Opportunities for Engagement

Looking Forward Opportunities to Engage

As we move into 2023, Act for Democracy remains alive and well and welcomes your engagement in the important work of activism. In addition to A4D’s activities, we will serve as a conduit for the activities coordinated by the broader Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network (COIN). We also plan to send bi-weekly newsletters such as this one to update you on ongoing events. It is our hope to organize face-to-face community meetings, featuring speakers of interest, on a quarterly basis. More details will be coming soon. For now, we want to inform you of the following current opportunities for getting involved. Portland City Charter Changes. In November of 2022 Portland voters approved Ballot Measure 26-228 requiring the City to create new geographic districts, implement ranked choice voting, and change the roles of City Council members. In order to prepare for the first election in November 2024 with the new districts and ranked-choice voting, an Independent District Commission will be formed to establish the new districts, a Salary Commission will set salaries for elected officials, and a Charter Transition Advisory Committee will advise on the overall process. The Salary Commission is now seeking applicants. If you would like to apply to sit on the commission, please visit this webpage for additional information and details for applying. Applications are due by January 31. If you would like to submit a comment on the establishment of the new geographic districts, go here. Legislative Tracking. COIN will be organizing several teams to track legislation in Salem during the current legislative session, which just got underway. The goal is to identify bills worth following, to research and follow the bills, and to help narrow the field by focusing on the most significant legislation for COIN to endorse and support. If you would like to help in this effort, please sign up for the COIN Legislative Team by clicking here, which will take you to a form for indicating which topics are of most interest to you. Among the types of bills that will be tracked are those that deal with climate, energy, and the environment; campaign finance reform; criminal justice; and immigration and social justice. Climate, Energy and the Environment (CEE). In addition to the CEE team tracking legislation, COIN has an CEE Task Force that meets monthly (year-round) to work on a range of statewide, regional, and national issues, including forestry and forest management practices, breaching the four Lower Snake River dams, a factory farming moratorium, and relocating the proposed Goldendale energy storage project away from Indigenous sacred sites. If you are interested in joining the CEE Task Force or want more information, contact Michael Heumann at heumanncycle@gmail.com. Act for Democracy Leadership Board. The A4D Leadership Board is a group of eight to ten individuals who meet monthly to plan A4D’s activities. We send out a newsletter, maintain the website, arrange and find speakers for quarterly meetings, and organize other activities as appropriate. We are always looking for new members and encourage anyone who is interested in joining the Board to contact us at a4dpdx@gmail.com.

Stay tuned for a membership survey that will be coming your way soon. Though we're on hiatus until June, the steering committee is considering how Act for Democracy should move forward. Your input is a vital and necessary part of that process.