The Oregon primaries took place on May 19, but despite already being a vote-by-mail state amidst COVID-19, Oregon saw only a 46% turnout of registered voters, or 1,320,789 individuals out of 2,845,326, according to oregonvotes.gov. With regards to percentages, Wheeler County saw the highest number of voter turnout at 67.03%, while Umatilla County saw the lowest at 36.64%. In Polk County, 42.57% of registered voters contributed, or 25,173 individuals out of 59,140. Oregon participates in a closed primary, where only those registered to vote for their respective party can cast their votes and registered independents cannot.
Overwhelmingly considered a ‘blue’ state, Oregon’s colors were closer to purple when counting votes for both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees; representing 66.09% of Democratic votes, former Vice President, Joe Biden, won the primary, with 405,066 votes while President Trump won the Republican primary with 357,976 total Republican votes, representing a landslide 93.56% of Republican voters. Oregon also had one senate seat open, which a whopping 98.65% of registered Democrats voted to be filled once more by current Senator Jeff Merkeley, and 49.28% of registered Republicans voted to be filled by Joe Rae Perkins.
Polk County also faced some major primary decisions; falling under the 5th congressional district, 68.83% of Democratic voters elected for Kurt Shrader’s return to office as the district representative, while 53.26% of Republican voters nominated Amy Ryan Courser. Current state representative for the 20th district, Democrat Paul Evans of Monmouth, was shown support for re-election with 98.44% of Democratic votes, while Selma Pierce and Kevin S. Chambers were neck-in-neck for the Republican votes, with 50.75% and 48.40%, respectively.
Finally, the positions for Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General were also voted on in the primaries. Mark D. Haas and Shemia Fagan nearly tied for the Democratic vote for Secretary of state; Haas received 35.52% of votes, while Fagan narrowly beat him with 36.21%. Republican voters gave a majority vote to Kim Thatcher, with 85.64% of votes. The position for State Treasurer was also almost tied for votes between the Republican and Democratic candidates; Tobias Read garnered 98.69% of Democratic votes, while Jeff Gudman amassed 98.9% of Republican votes. The outcome was similar for the position of Attorney General, where 98.99% of Democratic votes went to Ellen Rosenblum and 96.69% went to Michael Cross for the Republican vote.
As the 2019-20 school year approaches closure, Western prepares to send off not only its graduates, but also the staff and faculty members who have contributed to its legacy. One such staff member is Cathy Clark. Known by many as the “sandwich lady,” Clark has accumulated 33 years of service at Western as a staff member at Valsetz Dining Hall.
Clark is renowned for her positivity, of which elementary education major and senior student, Kaiana Bradley had this to say: “Cathy made every student who came through that sandwich line feel special. She was incredible with remembering faces and sandwich preferences and would go beyond that to ask about students’ days — always with a smile, every single time.”
But Clark herself says that she “had no clue to the potential lives (she) would affect and be affected by,” rather she just “strove to make a home-like atmosphere for all who called WOU home,” because she believes that “all people matter.”
Campus Dining Assistant Director, Jane Cameron, says of Clark “she will be greatly missed by Faculty, Staff and Students and future generations who will not get to experience Cathy’s dedication to the Campus.”
In addition to Clark, there are many other mentionable soon-to-be retirees across all departments. They include Valarie Alapai, of Financial Aid; Warren Allen, an instructor for Health and Exercise Science; Dean Braa, professor of sociology; Nick Backus, of communication studies; Mary Bucy, professor of education and leadership; Arlene Courtney, chemistry professor and Dorothy Hendrickson, who works in the Registrar’s Office. Among others are the head of cross country and the track and field coach, Mike Johnson, a Margaret Malloy, an Elias Montemayer, Kent Neely, of the theater department, Thomas Rand, an English professor, Bonnie Sherrill, the accounting coordinator, Linda Stonecipher, the graduate studies director and Tommy Udell, the director for the center of early learning.
