Updates from the Oregon SOS: Give us your feedback on an agency logo

Oregon Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 01/24/2024 01:00 PM PST

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Dear Oregonians,

Before we get into the key updates this month, I want to invite you to participate in a brand refresh project for the Secretary of State’s Office.

Did you know the Secretary of State’s Office doesn’t have its own logo? I’m hoping to change that in my time at the agency. I think Oregonians are best served by state agencies when it is easy to determine who is doing what – it’s a part of being transparent! A logo, consistent fonts and color schemes will ensure Oregonians know that elections, audits, corporations, and archives all live within the SOS office.

I’d like your feedback on our initial designs. If you’d like to participate, use the sign-up link here: https://forms.office.com/g/z3KNja4Z50

Sincerely,

LaVonne Griffin-Valade
Oregon Secretary of State

Executive Office

In December, we released our annual Government-to-Government Report detailing all the ways our office engaged with Oregon’s nine federally-recognized Tribes. As one of three constitutional offices established at statehood, the Secretary of State’s Office has a lengthy history of voluntary compliance with the Governor’s executive order for annual report submissions, appointing a Tribal Liaison, participation in G2G clusters and additional relevant activities. We greatly respect and appreciate our engagement with the Tribes.

Elections Division: Secretary Griffin-Valade honors those who make democracy work

As a member of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), Secretary Griffin-Valade awarded five NASS medallions and two John Lewis Youth Leadership Awards to an incredible group of Oregonians. In light of the ongoing threats, harassment and false information campaigns targeting the people who make our democracy work, this year’s awards focus on Oregon’s county elections officials and members of the Oregon Translation Advisory Council.

The NASS medallions were presented to:

Dana Jenkins, Lincoln County Clerk (38 years of service, 32 as county clerk)
Robin Church, Union County Clerk (32 years of service, 16 as county clerk)
Renee’ Kolen, Curry County Clerk (37 years of service, 30 as county clerk)
Mickie Kawai, Washington County Elections Division Manager (33 years of service)
Cheryl Betschart, Lane County Clerk (20+ years of service, 12 as county clerk)

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Awards were presented to Angelo Arredondo Baca and Renee Liu in honor of their work on the Translation Advisory Council. Congratulations to our award-winners!

Audits Division: An audit of emergency rental assistance and testimony before the Legislature

In early January, the Audits Division released a performance audit of Oregon Housing and Community Services. The audit looked at Oregon’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which distributed funding during the pandemic to help Oregonians avoid eviction. Auditors found OHCS distributed $426 million in emergency rental assistance as of June 2023; however, due to limited oversight and controls, the agency can’t be certain that spending met federal guidelines or even how much funding went to eligible applicants. Auditors made 16 recommendations to the agency for improving financial controls and how to improve its emergency response in the future. Read the full audit report on our website.

Members of the Audits Division also joined Secretary Griffin-Valade in testimony before the Legislature during legislative days January 10^th and 11^th. Auditors shared findings from December’s M110 audit, a financial audit of the Oregon Lottery, October’s domestic violence advisory report, and August’s Extreme Risk Protection Order report before several committees. The division always appreciates legislators’ interest in our audit work and are happy to have the opportunity to share our findings.

Constituent Services: Most commonly asked questions

The Secretary of State’s Office receives many requests for information or assistance each month. Below are some of the most common topics constituents reached out to us about last month, and helpful information related to them. If you need assistance, contact us at oregon.sos@sos.oregon.gov.

Where can I find candidate filing information for the 2024 election?
All election candidate filings and local measures can be found on our website here: State of Oregon: Elections - Candidate Filings and Local Measures. For information on submitting candidacy forms for public office, finding open public offices, guides and election forms, please visit our website here: State of Oregon: Elections - Run for Public Office
With tax season upon us, where can I find or register for a State Payroll Tax Identification Number (Business Identification Number, or BIN)?
You can register quickly and securely on the Department of Revenue, Revenue Online For questions, call 503-945-8091 or 800-356-4222. BIN numbers cannot be obtained by phone. Or visit Registration & Status Changes on the Employment website.
Where can I find more information regarding my obligations as a business owner concerning the Corporate Transparency Act?
All questions should be directed to FinCEN. Email: FRC@fincen.gov or Website contact form: https://www.fincen.gov/contact | Phone number: 1-800-767-2825