Official election results are in, and we are thrilled to share in our collective successes!
We showed up across race, place, and party. We protected our freedom to decide if and when we grow our families, our freedom to vote, and our freedom for our families to thrive. We stood up to fascist policies and the MAGA Republicans that perpetuate them.
We elected leaders and passed legislative measures that will support our communities. And we laid the groundwork to continue leveling the playing field for all Oregonians – regardless of where they come from or what they look like. This will be particularly impactful for our BIPOC communities, immigrant communities, and AAPIs in Oregon.
In the past few months, we took to the streets. We knocked on doors, we called over 13,000 voters; we sent nearly 10,000 text messages; we translated our voter guide into eight different languages and sent more than 10,000 mailers to APANO supporters to take action and VOTE! Our community matters in elections – not only as voters, but as leaders in the halls of power.
We are fired up about the historic, community-rooted leaders coming into office! Notably, there are five wins we are proud to report.
🤩 After more than 20 years with no AAPI representation in Oregon’s State Legislature, Representative Khanh Pham became our first Vietnamese American to serve in the legislature in 2020. We are thrilled to know she will be joined next year by representative-elects Hoa Nguyen, Daniel Nguyen, Hai Pham, and Thuy Tran! Oregon will have the largest caucus and first in the nation of Vietnamese American lawmakers in the U.S.
🤩 First Punjabi-Sikh and former APANO Community Outreach Manager, Jairaj Singh, was elected to Tigard City Council!
🤩 Yi Kang-Hu will also be joining Tigard City Council and is the first Taiwanese Immigrant to serve on council.
🤩 Annessa Hartman, a member of the Cayuga Nation, is Oregon’s third Indigenous person elected to the state legislature.
🤩 At just 24-years-old, Wlnsvey Campos was the youngest legislator ever elected when she became Representative for Oregon House District 28 in 2020. She is now the youngest legislator in the Senate and will be representing House District 18.
Altogether, a majority of the candidates we endorsed won their races and will be sworn in this January! In total, APANO endorsed candidates in 28 races across the State.
Statewide
Oregon Governor: Tina Kotek ✅
Oregon Labor Commissioner: Christina Stephenson ✅
Congressional District 5: Jamie McLeod Skinner ❌
Multnomah County
State Representative, House District 33: Maxine Dexter ✅
State Representative, House District 38: Daniel Nguyen ✅
State Representative, House District 45: Thuy Tran ✅
State Representative, House District 46: Khanh Pham ✅
State Representative, House District 48: Hoa Nguyen ✅
State Representative, House District 47: Andrea Valderrama ✅
State Representative, House District 50: Ricki Ruiz ✅
State Senate District 24: Kayse Jama ✅
Multnomah County Chair: Jessica Vega Pederson ✅
Portland City Commissioner Position 3: Jo Ann Hardesty ❌
Gresham City Council: Eddy Morales ✅
Washington County
State Representative, House District 30: Nathan Sosa ✅
State Representative, House District 34: Lisa Reynolds ✅
State Representative, House District 35: Farrah Chaichi ✅
State Representative, House District 36: Hai Pham ✅
State Senator, Senate District 18: Wlnsvey Campos ✅
Tigard City Council: Yi-Kang Hu ✅
Tigard City Council: Jai Raj Singh ✅
Beaverton City Council: Ashley Hartmeier-Prigg ✅
Marion County
State Senate District 10: Deb Patterson ✅
Clatsop and Columbia Counties
Senate District 16: Melissa Busch ❌
Clackamas County
Clackamas County Commision: Libra Forde ❌
Clackamas County Clerk: Catherine McMullen ✅
Senate District 13: Aaron Woods ✅
House District 40: Annessa Hartman ✅
In addition to electing leaders who will stand up for all Oregonians, voters were passionate about the economy and healthcare. From adding the right to affordable healthcare to Oregon’s Constitution, to removing language that allows the use of slavery and involuntary servitude, there were eight important initiatives on the ballot this year.
Statewide:
Measure 111 – Right to Healthcare ✅
Measure 112 – Oregonians United to End Slavery ✅
Measure 113 – Hold Politicians Accountable ✅
Multnomah County:
Measure 26-228 – Portland United for Change, Charter Reform ✅
Measure 26-231 – Extending Voting Rights ❌
Measure 26-225 – Parks Metro Levy, Protects Natural Areas ✅
Measure 26-227 – David Douglas Teachers Levy ✅
Washington County:
Measure 34-321 – Beaverton Teachers Levy ✅
Unfinished business
While we celebrated a close race for Oregon’s next governor and historic wins for our AAPI communities, there were a few defeats. Familiar forces – wealth and status quo power – spread misinformation. Coupled with a lack of accountability from fellow Portland City Council Commissioners and Portland City Mayor, Jo Ann Hardesty lost her bid for re-election as Portland City Commissioner.
Despite this setback, the passing of the Portland Charter Commission gives us the opportunity to redraw district lines, ensuring true representation and a more accountable city government. Come 2024, all Portland City Commissioner seats will be up for re-election.
This past election cycle was also the first time APANO endorsed in a federal race for Congressional District 5. We want to congratulate Jamie McLeod Skinner for running an incredible campaign and thank her for bringing us along in her journey!
While we celebrated the win of governor elect Tina Kotek, it was a close race. Christine Drazan may not have won, but her campaign continued to amplify anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-poor sentiments. We must acknowledge that white supremacy and white nationalism will always be unfinished business, and that long term people-power building will overcome.
Now, we rest, collaborate, and continue on. This election was just a snapshot of our integrated voter engagement plan. Just around the corner is the beginning of a long legislative session and future elections. We will continue to organize, mobilize, and show up for our communities, and we hope you will join us in whatever way makes sense for you!
Ways you can get involved
- APANO wants to welcome you back into the political things after the holidays! Join us for some food, discuss election big rocks, and look towards the upcoming legislative sessions. RSVP now!
- Find out who represents you! These are the folks we will reach out to when it comes time to advocate for the initiatives we care about.
- Complete APANO’s Legislative Agenda Survey to help shape our 2023 long legislative session priorities.
- Sign up to become an APANO Politico! We’ll send periodic emails to share important updates and opportunities to advocate and volunteer.
Donate to support APANO’s efforts in protecting our freedom to have an equal say in the decisions that impact our lives.
This programming message brought to you by APANO, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization.
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