These individuals are crucial members of the Western community and, as Western sends off the graduates, it also remembers all of these folks who helped them along their educational journeys.
Content Warning: This story shares quotes from residents of Polk County explicitly describing their experiences with racism. These quotes may be seen as graphic and triggering.
Caity Healy | Managing Editor
“Everyday we are met with hate.” This is what Dallas, Oregon resident Crystal Hayter had to say as to why her and her wife, Jasmine Hayter, decided to protest on June 4 in Monmouth, Oregon. Crystal self-identifies as a caucasian woman, and Jasmine self-identifies as an African American woman. They shared what a day in their life looks like for them as Polk County residents.
“She wasn’t allowed to go on my lease after we were married because she’s African American … There are certain businesses that refuse to do service with my wife unless I bring them the money. They will not take it out of her hand,” Crystal shared. “Just two days ago, our neighbors were out on the porch telling her, ‘Go back inside N-word.’ And honestly, that’s our everyday life in Polk County.” She shared stories of people in Dallas threatening to run them out of town, saying they should be tarred and feathered, and even saying that they miss the town’s “lynching tree.”
Jasmine went on to add that, “I want this to end, and I want this to end peacefully. People need to stop dying.” Her voice trembled as she spoke and she shared her story. Jasmine is one of many who shared sentiments as to why they were protesting on the intersection of Pacific Avenue and Main Street.
Carrying signs with messages such as “Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace,” at 4:30 p.m. on June 4, as well as on June 3, people took to the streets to protest police brutality in the name of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other black people whose lives were taken by police. Most wearing masks, as this protest came in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cloth over their mouths could not keep them silent. Chants and honks were heard from far reaching ends of Monmouth. Some were there to be heard, others were more quiet but attended as an act of solidarity, some were passing out water bottles to those in attendance, but there was a general consensus amongst those present: change needs to happen.
Organizer of the event, Monmouth resident Carol McKiel, along with her husband Allen McKiel, stood alongside everyone holding their “Black Lives Matter” signs. Carol explained that the reason she formed this event was due to her questioning, ‘what can I do?’
“I just got up on Monday morning and thought, I have a ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign, and I’m going to stand on the street corner and I’ll do that as long as I need to.” So, Carol, along with Allen and a couple of her friends, did just that. It started with just the four of them, but by contacting their neighborhood, it slowly reached more people. By June 3, Carol claimed that there were over 120 people protesting on the street with her.
“I think what’s really significant is we have white people standing out here with ‘Black Lives Matter’ signs … White people need to take this on if we’re going to fix it,” Carol added. Allen, her husband, chimed in as well.
“This is a way for everybody to show everybody else that we’re concerned. We’re not alone in being concerned and this is really, really terrible, and we’re waking up to the fact that it’s been terrible all along.”
Another resident of Monmouth, one who lives in the same neighborhood as Carol and was invited to the protest through her message, shared a similar sentiment. Her name is Rebecca Salinas-Oliveros, and she self-identifies as a Latina woman. She expressed her concern with what’s going on, and especially with how it will reflect on her daughters.
“I’m out here to show my daughters that there’s still a little bit of hope. They’ve been really grieving. And this has been very hard for them,” Salinas-Oliveros said. “And as a mother, I have to be real with them. It’s hard to maintain hope, and just to make sure they know, yeah, it’s probably not going to get better any time soon, but we have to continue to try.” However, she expressed some hope and optimism due to the fact that Monmouth, a rural town, was able to come together for this protest.
“I didn’t expect it. I don’t think anyone really knew what to do. And this… this helps just not to be sad all the time. It gives me hope that even in a small town, there are white people willing to step up,” Salinas-Oliveros added. “And that’s really what we need. We need white people to step up because that’s where the power and the privilege is in our country. And they’re the ones that are going to create the change and people are going to listen to. So seeing the number of white people out here gives us hope.”
While Salinas-Oliveros did express a level of optimism, not all in attendance felt the same. One man, who chose to remain anonymous, opened up and shared what he was thinking while protesting.
