Four candidate filings have already been submitted for Rep. Ben Cannon's seat in HD 46 as Ben moves into the Governor's offices as Education Policy Advisor. Rob Milesnick, James Schwartz, Trisha Parks and Mary Volm have submitted their paperwork to the Democratic Party.

Several other potential candidates have indicated an interest in the open seat. District 46 spans Portland's east side from roughly I-84 to SE Harold, and from Se 50th to I-205. It also includes the Laurelhurst Neighborhood, bordered by 84, Stark and 32nd.

By law, the Multnomah Democratic Party conducts a Nominating Convention within 20 days of the effective resignation date of Sept. 1. At the Convention, Precinct Committee Persons of HD 46 will choose nominees to move forward to the final stage of the selection process: review and selection by Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. A new representative will be selected to fill out the remainder of Ben's term by Sept. 30.

A date for the Convention will be determined when the County Party receives official notification of the resignation from the Secretary of State's office. As of this writing, that has not been received.

HD 46 is regarded as one of the most solidly Democratic Districts in the state with Democrats outnumbering the GOP by a better than 3 to 1 margin.

Rep. Ben Cannon has resigned his legislative seat to take an appointment with Gov. John Kitzhaber as his Education Poicy Advsor. While we'll miss Ben at the District level, this is a wonderful appointment and well deserved. We wish him the BEST!

With Ben's resignation effective Sept. 1, a process begins to rapidly select a replacement.

Filling the seat will require a nominating Convention of Democratic PCPs (Precinct Comm. Persons) in the District. The Convention must be held w/in 20 days of the effective resignation (9/1), so things will move rapidly, we hope to have a Convention date set within days.

At the Nominating Convention, PCPs may forward 3-5 names to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, which then makes the final selection. The nominee will fill the District 46 seat until January 2013.

FAQs

CAN I BECOME PCP if I'm in HD 46. Yes, but only those PCPs who are on file as PCPs on the date of the resignation would be eligible to vote at the Convention. The next appointment process will happen at our Sept. Central Comm. Meeting, which occurs AFTER the resignation, hence newly appointed PCPs from the Sept. 8 meeting are not eligible to vote in the Convention.

WHO MAY RUN? Any Democrat who has lived in HD 46 for at least one year may file for the office.

HOW DO I FILE? A downloadable form is available via the SOS elections website. It’s the SEL 145a form.

http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/doc/publications/forms/100_candidate_filing/SEL145a.pdf

The form should be turned into the Democratic Party of Oregon Offices, 232 NE 9th, Portland, no later than 24 hours prior to the start of the Convention.

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Some other items to note:

This is filling the Seat under the boundaries of OLD District lines, so the candidates must be eligible in the OLD District map. Here is the new map. which actually adds more territory to 46 than subtracts. But if the appointed rep. wishes to run for re-election in 2012, s/he must remain w/in the boundaries of the NEW 46.

http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=404a5b1838b943108bf38755e0b699fa

Thanks for your interest and good luck!

Carla "KC" Hanson Multnomah Dems Chair

After the Wu announcement, Michael wrote us and concisely described the pain and frustration of so many Democrats:

July 27, 2011

You now know that Congressman Wu has announced his intention to resign from office, and plans to step down after the the debate on the debt ceiling is settled. As of this writing, we do not know when that date will be, but once Congressman Wu determines a specific date, he will submit a letter of resignation to Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown. SOS Brown will then officially forward this to Gov. Kitzhaber, who has determined already that primary elections and a general election will occur for the vacant seat.

In accordance with law, the primary elections must occur at least 80 days from the effective date of the resignation. Third Party candidates may file with their respective Parties to receive their Party's nomination for the General election, as well. Even moving on a rapid time clock, these elections will occur at the earliest in the late fall and winter. According to the Elections Division of the SOS office, the Election will be conducted based on the old map of Congressional District 1 - i.e. before redistricting.

As this election develops in its own special cycle, I cannot emphasize enough to you about how important it is. When Democrats volunteer, Democrats vote. When Democrats vote, Democrats win. In what may end up the first election of 2012, Oregon 1 will be regarded as a bellwether election, and politicos nationwide will look to Oregon to both forecast and frame the political horizon. Plan now to be involved - whether you're in Congressional District 1 or not, Oregon needs you.