About The Campaign

The Vote NO Power Grab Campaign Committee is chaired by Carol Cushman representing the League of Women Voters of Portland and already has more than 40 members.

The coalition has launched a Vote NO Power Grab Campaign Committee to ensure that Portland stops the big business special interests from trying to grab back the power they lost when Portland enacted a new, fair election system that is accountable to the community and not the undue influence of deep-pocketed donors.

Campaign Committee Members (partial list)

Richard Beetle, LIUNA Local 483 (Laborers)
Jo Ann Bowman, Oregon Action
Andrea Cano, Justice and Peace Action Project, United Church of Christ
Ronault Latang Sayang Catalani (Polo), Community Legal Services
Barbara Clark, Retired Auditor, City of Portland
Bud Clark, Former Mayor of Portland
Joe Cortright, economist, Impresa Consulting
Carol Cushman, president League of Women Voters of Portland
Jim Davis, Portland Gray Panthers
Peter De Garmo, Pastaworks
Frank Dixon
Caroline Fitchett
Brian Hoop
Mike Houck
Bob Jenks, Citizens’ Utility Board
Gretchen Kafoury
Phillip Kennedy-Wong
Alissa Keny-Guyer
Thomas Lauderdale
Kenneth Lewis
Sid Lezak
Mary Li
Mike Lindberg
Leeanne MacColl
Evan Manvel
Charles McGee
Linda Nettekoven
Thach Nguyen, President, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)
Jake Oken-Berg
Jamie Partridge
Ron Paul
Karin Hansen Potter
Verna Porter
Holly Pruett, Stand for Children*
Mike Roach, small business owner
Betty Roberts, Former Oregon State Supreme Court Justice
Kathleen Saadat
Chris Smith
Beverly Stein, Former Multnomah County Commission Chair
Chuck Tauman

*Organizations listed for affiliation purposes only

Direct all press and media inquiries to Campaign Committee chair, Carol Cushman.

For Carol’s contact information call or email Janice Thompson (503) 283-1922 jthompson@oregonfollowthemoney.org

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Campaign Blog

Let’s get on with voter-owned elections - letter to editor

posted by Janice Thompson - Mar 06, 2006

Letter to Editor in Friday, March 3, 2006 Portland Tribune

Let’s get on with voter-owned elections
Thank goodness voter-owned elections are safe for now. Portland residents weren’t fooled when PGE, Qwest, the Oregon Restaurant Association and developers dumped $350,000 into the effort to overturn a reform that increases accountability in government, creates fairer elections and reduces the influence of big-money contributors on City Hall.
It’s not surprising that they missed the mark. They had virtually no grass-roots help with their signature-gathering process, so they relied heavily on paid signature gatherers who only had so many places to gather signatures.
It’s hard to say what they will do next, but we know that businesspeople don’t invest $350,000 for nothing. Be on the lookout for another power grab by Portland’s financial elite.
Meanwhile, let’s engage in the new, issues-based City Council races. May the voter-connected candidates win!
Jamie Partridge
Northeast Portland

Initiative to Repeal Voter-Owned Elections Still Doesn't Qualify for the May Ballot

posted by Janice Thompson - Feb 28, 2006

The big-business special interest effort to repeal Voter-Owned Elections is still not on the May ballot indicating they couldn't convince enough Portlanders to give up fair elections for all.

"Special interests paid an incredible $8 per signature for this power grab, but the Oregon Restaurant Association, big utilities, developers, and big business interests still couldn't buy enough valid signatures to tilt our level playing field back in their favor," said Carol Cushman, president of the League of Women Voters of Portland.

"It is now time to move on to discussions of other city issues beyond this concern of special interest campaign contributors," said Cushman. "However, we won't be surprised if these deep-pocketed players come back again and our education and advocacy campaign will continue to ensure defeat of a repeal whenver it might appear on the ballot,"

Letter to the Editor

While the opposition has the money to put their message in the media, we need your action today. Write a letter to the editor, and educate thousands of Portland voters on the Power Grab.

Write your letter here

30+ community organizations working to stop special interests from controlling our elections.