“Being a colored person myself, it just hurts bad,” he said. “When this is all over, I’m still colored. It’s going to happen again. Nothing’s gonna change. All we can have is hope.” He added that, “I don’t know if tomorrow I’m going to make it … I could be going down the street and all of a sudden I get pulled over and I’m gone. Just like that.”
Noticeably, there were no Monmouth police officers present at the event; this didn’t sit right with him.
“They haven’t been here. They were not seen, and I’m like, do they even care? The people care who are here protesting, but do the cops care? The way I see it, they don’t.” He was not the only one who was uncomfortable with the lack of police solidarity.
“We don’t even see any cops around here, so we don’t even know if they’re listening to us. We need to see change from them,” said another anonymous source. “We come out here to support this movement but we don’t know if anything is gonna happen because they’re just sitting over there doing whatever they want. We don’t see support from them.”
The protesting continued from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. For the most part, it was met with honks, waves and smiles. There was some retaliation, though; some waved their middle fingers at the protestors, some yelled “All Lives Matter” in return to their chants, and some even went as far as to yell “F–k you” to the protestors. Thirty minutes later, and just eight miles away, protests were happening in a neighboring town: Dallas.
The protest in Dallas, organized by resident Chaney Poulsen, was considerably smaller than the one in Monmouth. It was met with some waves and approval, with even the local Dominos donating a few pizzas to the cause. But similarly, it was met with two people waving “Trump 2020” signs, one yelling at the protestors “Trump 2020” and many heads shaking to express disapproval. In attendance at this protest were two people who also attended the one in Monmouth, Crystal and Jasmine Hayter.
“Enough is enough,” Crystal concluded. “(Jasmine) could be the next person, and I’m not okay with that.”
The protests in Monmouth are planned to continue daily in the same place at 4:30 p.m. Carol McKiel says to bring umbrellas, because they’ll be out there shouting “Black Lives Matter” come rain or sunshine.
Monmouth Police Department responded to a 9:50 a.m. call on May 14, after an alarm went off at Washington Federal Bank on Main Street. An unarmed man had approached the drive-thru window and demanded that the teller hand over $1000 and threatened to kill the employee if they did not comply. The employee gave him the cash and he retreated through the Shell gas station nearby.
According to Sergeant Kim Dorn, “everyone including the Chief responded to the area,” where they were able to ascertain through video evidence that the suspect was 28-year-old Michael Edward Alfrey. The officers searched the area, later requesting the assistance of the FBI, who eventually located him in Tigard. According to Dorn, the arrest went smoothly due to the cooperation of everyone involved. As to why Alfrey did it, Dorn stated that they weren’t allowed to comment.
Based on a statement from the Monmouth Police, the Statesman Journal labeled Alfrey as a “transient” and revealed that he was charged with second-degree theft and third-degree robbery and is currently being held at the Polk County Jail on a $22,500 bail.
Dorn said this event is “very out of the ordinary for Monmouth,” and suggested that citizens subscribe to flashalertnews.net if they wish to receive more press releases about cases such as this in the future.
Founded by Jean Love in 2017, the Thoughts and Gifts Project is a public charity which brings birthday gifts and other celebratory items to underserved children and qualifying seniors across Polk County. Now, the Polk County Fire Department and Monmouth Police are partnering with the Thoughts and Gifts Project to accompany those gifts with a birthday parade — complete with a show of lights and sirens.
Fire Inspector, Troy Crafton, said they took on the project after COVID-19 slowed down their overall workload. Though Crafton and his team are still giving public education courses — featuring topics like fire safety and home escape plans — the birthday parades are a positive inclusion to the work day. Once a week, every Tuesday at 10 a.m., the allied departments make their rounds across Monmouth-Independence; Jean Love brings the donations and takes the photographs for social media as police cars and fire trucks start their sirens — an indication that they’re well on their way. When they reach the home with the birthday child or senior citizen, they’re greeted with smiles and joy.
