2020 Oregon Statewide Candidates

The following information is copied from the information that the candidates themselves submitted for VOTE411.org and for the League of Women Voters of Oregon Voters’ Guide for the November 3, 2020 General Election.

Oregon Secretary of State

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Shemia Fagan (WFP, Dem) Civil Rights Attorney

Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public) (971) 998-9676
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://ShemiaForOregon.com
Town Where You Live Milwaukie, OR
Your Experience/Qualifications 2019-Present: Oregon Senate, District 24 2013-2017: Oregon House, District 51 2011-2013: David Douglas School Board Civil Rights Attorney 2008 – Present
LWV Interview Video http://youtu.be/kN-cekcDC5Q
County Clackamas


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Kyle Markley (LBT) Computer Engineer

Biographical Information
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://kylemarkley.org
Town Where You Live Hillsboro
Your Experience/Qualifications Joint Interim Task Force on Campaign Finance Reform, 2015-2017; Libertarian Party of Oregon board of directors, 2013-present.
County Washington


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Nathalie Paravicini (PRO, PGP) Naturopathic Doctor

Biographical Information
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://paravicini4sos.org
Town Where You Live Portland
Your Experience/Qualifications Given the current climate and social crisis, it is clear that previous policies are not working. I have a unique experience as 1) a Naturopathic Doctor serving OHP chronically-ill patients, 2) a small business owner, 3) a community rep. on committees for public policy, and 4) a sought-after moderator for conflict resolution. I am free from major funders or parties. I have the creativity to help craft and steer a vision that meets the needs of small businesses, communities and the environment.
LWV Interview Video http://youtu.be/jWLG32FX3c4
County Multnomah


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Kim Thatcher (Rep) Business Owner

Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public) (503) 932-1291
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://www.KimThatcher.com
Town Where You Live Keizer
Your Experience/Qualifications I have served in the Legislature since 2005 and have run my own construction company for 28 year
LWV Interview Video http://youtu.be/7rIWmx-SW8U
County SOS is a statewide office.


Questions for Secretary of State Candidates:

What criteria or factors would you use to make the right decisions for Oregon’s state forests?

Shemia Fagan: We must serve as good stewards to current and future generations’ natural resources. As a member of the State Land Board and a fiduciary of the Common School Fund, it will be my duty to balance the needs of the CSF against any potential negative impact on our environment. I will prioritize actively assessing maintenance costs of state lands, the fund’s investment policy and performance, and ongoing fund distributions with the goal of ensuring lands are maintained and that the fund is stable.

Kyle Markley: I have no background on forestry, so I would rely on the advice of experts in the field. I believe our forests are important resources, both ecologically and economically, and would seek to balance those uses. I do not believe government is necessarily the best steward of lands, and would be at least open to entertaining sales of land into private hands, whether for conservation or for productive purposes.

Nathalie Paravicini: This year’s fires make it clear we need to prioritize sustainability when making decisions about our forests. Our state services are underfunded because the federal government spends more than 50% of the budget on the military. I will help organize a national coalition to redirect our economy, with a focus on modernizing infrastructure. That would fund local jobs relieving the pressure on natural resources. My 2nd priority is bridging the false concept that we need to pit jobs against nature.

Kim Thatcher: Our legal obligation to Oregonians is managing state forests to the “greatest permanent value” for the people. An Oregon jury recently awarded a $1.1 billion dollar judgement for failing to manage state forests and make payments to counties (and the Common School Fund). We must ensure proper contractual management owed the people, while balancing conservation concerns for future forest continuity. We must also ensure forest resilience from wildfire by bringing stakeholders together.

Do you support or oppose the creation of an independent redistricting commission? Why or why not?

Shemia Fagan: Every Oregonian’s voice should be heard and their vote should count equally, that’s why I support a fair and independent redistricting process and signed the National Democratic Redistricting Committee’s Fair Redistricting pledge. A fair map comes from an inclusive and transparent process. If I were in charge of redistricting as Secretary of State I would prioritize creating a system that is transparent, inclusive, representative, and responsive to the will of the people.

