There’s an election this month in Oregon: an off-year “special” election to decide who will hold nonpartisan board positions for community colleges, school districts, educational service districts, and fire and water districts. These are low-profile races, in a low-turnout election, so union voters can really make a difference: electing candidates who will side with working people, and passing measures that will put union members to work building infrastructure or providing public services. The following candidates and measures have asked for union support, and have received the endorsement of one or more labor organizations.
DON’T FORGET! Ballots were mailed out starting April 29, and must be received by county elections departments by May 19.
MULTNOMAH COUNTY
Multnomah Education Service District
Position 6, at large: Stephen Marc Beaudoin (Portland Association of Teachers; Northwest Oregon Labor Council; MESD Education Association)
Position 7, Zone 3: Siobhan Burke (Portland Association of Teachers; Northwest Oregon Labor Council; MESD Education Association, AFT-Oregon)
Portland Community College
Zone 3: Michael Sonnleitner (Northwest Oregon Labor Council; PCC Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals; PCC Federation of Classified Employees)
Portland Public Schools
Zone 1: Julie Esparza Brown (Portland Association of Teachers)
Zone 2: Paul Anthony (Portland Association of Teachers)
Zone 3: Bobbie Regan (Portland Association of Teachers; Northwest Oregon Labor Council; Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council)
Corbett School District
Position 6: Lacey Auble (Corbett Education Association)
Reynolds School District
Measure 26-164, Capital bond: Support (Northwest Oregon Labor Council)
CLACKAMAS COUNTY
North Clackamas School District
Position 2: Lee Merrick (North Clackamas Education Association)
Position 3: Trisha Claxton (North Clackamas Education Association; North Clackamas Chapter 71 of Oregon School Employees Association; UFCW Local 555)
Position 7: Steven Schroedl (North Clackamas Education Association)
City of West Linn
Mayor: Thomas Frank (Northwest Oregon Labor Council; UFCW Local 555)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Hillsboro School District
Position 4: Kim Strelchun (Hillsboro Education Association)
Position 5: Lisa Allen (Northwest Oregon Labor Council; Hillsboro Education Association)
Position 7: Jaime Rodriguez (Northwest Oregon Labor Council; Hillsboro Education Association; PCC Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals)
Beaverton School District
Zone 3: Melissa Potter (Beaverton Education Association)
Zone 6: Becky Tymchuk (Beaverton Education Association)
Daniel Vazquez (Northwest Oregon Labor Council)
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue
Position 4: Randy Lauer (Tualatin Valley Firefighters Union, IAFF Local 1660)
Position 5: Brian Clopton (Tualatin Valley Firefighters Union, IAFF Local 1660)
COLUMBIA COUNTY
Port of St. Helens
Position 1: Robert Keyser (Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council; Northwest Oregon Labor Council; UFCW Local 555)
Position 2: Mike Avent (Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council; Northwest Oregon Labor Council; UFCW Local 555)
Position 3: Colleen DeShazer (Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council; Northwest Oregon Labor Council; UFCW Local 555)
LANE COUNTY
Eugene School Board
Position 4: Eileen Nittler (Oregon School Employees’ Association, Eugene Chapter 1; AFSCME Local 191)
Position 5: Kevin Cronin (Lane County Labor Council; Graduate Teaching Fellows AFT Local 3544; SEIU Local 503)
Position 7: Mary Walston (Oregon School Employees Association, Eugene Chapter 1)