“There’s been no bad publicity,” said Crafton. “I would figure the noise might irritate the elderly folks, but they all come out to celebrate and it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience.”
Of Jean Love, Crafton said “she’s had more donations this year than she’s ever had” and that she calls her garage where she keeps the gifts “Walmart.”
To donate to or apply for the Thoughts and Gifts Project, visit thoughtsandgifts.org.
Disclaimer: This article discusses the topic of suicide. For those who are sensitive to this topic, please refrain from reading and instead peruse other articles.
Last year, Nicholas Ertsgaard, a member of the newly-established Wellness Advocacy Group at Western, proposed that Western participate in the annual Out of Darkness Walk, an event based around suicide prevention. Now, one year later on May 14, Western opted to participate in this event again, largely organized by WAG members Tim Glascock, Shaylie Pickerell and Lea Sheldone — except this time, the event was held virtually because of COVID-19, a pandemic that is undoubtedly affecting mental health worldwide.
In fact, according to NPR, “The U.N. found that even before the emergence of the virus, depression affected some 264 million people worldwide, and suicide was the second leading cause of death in people aged 15-29. The numbers were especially stark in regions beset by violence, poverty and other conditions akin to — and likely exacerbated by — those created by the coronavirus.” The topic of mental health during times of crisis was addressed during the Out of Darkness Walk, as well as many other aspects of wellness.
The Out of Darkness walks were developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention whose goal is to “reduce the annual suicide rate 20% by 2025,” according to their website. The event’s name is a double entendre — coming “out of darkness” refers to both mental wellbeing as well as destroying the stigma, or the darkness, surrounding discussions about mental health. Western’s 2020 virtual Out of Darkness walk was organized as a presentation, with live interaction from participants via a chat room.
The first third of the presentation included various resources — both local and national — for those struggling with their mental health. Western’s Acapella group, The West of Us, then performed a rendition of the song “You’ll be Okay” by A Great Big World followed by a quick introduction from Ryan Price, the Area Director of AFSP, and testimonies from other Western students and community members.
Ryan Price encouraged social engagement in discussions about mental health and sharing resources with those who may be struggling. He reminded the attendees that “suicide is preventable” and that checking in with community members is vital. Towards the end of the presentation, he also challenged participants to do something intentional to take care of their own mental health or to promote it in general.
Tim Glascock said, “for many, the Out of Darkness walk is a journey of remembrance — a time to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and depression have affected our lives and our loved ones.” He introduced the final segment, in which individuals were asked to type the color of the beads that are representative to their individual journey with suicide. Typically, individuals would raise their beads as a sign of solidarity, but as this was a virtual event, that solidarity was communicated via the chat. For a description of each color’s meaning, please refer to the graphic provided by WAG.
Additionally, a full recording of the event can be found if on Crowdcast; students interested in viewing it should reach out to a WAG member for access. The event is complete with both subtitles and interpreters.
The Service Learning and Career Development Center at Western is continuously sending out emails with various links to resources for career growth and strategies for career obtainment. From building a resume to executing a perfect interview, the SLCD is also available to deliver guidance and review one’s materials via appointment; students interested in this service can access it through Handshake in their portal and then clicking the black-and-white wolf head.
Recently, they’ve begun holding online seminars like “Life After College: Mapping Your Financial Future” and “Graduating During an Economic Downturn,” and will undoubtedly be offering more virtual events in the future. For the students who haven’t attended these events or who aren’t receiving the emails, here is a brief summary featuring advice from the professionals:
In an email sent out on April 20, the SLCD recommends updating resumes, creating a professional online presence, building new skills, practicing virtual interviewing and cultivating one’s professional network during this time. Since employers typically view a resume for roughly six seconds before deciding whether or not a candidate is a good fit — according to the SLCD — it’s crucial that an individual’s resume is clean, concise and representative of their goals and achievements. The SLCD also recommends googling oneself and making sure their online persona fits with professional standards; creating a LinkedIn account or developing an online portfolio is a good start. In addition, individuals can commit themselves to learning new marketable skills — like learning a new language or technology. Finally, reaching out to professionals in one’s desired career path for advice may open doorways and communicate commitment.