Kyle Markley: If the legislature is unable to enact a redistricting plan, and therefore the matter transfers to the Secretary of State, I would certainly create an independent redistricting committee or commission to perform that work. The approach I favor to avoid partisan gerrymandering is to draw district boundaries using an algorithm that is purposefully ignorant of voters’ party affiliations, depending more heavily on factors like geographic compactness.

Nathalie Paravicini: Absolutely. We need a fair non-partisan commission to oversee redistricting. The goal should be to facilitate true representation and participation in the electoral process, and NOT on keeping a “balance” of power for political machines. It is sad that Attorney General Rosenblum sabotaged efforts to place the initiative on the ballot, allowing We The People to make that decision. This clearly shows that the two-party system is corrupt. We need Ranked-Choice Voting more than ever: fairvote.org.

Kim Thatcher: YES. I was disappointed to see Oregon’s Attorney General block citizens in federal court from bringing IP57 – People Not Politicians redistricting ballot measure – to the people for a vote. Oregonians want Independent Redistricting; I support them. It was terrible that the Legislature changed the law to prevent easy online signature gathering (I voted no – my opponent voted yes). If elected and I’m tasked to redistrict, I’ll convene a citizens’ group to help draw lines publicly & transparently.

What, if any, steps should the Secretary of State’s office take to improve election integrity and security?

Shemia Fagan: Oregon’s vote by mail system has been working safely and effectively for decades. As a Mom, I love voting at the kitchen table with my kids. Our next Secretary of State needs to focus on protecting our elections from misinformation and partisan attacks and securing Oregon’s voter registration database from cyberattacks.

Kyle Markley: I believe Oregon already does a great job with election security and I have confidence in our results, but I would always welcome advice from security experts about how to improve. Regarding election integrity, we can do better. Although the regulation of political activity in Oregon is less than in most other states, our regulations still stifle grassroots political activity and suppress minority political ideas. We need more freedom to engage in politics and should vote against Measure 107.

Nathalie Paravicini: Fraud in elections are mostly campaign finance violations. OR already has good measures in place for voting per se. Mail ballots are secure with a paper trail. We could lead and move to open source election software and open security procedures. Other measures for integrity: 1) enforcing Measure 47 campaign finance limits for the 2022 elections, 2) pushing public funding of elections similar to Portland’s small donor match program that lead to increased diversity and quality of candidates.

Kim Thatcher: After each Presidential election, the SOS should conduct a top-to-bottom audit of the process to learn how we can make our systems more secure, what resources are needed to expand voting access, and if there has been any occurrences of fraud. We’ve had issues in the past – election workers filling in ballots or people harvesting ballots and turning them in after election day; an audit would show us system flaws so we can address security through funding, new laws, or administrative rule-making.


Oregon State Treasurer

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Jeff Gudman (Rep) Private Investor

Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public) (503) 780-1524
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://JeffGudman.org
Town Where You Live Lake Oswego
LWV Interview Video http://youtu.be/KaCe3jv5c2A
County Clackamas
Term 4 years


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Chris Henry (PRO, PGP) Union Truck Driver 16+ years w/YRC Freight, Inc. (Teamsters, Local 81)

Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public) (503) 443-5801
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable)http://www.chrishenry.org
YouTube Video (leave blank if not applicable)http://www.youtube.com/v/0x9Rs9V88bc
Town Where You Live Oregon City
Your Experience/Qualifications former board member, Oregon Consumer League former delegate, Consumer Federation of America co-chair, Williamette Neighborhood Association
LWV Interview Video http://youtu.be/U-RIQaYtQQs
Term 4 year


Michael P Marsh (CON)

Candidate has not yet responded.



