Events

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.