Besides the information recognized in this email, the SLCD has also sent out various LinkedIn articles about applying for jobs during the pandemic. Most of these articles emphasize patience and resilience; having a picture-perfect application doesn’t guarantee an offer. Students interested in gaining career guidance from the SLCD can contact them via the route previously listed in this article, or email them at slcd-staff@mail.wou.edu.
Driving down the highway, the signs portray a clear message: “Stay at home. Save lives.” But some Oregonians feel that the stay-at-home measures are damaging, or worse — unconstitutional. Though Oregon saw 60 new cases of COVID-19 over Mother’s Day weekend, reports show that the virus has been slowing down. With Marion County second only to Multnomah in terms of COVID-19 cases, Oregon had 3,228 cases with 127 deaths in total as of Sunday, May 10, according to the New York Times. But, applications for unemployment are steadily creeping past 380,000 in total — one week in April saw the numbers top 93,000, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting — and Oregonians are understandably concerned about their livelihoods. On May 2, Salem saw over 1,000 citizens attend a rally at the capitol with the goal of having their message heard: they want Oregon to reopen.
In response, Governor Kate Brown has developed a framework for Oregon’s reopening, but it will be a gradual process with multiple phases. Phase One calls for continued social distancing and the minimizations of non-essential travel; Phase Two would allow for larger gatherings, non-essential travel to resume, and for schools and gyms to reopen; Phase Three allows for individuals to begin visiting nursing homes again, for restaurants to increase their capacity, and for workplaces to allow staff to return.
Already, some parks and recreation areas have reopened, but their access is contingent upon individuals continuing social-distancing measures. And, although Oregon has barely entered Phase One and Brown has not released a specific timeline, Brown has reportedly stated that some rural communities could reopen by mid-May. In the meantime, Brown calls for citizens to continue practicing social distancing as well as increased testing for the virus.
Following the news of low-enrollment and an overall $1.3 million deficit, Western is facing another financial crisis. As COVID-19 spreads, not only are universities losing money in the housing and dining departments, but public and state colleges and universities also have the potential to lose part of their state funding — the same state funding that makes up 40% of Western’s revenue. In Oregon, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission estimates that public universities and community colleges are losing $130 million due to the pandemic, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. To combat this, Oregon colleges and universities have had to make some difficult decisions; right now, over 285 University of Oregon employees are laid off. According to OPB, “universities will receive some relief from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act — $126.7 million for Oregon’s private and public colleges. But half of the money going to each school is required to help students, rather than bailing out university and college budgets.” So what does this mean for Western, specifically?
On May 6, President Rex Fuller sent out a statement saying that the university expects low enrollment to continue and that to combat the increasing deficit, Western is making changes to employee pay.
The email stated, “the university eliminated vacant classified and unclassified positions, laid off some classified employees, non-renewed some unclassified employees, reduced FTE for select administrative personnel, and froze all unclassified salaries for FY 2020-21.”
Two programs, the Leave Without Pay (LWOP) and the Furlough program are being implemented; both run until Aug. 31, allowing employees certain rights like insurance, but essentially laying off individuals indefinitely or until their case is reviewed after the three-month period.
Vice President of Finance and Administration, Dr. Ana Karaman, said that to come to this decision, they were asked to run scenarios that would allow for an overall 17% decrease in funding.
Currently, negotiations are occuring with the union, but Fuller asserts that the university’s goal is still “to retain as many employees as possible.”
In April, the Board of Trustees approved a tuition rate increase of 4.55%, another measure taken to combat the loss of funding and low-enrollment fees. This, combined with the IFC’s final decision to switch to a two-tier structure — where students with five credits or less pay less in fees than those with six credits or more — will change Western’s financial landscape.
