Linn County Democrats' endorsements in the May 20 Election
For more information about the election and links to the candidates and measure we've endorsed, see our May 20 Election page.
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Campaign events
Greater Albany Public Schools Board candidates Kris McLaughlin, left, Stephanie Lunceford and Kristopher Schendel attended a meet and greet May 5 at Calapooia Brewing. The Linn Democrats endorse all three candidates in the Special District Election that ends at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.
Tuesday, May 13
Zoom chat with Kris McLaughlin, at-large position 2 candidate for GAPS Board, 8 p.m. To register for the Zoom chat, click here.
Zoom chat with Kris McLaughlin, at-large position 2 candidate for GAPS Board, 8 p.m. To register for the Zoom chat, click here.
Weekly honk-and-wave protests
continue every Friday in downtown Albany
Resistance to the daily drumbeat of the Trump administration's bad news, policies and executive orders continues unabated around the country. That includes the weekly honk-and-wave protests from 4 to 6 p.m. every Friday in downtown Albany. Bring your signs and opinions to any of the four corners of the Ellsworth Street-Fourth Avenue intersection. Albany Regional Indivisible has organized this ongoing protest. (The photos were from last Friday's honk-and-wave, which drew 36 protesters.)
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May Day Protest
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May Day protests were held around the country Thursday, including one in front of the Linn Country Courthouse that was hosted by the Greater Albany Public Schools certified and classified unions. In a flyer promoting the event, organizers asked "educators, families and community members to stand up to attacks on public education. Show your support and wear red for ed!" About 60 people turned out, and many did wear the same red shirts that teachers and supporters wore during the three-week strike that ended nearly five months ago. Among the speakers Thursday was Stephanie Lunceford, above, a GAPS Board candidate who is endorsed by the Linn County Democrats and the two school unions. The Linn Dems also endorse Kristopher Schendel and Kris McLaughlin in GAPS Board races. Ballots started arriving at residences today. The special district election ends at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.
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Sen. Jeff Merkley: 'Resistance from every corner' needed now
April 30
Over the first 100 days of his presidency, Trump and his evil co-conspirator Office of Management and Budget Director, Russ Vought, have mounted a five-fold assault on us and on our democracy by:
In addition, Trump's chaotic economic policies are driving hardship for Americans by raising prices of goods — Trumpflation! — and undermining businesses, big and small.
And don't think for one second that any of this is about to end because Trump is charging full force ahead. Deportations to El Salvador. Detaining students exercising free speech. Eroding trust in our democracy. Extorting law firms. Suppressing the press. He's not stopping his tyrannical tirades.
This is a constitutional crisis. Our separation of powers and checks and balances are in the crosshairs. We must respond vigorously and passionately. The moment demands bold resistance from every corner.
Count me in. I'll do everything in my power to expand the resistance.Please do everything in your power to join that effort. That means getting off the couch and into the streets, it means holding your elected officials accountable, and it means joining an affinity group. Being angry and frustrated alone is depressing, but being angry and frustrated in partnership with others is energizing and effective.
Onward,
— Jeff
Over the first 100 days of his presidency, Trump and his evil co-conspirator Office of Management and Budget Director, Russ Vought, have mounted a five-fold assault on us and on our democracy by:
- • Attacking the courts
- • Attacking Congress's power of the purse
- • Flouting laws that dictate management of the executive branch
- • Attacking freedom of speech and due process for all
- • Attacking other centers of power and leadership, including universities and law firms
In addition, Trump's chaotic economic policies are driving hardship for Americans by raising prices of goods — Trumpflation! — and undermining businesses, big and small.
And don't think for one second that any of this is about to end because Trump is charging full force ahead. Deportations to El Salvador. Detaining students exercising free speech. Eroding trust in our democracy. Extorting law firms. Suppressing the press. He's not stopping his tyrannical tirades.
This is a constitutional crisis. Our separation of powers and checks and balances are in the crosshairs. We must respond vigorously and passionately. The moment demands bold resistance from every corner.
