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Chalk the Vote!

Celebrating the Right to Vote In August 2020, the Oregon Women’s History Consortium(OWHC) is encouraging Oregonians to decorate their sidewalks and stairs. In 1913, sidewalk chalk messages were used by women demanding the right to vote. In 2020, we celebrate the many times when our nation has expanded the right to vote to more and more citizens. We love this idea for having fun while highlighting the importance of the vote! #ChalkTheVoteOR This fun project fits the LWV mission! Defending voting rights is central to the mission of the League of Women Voters: “Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.” Our democracy depends Read more…

By Margaret Noel, ago

You can trust vote by mail

The  League of Women Voters of the U.S. published this essay on reasons to trust vote by mail.  It was written by the co-president of the LWV of Johnson County, Kansas.  Below are summaries of her five reasons. Click here to read the whole article. Americans have voted by mail since the Civil War!  (And all Oregon elections have been by mail since 1999.) It is difficult for someone to vote another person’s ballot. Every signature is checked to make sure it matches the signature of a registered voter. The mailing, delivery, processing and counting of mail-in ballots are protected Read more…

By Margaret Noel, ago

Improving Police Oversight

Speaking out again for better community oversight of police The Portland League has sent testimony to the City Council, supporting Commissioner Hardesty’s proposed charter amendment on police oversight. The City Council will discuss this proposal on Wednesday, July 29, at 3:30. Below is an excerpt from our testimony. You can read the whole statement here. Although we recognize that it will take more than a charter change, this proposal has the potential to bring us much closer to the type of system envisioned by the majority of Mayor Katz’s workgroup in 2000. That workgroup called for an independent civilian agency guided by a community Read more…

By Margaret Noel, ago

Demanding Equal Rights for All

From Protests to Progress In beautiful and mostly peaceful Portland, we have experienced many weeks of civil protests. First, demanding an end to police brutality and systemic racism. Then, also resisting unwarranted and unwanted federal intervention. And finally refocusing on demands for racial justice and police accountability. Portland and Oregon are fortunate to have many politically active and informed citizens. We need our governments to listen and to act. Fortunately, our local, regional and state governments have paid attention to our concerns. Elected officials have begun changing some important policies and laws. We want the federal administration to also take Read more…

By Margaret Noel, ago