“Right now, fall’s numbers look good, but we have a history of downtrend. We don’t want to build the budget on hope, we want to build it on trend,” said Dr. Karaman.
Karaman hopes that students help advocate for Western to retain support when legislation is back in session, and that they will set an example through their success so that this process will have been worthwhile.
Students have until 8 p.m. on May 19 to submit their ballots for the Oregon primaries. But here at Western, students have the ability to contribute their votes in another important election — student government. ASWOU is Western’s collective student government which mimics that of the national government system, with three branches — the executive cabinet, judicial board and the senate — each with their own unique roles in assisting the campus community. Each year, students have the opportunity to vote in the ASWOU elections and decide who will be representing them in the upcoming year. This year, the positions for President, Vice President, Senate President, Judicial Administrator, Justice and Incidental Fee Committee Member are open and students are able to vote on WOUEngage through May 8. Students can learn more about the candidates and their positions by visiting wou.edu/aswou/elections/ or by reading the following:
Candidate for President: N.J. Johnson
Johnson currently serves as the Director of State and Federal Affairs under ASWOU’s executive cabinet. As such, he states that he is “the only candidate for President that has experience working within the executive branch of ASWOU and with the Oregon State Legislature,” where he has led a team in advocating for student needs. As President, he plans to continue “pushing our legislative priorities,” which include fighting “for higher state funding, food insecurity solutions and a DREAMers access program,” he says. He values collaboration and wants to continue to work with campus organizations as well as the Oregon Student Association to “promote the goals of students across the state of Oregon.” As President, he will strive for fairness, transparency, and inclusivity and stand up to the WOU administration when these values are jeopardised and students are undervalued. He is endorsing Maria Barerra for Vice President, Kevin Figueroa for Senate President, and Steven Richmond for Judicial Administrator.
Candidates for Vice President: Maria Barerra and Litzy Loeza
Maria Barerra:
Former Director of Multicultural Advocacy in ASWOU Maria Barerra is a DACA Recipient and a first generation college student. She is also an avid and vocal advocate against social injusticesI was able to overcome adversity through my college experience at Western. The importance of her advocacy is why she wants to run for Vice President. Her qualifications include holding numerous leadership positions such as positions through the UNIDOS Club, as a Multicultural Mentor, and an Oregon Student Association board member. She strives to “ensure that all students are being represented” and “promote equality and recognition,” while continuing “the efforts of providing a physical and permanent safe space for students to be able to express their identities and culture freely,” she says. She has endorsed N.J Johnson for President, Kevin Figueroa for Senate President, and Steven Richmond for Judicial Administrator.
Litzy Loeza:
Loeza is an experienced student leader “working for growth, transformation, and inclusiveness.” Previously, she worked with Latinx and Immigrant Communities in Portland Community College’s DREAMer Center. As a Psychology and Sociology major, she is passionate about fighting social injustices and does so through her role as a current ASWOU Senator. She also holds multiple leadership roles through the MECHA Club and as a Multicultural Representative mentor. She believes “our community can create an inclusive environment, support the rights of students, and make educational success attainable” and promises to use her platform to “advocate for our rights as students and promote changes within our education system to ensure student success.” She endorses Marilyn Maldonado-Dominguez as President, Liz Marquez Gutiererrez as Senate President, and Denisse Carrasco as Judicial Administrator.
Senate President Candidates: Kevin Figueroa, Liz Marquez, and Diana Ordaz
Kevin Figueroa
Figueroa is a first generation college student looking to “empower student leaders to promote change for those who also struggle.” During the 2018-19 school year, he served as the Director of State and Federal Affairs through ASWOU and has significant experience working to create legislation beneficial for students. He strives for cooperation between all branches of student government to ensure productivity and wants to remain involved with advocacy even after graduation. He endorses N.J. Johnson for President, Maria Barerra for Vice President, and Steven Richmond for Judicial Administrator.