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Tobias Read (WFP, Dem) State Treasurer

Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public) (503) 960-4245
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://www.tobiasread.com
Town Where You Live Portland, OR
Your Experience/Qualifications State Treasurer, 2017-present; State Representative, 2007-2016; Oregon Innovation Council; Oregon Business Development Commission.
LWV Interview Video http://youtu.be/tO_b0aviC4Y
Twitter @TobiasRead
County Multnomah


Questions for Candidates for State Treasurer

Would you support a state bank for Oregon? Why or why not?

Jeff Gudman: A state bank will require a voter approved change to Oregon’s constitution. At this time, there are far more pressing needs to address than a change to the Oregon Constitution to permit a state owned bank.

Chris Henry: Creating a viable State Bank for Oregon is my top priority.The State of Oregon has over $115 billion of investment funds, much placed with Wall Street, hedge funds, vulture capitalists who take about $1 billion/year in fees (undisclosed) and direct nearly 100% to businesses outside Oregon. Oregon local governments pay Wall Street high interest rates + over $100 million/year bond placement fees. They could borrow for much less from a State Bank. See www.orpublicbank.org and www.chrishenry.org.


Michael P Marsh: Candidate has not yet responded.

Tobias Read: Oregon State Treasury provides many of the functions that proponents point to as desirable benefits of a “state bank.” I understand why people are looking for ways that the state can better support locally owned lending institutions and small businesses. I think there are faster and less expensive ways to do that. I’m very interested in looking for ways that OST, as well as existing programs that are located at Business Oregon and with the Growth Board, can better align to accomplish these goals

What criteria or factors would you use to make the right decisions for Oregon’s state forests?

Jeff Gudman: Serving on the State Land Board is the Treasurer’s only Constitutional role, Oregon’s assets are our state forests and waterways, not just currency. Like any financial asset, we want to that grow and must plan for restocking. My approach is to recognize the discretion and flexibility that the law gives us to allow non-economic factors. I would apply federal environmental law robustly and I will make my decisions using collaborative, fact based research based on current law and regulations.

Chris Henry: Oregon should not sell the Elliot State Forest or any other state forest. The forests are Oregon’s primary carbon sink and should be maintained to absorb some of the massive amounts of greenhouse gases we emit. We should manage them labor-intensively, without aerial spraying of pesticides. We should plant industrial hemp at appropriate locations to produce 50 times the fibre per acre of old growth forest.

Michael P Marsh: Candidate has not yet responded.

Tobias Read: My priority on the State Land Board is to modernize how we approach the investment portfolio. Ultimately we must manage the portfolio in a way that recognizes both the environmental and economic impact that will result from our decision making. Giving weight to considerations that meet the public’s general benefit such as conservation or recreation can also help give us a broader picture when making decisions.

What ideas do you have for fulfilling the obligations of the PERS system?

Jeff Gudman: There are no easy answers to the PERS obligations but I have ideas: redirect unanticipated revenue from the 2017 Federal Tax Act to the unfunded liability; evaluate the applicability of the recently adopted OHSU retirement program for all of Oregon; undertake no new infrastructure projects (but maintain/improve all existing infrastructure) and redirect those funds to the unfunded liability; consider joint adoption of a reduction in the income tax and introduction of a sales tax by voter approval

Chris Henry: Oregon has less unfunded PERS obligations per capita than 40 other states. Still, increasing PERS costs are a problem. As the only non-corporate, pro-worker candidate in this race, I do not support further cuts to employee benefits, and the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that retirees are entitled to the benefits they earned. A State Bank could save Oregon up to $1 billion/year in financier fees, while investing in Oregon jobs and more than covering the PERS deficit. More at www.chrishenry.org.

Michael P Marsh: Candidate has not yet responded.

Tobias Read: I have a responsibility to advocate for wise financial policy that stabilizes Oregon’s long run financial future. I have worked to move some of our investment operations in house which has reduced the expenses we pay in fees to Wall Street firms. I’ve also sought to be honest about the pension system. There are many seeking elected office who pedal false promises, packaged up as supposed “reform” which are dismissive of the real constraints placed upon the system by our courts.



