Presidents’ Day Rally in Newport
Second Fridays in Newport
Central Area Committee Democrats invites you to meet new friends and share a drink with us.
Happening the Second Friday of each month at Bier One Brewing, 255 SW 9th Street, Newport, 5p,-7pm.
Meet with us in Lincoln City on Feb 26
Join us at the Lincoln City Community Center on Feb 26, at 5:30pm-6:45pm. Meet our newly elected officials and learn how you can get involved. Zoom link will be in the reminder email. Sign up for our emails and newsletters on the right side of this page.
February Democrats Step Up Newsletter
February Step Up Newsletter
| **New Officers and a New Year for Lincoln County Democrats** The reorganization meeting on Jan 22 was well attended and full of optimism for the challenges ahead. Here is an introduction to our newly elected officers: Mary Infante, Chairperson: Mary Infante and her husband moved to Oregon from Texas in September 2024 and immediately registered to vote!. Soon after, they became affiliated with the Democratic Party and Mary got to work as a Neighborhood Leader in Depoe Bay. After knocking on doors in her neighborhood and calling fellow Democrats, she signed up to be a Ballot Observer. Mary’s past experience includes being the Executive Director of the Denton County Democratic Party in Texas from 2009 to 2017. She now appreciates the opportunity to work with Lincoln County Democrats and we are glad to have her expertise and new ideas! Kelly Greer, Vice Chair: Kelly Greer has been part of the Lincoln County Democrats for several years and has participated in canvassing as well as protest and support rallies. Kelly volunteers for several organizations and is a member of the Newport Fire Board. To quote Kelly: “I believe in people’s rights to be who they want to be as long it doesn’t hurt other people. I believe in separation of church and state. At the end of the day, I feel nobody should go to sleep hungry and scared.” Christine Berg, Secretary: Christine has been involved with progressive politics since the late 1980s. She reports she is glad to be of service to Lincoln County Democrats as Secretary for LCDCC. Marta West, Treasurer: After serving 40 years in the trenches of Family Law in Indiana and then Nevada, Marta retired and moved to the Oregon coast where she immediately became active with Oregon Democrats. She has also taken up graphic design and you will see her work in our newsletter, on our webpage, and on social media. |
 Outgoing Chair is honored…Outgoing Chairperson, Cherie Harbour, was presented with a gift certificate to Pelican Pub by other members of the Executive Committee. Outgoing Secretary, Brian Bunnett, presented the gift to Cherie for her 4 years of service as Chair and Vice-Chair of the LCDCC. Thank you to Cherie! |
Read the entire Step Up newsletter here
| You can help Lincoln County Democrats by donating. | Donate to LCDCC here! |
The Public Safety Priority
2/10/2025
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
A fundamental responsibility of government is to keep people safe.
But how do we sustain safety when we have police stations that are aging out and falling apart? How do fire stations help in a natural disaster when they are located in the tsunami zone and will be impacted by a disaster? We ask Oregon families to be two weeks ready, but most of our hospitals only have three days’ supply of drinking water or generator fuel.
These problems are most acute in Oregon’s smallest towns. And as I often say, small towns can’t afford big projects. Toledo’s police station is a block from the water and will be lost in the aftermath of a large earthquake. But a new Toledo Public Safety Building and seismic upgrades will cost $5.3 million. With a population of 3,500 that comes to $1500 for every man, woman, and child in the city limits. Not gonna happen without state support.
Last session, I talked about the problem of small-town water and sewer maintenance systems that need help. We secured $100 million to support fifty projects around the state. And this year, Governor Kotek has proposed continuing that effort by proposing another $100 million for water and sewer grants. I’m pleased with that progress and am now shifting my primary attention to long-term public safety.
Any time you try to address long-term needs in Salem, you run up against short-term necessities. A new police station can wait while we address homelessness, confront addiction, or put out forest fires. But at some point, long-term needs must be considered, or else they may become even more expensive new emergencies.
In the next week, I will introduce legislation to fund twenty infrastructure improvements for police, fire, wildfire training, and emergency supply and equipment storage. Those projects, averaging $2 million each, are spread across rural Oregon in districts now represented by Democrats and Republicans. I will also propose a $10 million grant fund for water and emergency fuel for hospitals within 25 miles of the tsunami inundation zone.
