Events
Marion, Polk, Benton and Linn County Democrats have joined to sponsor a debate among the Democratic candidates vying to challenge Gordon Smith for the US Senate.
Saturday, May 3
Noon to 1:30
Linn-Benton Community College
Candidates Jeff Merkley, Steve Novick, Candy Neville and David Loera will participate.
Contact Salem Clinton HQ 503 588-0765 for details of Hillary's appearance
Obama Event at: Linn Co. Fair Ground, 3600 Knox Butte Rd East, Albany.
Tickets required: Go to: http://or.barackobama.com/AlbanyTownHall
Contact Salem Clinton HQ 503 588-0765 for details of Hillary's appearance
Learn how the irregularities and vote suppression efforts evident in 2004 and 2006 elections, remain a threat to the integrity of the coming election. Special guest speakers, Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess and the film's producer David Earnhardt, will lead a discussion following the film.
This will be the last film in SPFS's first year. They will resume the series in September. Watch this web site for the September showing.
Contact Salem Clinton HQ 503 588-0765 for details of Hillary's appearance
Obama Event at: Linn Co. Fair Ground, 3600 Knox Butte Rd East, Albany.
Tickets required: Go to: http://or.barackobama.com/AlbanyTownHall
Contact Salem Clinton HQ 503 588-0765 for details of Hillary's appearance
House Speaker Jeff Merley Now in his fifth term, Jeff Merkley represents the people of House District 47 in Portland, is the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.
Merkley was born in Myrtle Creek and spent his early childhood in Roseburg. 
His family moved to Portland when he was in grade school. At David Douglas High School Jeff ran cross-country, played tennis, and competed in public speaking. He spent a summer in Ghana as an exchange student and was elected Student Body President by his classmates.
Merkley earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and pursued his Masters Degree in Public Policy on a full scholarship at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University. He was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow in 1982. He tackled various assignments in the Office of the Secretary of Defense including coordinating a committee on technology transfer, developing a computer model to study the proposed “small ICBM”, generating a verification strategy for theater arms agreements, and assisting the US delegation to NATO.
Jeff then served Congress as a budget and policy analyst in the Congressional Budget Office, generating studies on the nation’s options for strategic weapons.
Thursday May 15
Grand Opening
Marion County Democrats Campaign Office
Ribbon Cutting: 12:30 pm
Senate President Peter Courtney and other special guests
250 Liberty Street, SE
A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 12:30 PM, Thursday, May 15, to celebrate the opening of the new Marion County Democrats’ office. An open house will be held there from noon to 2 PM. Refreshments will served.
Senate President Peter Courtney, House Majority Leader Dave Hunt, Rep. Brian Clem, Rep. Betty Komp, Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Meredith Wood Smith, and Marion County Dems Chair Wayne Baum will cut the ribbon.
All Democratic candidates and the public are invited.
The office, at 250 Liberty SE (across the street from the Grand Phoenix Hotel), will serve as a meeting place for the county party, a recruiting center for volunteers for Democratic campaigns, and a resource and operation center for our local candidates. We will offer them phone banks, Internet connected computers, a high-speed printer, and space for conferences, general meetings and training.
May 16, 2008
Marion County Democrats Set Up Salem Office
By Peter Wong
Statesman Journal
Marion County Democrats opened an office Thursday in Salem on the heels of recent registration gains that have pushed their numbers past Republicans for the first time in 20 years.
"When I was first elected, I was the only Democrat in Marion County. I'm telling you, that's close to being true," said Senate President Peter Courtney, who was first elected as a state representative in 1980.
"I want every one of you to pinch me when this is over, because that's the only way I'm going to know this is a real thing."
Actually, when Courtney took office, state Sen. Keith Burbidge of Salem served until 1982, and Rep. Jeff Gilmour of Jefferson had been in since 1973. But from 1999 until 2005, Courtney, by then a senator, was the lone Democrat in the Mid-Valley delegation.
Democrats now account for 55,156 voters on the Marion County rolls, Republicans, 54,958 -- the first time Democrats have had a lead over Republicans since the May 1988 primary.
The office is at 250 Liberty St. SE. A new phone will be activated Monday.
Hanten Day - Candidate for State Representative - District 19
Demoforum - Friday, May 9- Noon to 1PM
Kwan's Cuisine, 835 Commercial St SE, Salem Cost: $11
Reservations Required:
e-mail: mariondemoforum@yahoo.com or call 503-363-8392
Both campaigns urge prospective attendees to visit their websites to RSVP:
Obama: www.barackobama.com
Clinton: www.hillaryclinton.com/salem
Both campaigns urge prospective attendees to visit their websites to RSVP:
Obama: www.barackobama.com
Clinton: www.hillaryclinton.com/salem
The Statesman Journal covered the opening of our new office downtown. If you missed the story, click here to see it.