Count me in. I'll do everything in my power to expand the resistance.Please do everything in your power to join that effort. That means getting off the couch and into the streets, it means holding your elected officials accountable, and it means joining an affinity group. Being angry and frustrated alone is depressing, but being angry and frustrated in partnership with others is energizing and effective.
Onward,
— Jeff
'Protest for Freedom'
More than 200 people held a wide range of signs — including a "No King" piñata — for several hours Saturday afternoon in downtown Albany, protesting the Trump administraton's awful daily actions and policies. Unlike previous protests on Ellsworth Street, this one was held one block east of Ellsworth on Lyon Street, with protesters lining both sides of the street, from Fifth Avenue almost to Third. The move was done to avoid disturbing the opening day of Albany Farmers' Market. The Linn County Democrats and Mid-Valley For the People organized the protest. The Dems collected food for Fish of Albany and had an information table staffed by Susan Heath and Cathy McGuire. Slate cards with our endorsed school board candidates also were distributed. Two of the Democrats' endorsees, Greater Albany Public Schools Board candidate Stephanie Lunceford and Linn Benton Lincoln Education Service District candidate Michael Thomson participated in the protest and chatted with protesters. Among those holding signs were Barbara Nixon, a retired Methodist minister, and Rev. Hillary Hughes, executive director of Authentic Hope Center for Peace and Development. "I can't think of a better place to be — speaking for and advocating for justice between Good Friday and Easter — than out here on the streets doing this work," Nixon said; "I'm glad to be here."
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Videos: Signs of protest and sounds of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth"; Reflections on the day from Rev. Hillary Hughes, executive director of Authentic Hope Center for Peace and Empowerment, and Barbara Nixon, retired Methodist minister; and Vikki Mahaffy, who wants to "take back" the flag, insisting that our American flag is not a MAGA flag.
Linn Dems Chair Ben Watts' letter to Sen. Merkley:
Firmly oppose and filibuster 'SAVE Act'
April 10, 2025
Dear Senator Merkley,
On behalf of the Linn County Democratic Central Committee, as a firm believer in the foundational right to vote, and as a proponent for Oregon’s safe and secure mail-in voting system, I urge you to oppose and filibuster the so-called "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act" (SAVE Act), which recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives. While this bill claims to protect election integrity, in reality it creates unnecessary and harmful barriers to voter registration, particularly for marginalized Americans.
The SAVE Act mandates that all voters provide specific documentation proving their U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections. On paper, that may sound reasonable. But in practice, the bill’s specific requirements will create an onerous barrier to voting, particularly for naturalized citizens, the elderly, the poor, and rural voters who may not have access or the means to obtain the limited forms of documentation the bill demands. Many Americans, including those born in rural hospitals or abroad to U.S. citizens, simply don’t have easy access to the kind of “perfect paperwork” this law would require. No one should be denied their vote because they lack a passport or a specific version of a birth certificate.
Equally troubling is the bill’s language allowing states to purge voter rolls based on vague or unverifiable claims of non-citizenship, which may rely on flawed or inconsistent processes or data. The bill allows voter purges “based on documentary proof or verified information that the registrant is not a United States citizen” (Section 2 f) but does not make clear what may qualify to meet this burden of proof. This opens the door to mistaken removals, politically motivated purges, and, as a result, mass disenfranchisement. Our election systems must protect the integrity of the vote without excluding eligible Americans, and I believe that both of these goals are achievable. Safeguards already exist to penalize illegal voting, and current systems have proven effective in identifying the exceedingly rare cases when this occurs. Therefore, the red tape this bill establishes serves mainly to create barriers for those who are constitutionally guaranteed the right to participate.