Examples include $3 million for land acquisition, planning, and construction of new fire stations in McMinnville; $2 million for an Emergency Operations Center and training space in Talent; $2 million for design and construction of a sobering center in Jackson County; $2.79 million for procurement of equipment, emergency services vehicles and construction of a new justice center in Lake County; $1.7 million for equipment and infrastructure replacement or modernization at the Sheriff’s Office in Grant County; $10 million for design, planning and construction of the Fire Station 74 rebuild in Gresham; $1.35 million for the acquisition of Waldport Fire Hall by Central Coast Fire and Rescue; $600,000 for Benton County Community Health Center emergency services in Alsea; and of course, $5.3 million for renovations and seismic upgrades to the Toledo Public Safety Building.
Money is tight this session and we are looking at increased costs for schools, health and mental health, housing, and for wildfire response. My proposals would not attach the tax revenue that supports those programs but rather ask for support from lottery funding through the legislative capital construction budget.
It is early in session with a long road ahead. Changes being announced by the federal government are certain to affect our budget and command our attention. But public safety will remain my priority this year and I’ll be working with leadership from both parties to better prepare and protect our communities.
Warm Regards,
Representative David Gomberg
House District 10
email: Rep.DavidGomberg@oregonlegislature.gov
phone: 503-986-1410
address: 900 Court St NE, H-480, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
Click here to read the entire email
Register to Vote
| Are you ready to vote in May? Have you registered in Oregon yet? If you’re not sure whether you’re registered to vote, or just want to make sure your registration is still active, you can easily check your voter status at the Oregon Secretary of State’s My Vote* website. Click on the blue “Go to My Vote” button, you’ll be asked to prove you’re not a robot, then asked to enter your first name, last name, and date of birth. Click the “submit” button and you’ll be able to see your current voter status. Most people are automatically registered to vote when they apply for an Oregon driver’s license or other photo ID at the DMV. However, if you’re not registered, you can pick up Oregon State voter registration forms at the library. Look for the large red, white, and blue “VOTE” poster just past the front desk. The form will ask you for your basic contact information, then for your Oregon Driver’s License Number, or your Social Security Number, or, if you have neither, you’ll be asked to attach a copy of an acceptable alternate form of identification from the list on the form. Once you fill out the form, you simply have to mail it or deliver it to the County Clerk’s office in Newport. In Oregon, you can also register to vote online. Simply visit the Online Voter Registration Page on the Secretary of State’s website** and click on the blue “Register to Vote Now” button. You’ll be asked two qualifying yes/no questions (Are you a U.S. citizen? and Are you at least 16 years of age?), then taken to the registration page after you click the blue “continue” button. Simply fill out the requested information, submit, and you’re registered to vote! Voting is one of the most important activities you can take part in as a U.S. citizen. Make sure you’re registered, and if not, please register today! And then remember to VOTE! https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/myvote.aspx?lang=en https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/registration.aspx?lang=en |
Voting Information
Check your registration
Visit oregonvotes.gov/myvote to check or update your registration. You’ll need your name, birthday and driver’s license or state identification number
Run for Local Office and Help Recruit Candidates
Running for one of the many local offices across Lincoln County is a great way make a difference in your community! City Council seats are regularly up for election in every jurisdiction, as are positions on other kinds of local governing bodies. Find out from your city clerk/recorder how and when to file for a City position, and see the detailed election information on the Lincoln County Clerk Website. Think about running for office yourself, ask folks you know would make great leaders, and/or help us recruit candidates by volunteering for our candidate recruitment committee! Email dems@lincolncountydemocratsoregon.com to help recruit candidates or for tips on filing for local office.
Start your research and planning now for future elections! Some ideas and resources:
- You Should Run for Office and Here’s Why
- How Parents Can Run for Local Office
- Young People Should Start Running for Local and Statewide Office Office!
Please consider supporting our work with a donation through ActBlue to help us serve you and all of Lincoln County! Your donations help us support Democratic candidates and promote a progressive agenda locally and statewide.
You can also mail a check to:
Lincoln County Democrats of Oregon, P.O. Box 882, Gleneden Beach, OR 97388
Help Keep Lincoln County Blue!
Get involved! Join us in person and on Zoom for our general meetings and special events. Sign up for Lincoln County Democratic Party emails using the form on this page, donate, become a Precinct Committee Person, and spread the word! When we get out the vote, Democrats win!
