is the point.)
The current political situation we find ourselves in makes it difficult, maybe impossible, to achieve fairness without political gerrymandering. Simply put, gerrymandering is cheating. No legislator will willingly subject himself or herself to a competitive district and election.
Former Democratic Representative Jeff Barker joined myself, Leader Christine Drazan, and Independent Party co-Chair Andrew Kaza in a call to form this independent, non-partisan commission. The coalition surrounding IP57, the ballot measure to form an independent commission, was extensive and included the Independent Party, Common Cause, League of Women Voters, NAACP, Oregon Farm Bureau and more. See the list here:
https://www.peoplenotpoliticiansoregon.com/endorsements/
Most importantly, the concept is simple: Voters should choose their politicians, not the other way around.
Over the last two weeks, the House Special Committee on Redistricting has taken testimony from community groups, leaders and ordinary citizens from across Oregon with one common theme rising above the others: a nonpartisan, independent commission. Add the tens of thousands of Oregonians who signed on to a ballot measure (IP57) before it was derailed by COVID and the time is now for the legislature to act.
We have the opportunity for a better Oregon, and we have a path to achieve that. We believe Oregon voters should choose their politicians. Politicians shouldn’t choose their voters. It’s a conflict of interest. The redistricting process this year is at serious risk. Because the new census data will not be available until September 2021, we have the opportunity to move the responsibility of redistricting from the partisan legislature to an independent, nonpartisan commission.
A nonpartisan, independent commission will ensure accountability and transparency to ensure appropriate representation in all of Oregon’s legislative and congressional districts. Competitive elections are not only fair to both parties they are the hallmark of a healthy and mature democracy.
26 states have already moved to or are moving to some form of an independent, nonpartisan commission. We’ve heard time and time again from all corners of Oregon, and this is what the people want. The only excuse for not moving forward with this proposal is that partisan politicians want to keep the power in their own hands. Oregon is better than that. Let’s embrace this opportunity for reform, improve representation and take politics out of this process.
You can watch this video about redistricting in my own words.
District 1 redistricting testimony from March 9
District 2 redistricting testimony from March 10
District 3 redistricting testimony from March 11
District 4 redistricting testimony from March 16
District 5 redistricting testimony from March 18
YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED
Sign up to testify District 1 on March 20 and District 2 on March 20
District 1: Clatsop, Columbia, part of Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill counties
District 2: Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jackson,
Jefferson, part of Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union,
Wallowa, Wasco, and Wheeler counties
Sign up to testify District 3 on April 10, District 4 on April 10, and District 5 on April 10
District 3: Includes part of Clackamas and part of Multnomah counties
District 4: Includes part of Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, parts of Josephine, Lane, and Linn
counties
District 5: Includes part of Benton, part of Clackamas, Lincoln, Marion, part of Multnomah,
Polk, and Tillamook counties
Contact my office for more information
FROM OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICANS:
"I disagree strongly with hiding from the truth, which is all these leaders are suggesting we do. The ones who will suffer will be our students." House Republican Leader Christine Drazan's reaction to news that state education officials want to avoid measuring how far students fell behind as a result of the pandemic.
Read full article here
FROM LINN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT:
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Vaccine Clinic for today, March 19th is AVAILABLE Please click HERE to Schedule.
If you would like to be added to the Linn County waitlist for our next available appointments, please complete the Linn County Waitlist Form. When appointments become available, we will email you the Linn County scheduling link to book the appointment.
For more information, click here
UPDATED VACCINE INFO FROM PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY
TODAY'S ACCELERATED TIMELINE PRIORITIZATION MEMO
FROM THE CDC:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has new guidance for people who are fully vaccinated (People are considered fully vaccinated if 14 days have passed since the final dose of their respective vaccine series). The CDC indicates that — outside of a health care setting — fully vaccinated people may:
- Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
- Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
If you are fully vaccinated, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others whenever you are:
It’s also important to get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, follow guidance issued by individual employers, and follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations.
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More Vaccine Information in Your Community
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Get Vaccinated Oregon: A new tool that answers basic questions about vaccine eligibility and provides information about vaccinations in your county.
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211: Text ORCOVID to 898211 (English and Spanish only) or email ORCOVID@211info.org for vaccine registration information. Alternatively, you can call 211 or 1-866-698-6155 (from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily).
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Licensed senior facilities: Residents and staff at most licensed facilities for older adults and people with disabilities are receiving on-site vaccinations through pharmacies enrolled in federal vaccination programs.
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The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program: Eligible Oregonians can begin making vaccination appointments directly at the following retailers’ websites:
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Travel Oregon has opened the Competitive & Recovery Grants program application for $2.3M in recovery grants, primarily for infrastructure and development that is focused on enhancing and expanding visitor experiences as part of the travel industry’s economic recovery.
Requests up to $100,000 will be accepted and no cash match is required. Opened March 16! Closes March 30, 2021 at 5PM.
Eligible applicants include those listed below that are doing business in Oregon and can demonstrate direct work in support of improving the economic impacts of Oregon’s travel and tourism industry:
- Local government
- Port districts
- Federally-recognized tribes
- Non-profit entities registered with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office
- Oregon-based tour operators, guides and outfitters
Here is the grant information including project types.
FROM THE DEMOCRAT HERALD
"The Linn County Board of Commissioners and the Linn County Fair Board are urging everyone to get ready for an in-person fair this year. The annual multi-day affair went virtual last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but officials hope that the nationwide vaccination campaign will make it possible to conduct one this year."
Read full article here
My office is here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any community event announcements, legislative questions, or concerns.
Stay tuned and stay involved!
Talk soon,
 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis
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