Oregon Attorney General

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Michael Cross (Rep) Software Designer

Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public) (503) 805-5226
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://www.michaelcross4oregon.com/
YouTube Video (leave blank if not applicable) http://www.youtube.com/v/He2m_DmbM5E
Town Where You Live Turner
Your Experience/Qualifications In the Air Force I worked in law enforcement, assisting in the apprehension of criminal suspects while completing leadership training. I recently led a narrowly unsuccessful attempt to nvoke an election to recall governor Kate Brown. My work experience has more in common with everyday Oregonians than with the political elite. I have been a software engineer, professional driver, helicopter mechanic, and provided support to Air Force search and rescue missions.
County Marion
Term 4 Years


Lars D H Hedbor (LBT)

Candidate has not yet responded.


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Ellen Rosenblum (IND, WFP, Dem) Oregon Attorney General

Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public) (541) 450-1908
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable) http://ellenrosenblum
Town Where You Live Portland
Your Experience/Qualifications Oregon Attorney General (2012-present); Oregon Court of Appeals Judge (2005-2011); Multnomah County District and Circuit Court Judge (1989- 2005); Assistant United States Attorney (1980-1988)
County Statewide
Term 4 years


Questions for Candidates for Oregon Attorney General

Should the Attorney General’s office investigate police killings or other cases of police misconduct? Why or why not?

Michael Cross: The Oregon Constitution provides for the attorney general to provide legal opinions and represent the state in a variety of capacities. The attorney general is also sworn to defend and uphold the U.S. Constitution, the Oregon Constitution, and state law. Toward those end I will call for and support the investigation of alleged police killings and/or misconduct, and call for prosecutions where warranted and called for by the law.

Lars D H Hedbor: Candidate has not yet responded.

Ellen Rosenblum: Particularly at this time of reckoning, with protesters demanding an end to police violence and action to address racial injustices, what’s most important is that investigations be conducted independently. Currently, my office can only investigate if a district attorney or the governor requests it. If the Legislature were to give my office broader authority, the Oregon Department of Justice will conduct our investigations with utmost care—but will need additional resources to be effective.


What can the state do to promote better models of handling mental health issues as people interact with the justice system?

Michael Cross: Mental health issues contribute to derailing the lives of many, and complicates the struggles of those trying to get their lives on track. People need to take responsibility for their actions, but I will improve the balance between punishment and mercy by making recommendations on legislation, and taking into account mental health issues when issuing legal opinions and making official representations. I also support exonerating wrongfully convicted people when new evidence comes to light.

Lars D H Hedbor: Candidate has not yet responded.

Ellen Rosenblum: First, we need to ensure that justice system personnel on the street are better educated on mental health issues and better trained in de-escalation techniques. Ideally, every Oregon city would have a service in place modeled on Eugene’s Cahoots. Second, we need mental-health courts, where all involved are focused on getting people proper treatment; jail is rarely the appropriate way to address mental health challenges.


What role does the Attorney General have in promoting transparency and fairness in the justice system?

Michael Cross: In ensuring transparency, securing the rights of all Oregonians, and holding executives accountable who exceed their legal or constitutional authority, the attorney general is empowered to issue legal opinions on all of these matters (and more) as provided for in the law. Perhaps as important, the office of attorney general also offers a platform to educate Oregonians about their rights under the law and how to hold all public officials accountable for how they use their authority.

Lars D H Hedbor: Candidate has not yet responded.

Ellen Rosenblum: Transparency and fairness in Oregon’s justice system are pillars of my work. The hate crimes and police profiling task forces I led focused on collecting, analyzing, and reporting data — to create actionable information. Our work has provided support to victims of bias and hate and helped reduce — but not eliminate — racial disparities in stops and arrests. My office has also led the most significant Public Records Law reform in 40 years, giving the public timelier and better access to records.


 

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