On November 20, Deputy Secretary Rich Vial welcomed Oregon's next Kid Governor, Raaga Mandala, on the eve of her election. The Kid Governor program, which began in 2018, gives Oregon’s 5th graders the opportunity to create a campaign platform around a community issue, run for office, and vote on who they want their Kid Governor to be for the next year. Our first Kid Governor, Dom Peters of Brooks, pursued an anti-bullying platform while our second, Erikka Baldwin of Eugene, advocated for pet adoption. For her own community issue, Raaga has chosen transitioning homeless individuals into permanent housing. The Kid Governor program is so important for teaching Oregon's fifth graders the value of civic engagement and participation. Thanks to Dom and Erikka for their service and congratulations, Raaga!

On December 3, I attended the Annual Tribal-State Government-to-Government Summit at the Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, where state government officials met with members of Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes to discuss issues of shared interest. This year, the summit’s theme was “Shared opportunities: Learning from our past and working together to build a better future.” Discussions focused on education and economic development in tribal communities. While there, Governor Kate Brown and I were recognized for legislation we co-sponsored in 2001 that gave tribes the ability to teach tribal languages in schools in order to preserve their cultural heritage. Special thank you to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Governor Brown for hosting the event!

On my way to the Tribal-State summit, I stopped at the Umatilla County Elections Division, where I visited with Elections Director Dan Lonai and Chief Elections Officer Kim Lindell. Kim gave me a tour of their Elections facilities and a primer on the security measures that the county has implemented to ensure the integrity of their elections. I was very impressed. We also discussed the fact that, due to the County’s proximity to the Tri-Cities, many individuals receive information about Washington State elections, rather than Oregon elections. Given the potential for confusion that this creates, we suggested that the County consider making public service announcements of their own in Washington’s media markets, clarifying the differences for Oregon residents. Thanks to Kim and Dan for hosting me, and for all that they do to make sure Oregonians’ voices count.

On December 11, Deputy Vial attended the 2020 class of Leadership Eugene-Springfield, a 45-year-old collaboration between the Eugene and Springfield Chambers of Commerce to promote and foster the development of civic leaders in their communities. The 10-month program consists of monthly day-long sessions that are designed to increase participants’ knowledge of their communities and to develop their leadership skills. Deputy Vial was asked to speak during the program’s “Government Leaders” Day, on a panel themed “Statewide Governance.” He was joined by Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Val Hoyle and Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court Martha Walters.

On December 16, I attended the 17th Annual Oregon Leadership Summit in Portland. Organized by the Oregon Business Plan, this summit serves as one of the largest economic development forums in the state—bringing together elected, business, and nonprofit leaders from across Oregon to discuss public policies that will improve Oregon’s economy. The theme of this year’s summit was “The Long Game.” Although Oregon has experienced 11 years of economic expansion, historically low unemployment, and income growth, many Oregonians have not shared in that prosperity. The purpose of this year’s summit was to discuss how we can broaden the opportunities available to traditionally excluded communities over the next decade. In particular, I appreciated a discussion of “The Future of Manufacturing” hosted by Senator Betsy Johnson. Thank you to the Oregon Business Plan for inviting my staff and me. It was also good to see Columbia County Commissioner Margaret Magruder, Polk County Commissioner Craig Pope, and Tillamook County Commissioner David Yamamoto.

Last month, Deputy Vial passed by a small group of students in the halls of the Oregon State Capitol. They were from Sunset Academy in Sherwood, and they were touring the capitol building. Deputy Vial, who represented Sherwood in the Legislature, asked them if they wanted to meet the Secretary of State (they did) and he took them into my office to see me. We talked about what they were learning in school and about the importance of civic engagement.

Starting again in January, you can take a guided tour of the capitol building on any weekday at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm. Along the way, you’ll learn about the history of Oregon, the capitol building itself, and the legislative process. Walk-in visitors are welcome. Between June 15 and September 30, you can also combine your capitol tour with a tower tour, where you can climb the 121 steps to get a closer look at the Oregon Pioneer (also known ask the “gold man”) on top of the capitol building. Call 503-986-1388 for a current schedule of tower tours.

This month, I wanted to shine a spotlight on Aubrey Gesner, who works for the Business Services Division. Since coming to the Secretary of State’s office from the Department of Administrative Services, Aubrey has become an invaluable and key team member. Although her primary role is to serve as our Budget Analyst, she has since become the Division’s Application Administrator, Continuity of Operations Coordinator, and most recently a supporter of the Division’s Payroll and Benefits Coordinator. Aubrey is one of those people who always steps up when there’s a need—with enthusiasm and a big smile on her face. Working with people like Aubrey, who go above and beyond every single day, is one of the things that makes serving as your Secretary of State such an honor.

Sincerely,