I’m especially concerned about the impact this legislation will have on women, particularly women who have changed their names due to marriage or other circumstances. This bill makes no allowance for this sort of common name discrepancy across documents. A woman whose birth certificate is in her maiden name and whose ID is in her married name could be denied registration unless she jumps through extra hoops to prove her identity. This bill risks disenfranchising countless women. This oversight was identified during the bill’s consideration in the US House of Representatives. Amendments were proposed to correct for this oversight, but it was intentionally left unaddressed prior to the bill’s passage.
Voting is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who have the time and resources to successfully navigate bureaucratic red tape. I call on you to stand up for democracy and oppose the SAVE Act if it comes to a vote in the Senate. Our democracy depends on an inclusive, accessible system where every eligible citizen can make their voice heard.
Thank you for your continuing work protecting and expanding voting access.
Sincerely,
Ben Watts
Chair, Linn County Democrats
Dear Senator Merkley,
On behalf of the Linn County Democratic Central Committee, as a firm believer in the foundational right to vote, and as a proponent for Oregon’s safe and secure mail-in voting system, I urge you to oppose and filibuster the so-called "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act" (SAVE Act), which recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives. While this bill claims to protect election integrity, in reality it creates unnecessary and harmful barriers to voter registration, particularly for marginalized Americans.
The SAVE Act mandates that all voters provide specific documentation proving their U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections. On paper, that may sound reasonable. But in practice, the bill’s specific requirements will create an onerous barrier to voting, particularly for naturalized citizens, the elderly, the poor, and rural voters who may not have access or the means to obtain the limited forms of documentation the bill demands. Many Americans, including those born in rural hospitals or abroad to U.S. citizens, simply don’t have easy access to the kind of “perfect paperwork” this law would require. No one should be denied their vote because they lack a passport or a specific version of a birth certificate.
Equally troubling is the bill’s language allowing states to purge voter rolls based on vague or unverifiable claims of non-citizenship, which may rely on flawed or inconsistent processes or data. The bill allows voter purges “based on documentary proof or verified information that the registrant is not a United States citizen” (Section 2 f) but does not make clear what may qualify to meet this burden of proof. This opens the door to mistaken removals, politically motivated purges, and, as a result, mass disenfranchisement. Our election systems must protect the integrity of the vote without excluding eligible Americans, and I believe that both of these goals are achievable. Safeguards already exist to penalize illegal voting, and current systems have proven effective in identifying the exceedingly rare cases when this occurs. Therefore, the red tape this bill establishes serves mainly to create barriers for those who are constitutionally guaranteed the right to participate.
I’m especially concerned about the impact this legislation will have on women, particularly women who have changed their names due to marriage or other circumstances. This bill makes no allowance for this sort of common name discrepancy across documents. A woman whose birth certificate is in her maiden name and whose ID is in her married name could be denied registration unless she jumps through extra hoops to prove her identity. This bill risks disenfranchising countless women. This oversight was identified during the bill’s consideration in the US House of Representatives. Amendments were proposed to correct for this oversight, but it was intentionally left unaddressed prior to the bill’s passage.
Voting is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who have the time and resources to successfully navigate bureaucratic red tape. I call on you to stand up for democracy and oppose the SAVE Act if it comes to a vote in the Senate. Our democracy depends on an inclusive, accessible system where every eligible citizen can make their voice heard.
Thank you for your continuing work protecting and expanding voting access.
Sincerely,
Ben Watts
Chair, Linn County Democrats
About the Linn County Democratic Central Committee
The Linn County Democratic Central Committee (LCDCC) of Oregon welcomes all those, regardless of party affiliation, who support our ideals. We’re an all-volunteer organization that works hard to elect Democrats to represent the people of Linn County at local, state and national levels. Our meetings are generally held on the first Thursday of the month. Our next monthly meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 5.
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Resistence ResourcesAre you upset by the chaotic and cruel policies of the second Trump administration and want to take action? Check out our “Resistance Resources” with links to everything from effectively calling or writing your representatives, to organizations in the know about protests to blogs and podcasts from some of the greatest voices of resistance today.
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