Liz Marquez
Marquez has served on the ASWOU Senate for over two years and has developed experience in writing and sponsoring legislation “to protect students’ rights and improve student life.” She considers higher education accessibility and affordability to be an important issue and has advocated for this issue through her previous position as a member of the Tuition and Fee Advisory Committee. She also brought these issues to the capitol, where she worked alongside the Oregon Student Association to educate legislators about their relevance. She is determined to “work on issues that students have expressed interest in,” and wants to “encourage and empower students to get involved and participate in the ASWOU senate.” She endorses Marilyn Maldonado Dominguez for President, Litzy Loeza for Vice President, and Denisse Carrasco for Judicial Administrator.
Diana Ordaz
A “passionate and hardworking student,” and “a friend to all,” Ordaz believes that her open-mindedness and caring personality makes her an excellent candidate for Senate President. She chose to run for Senate President because she “heard so many students’ issues and can relate to many of them.” She is committed to helping the WOU community by communicating “(students’) ideas, thoughts and issues,” through her platform.
Judicial Administrator Candidates: Denisse Carrasco and Steven Richmond
Denisse Carrasco
Carrasco says she has felt “underrepresented and not understood” as a first-generation college student. As such, she feels strongly about making sure students feel a part of the campus community, and is dedicated to uplifting “underrepresented communities and their diverse needs.” She has devoted hundreds of hours to organizations like MECHA and ASWOU, and is an advocate for multiculturalism as an MCR mentor. Carrasco hopes to be a “support system for students and student clubs,” and to increase outreach for these clubs which “enhance the student experience at WOU.” She feels “it is important for WOU students to feel a sense of empowerment, support, and belonging, in any institution they attend,” and is endorsing Marilyn Maldonado Dominguez for President, Litzy Loeza for Vice President, and LIz Marquez for Senate President.
Steven Richmond
Richmond is a future law school student with “an extensive background in legal work” due to working for two Oregon state representatives. He founded the Jackson County Young Democrats Caucus, was Vice President for South Medford’s Debate Team, and was Secretary for WOU’s Model United Nations Club. He considers himself to have a “deep appreciation, respect, and care for the judicial process.” As Judicial Administrator, he plans to make sure all clubs are treated fairly and hold all ASWOU officials accountable to the constitution. He assures that “this campaign isn’t about personal goals or pushing an agenda, it’s about helping ASWOU become the best possible government it can be for its students by upholding fairness, inclusion, and justice for everyone equally.” He endorses N.J Johnson for President, Maria Barrera for Vice President, and Kevin Figueroa for Senate President.
Justice Candidate: Taylor Bartholomew
A current Sophomore and Criminal Justice Major, Bartholomew has an interest in working with “individuals within the system that are in need of psychological rehabilitation, specifically victims of abuse and other trauma-related events.” She has “always enjoyed providing an ear to individuals that need emotional support and am always willing to help establish boundaries when need be.” As ASWOU Justice, Bartholomew plans to provide students with a fair and balanced Justice system.
Incidental Fee Committee Member Candidate: Makana Waikiki
Waikiki says” a vote for me would be a vote for yourselves.” She wants to vocalize every students concerns when it comes to their fees and strives to make informed decisions about the IFC process. She wants to establish a legacy where future IFC members are provided with the best tools and plans in place so that “every student gets everything they should out of their IFC funds.”
Students also have the ability to “write in” any person they think would be qualified for the positions. Students have until Friday, May 8 to submit their votes and results will be released shortly thereafter. Anyone with questions can email aswouelections@mail.wou.edu for more information.
The Oregon primaries took place on May 19, but despite already being a vote-by-mail state amidst COVID-19, Oregon saw only a 46% turnout of registered voters, or 1,320,789 individuals out of 2,845,326, according to oregonvotes.gov. With regards to percentages, Wheeler County saw the highest number of voter turnout at 67.03%, while Umatilla County saw the lowest at 36.64%. In Polk County, 42.57% of registered voters contributed, or 25,173 individuals out of 59,140. Oregon participates in a closed primary, where only those registered to vote for their respective party can cast their votes and registered independents cannot.
