Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced today that 760 Oregonians submitted applications to join the People’s Commission, a group that will advise Secretary Fagan on redistricting should the task fall to her.
The application period for submissions was Aug. 5 to Sept. 2.
“When I was running for secretary of state, I made a commitment to create a ‘People’s Commission’ if it became necessary for me to do my constitutional duty of redistricting,” said Fagan. “It’s amazing to see so many Oregonians ready to step up and be heard. 760 accepted our challenge to apply and I’m thrilled that so many across our state are excited to be a part of this process.”
Applications for the People’s Commission came in from every Congressional district and every county in Oregon. To facilitate a broad and diverse pool of Oregonians from which to draw from, information and application materials were translated into the state’s four mostly commonly spoken languages. In addition, the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office did significant outreach to culturally specific, regionally diverse, and community-based organizations in an effort to reach Oregon’s diverse communities and families that represent communities throughout the state.
“My staff have done a tremendous job reaching out to communities all over the state to encourage Oregonians to apply for the People’s Commission,” said Fagan. “I’m so proud of their work. And I’m especially proud to be an Oregonian when I see this response. People here want to be a part of making Oregon better. They’re ready to dig in and get to work. That’s the Oregon I know and love.”
Applications were received from each of Oregon’s five congressional districts:
- District 1: 145 applications
- District 2: 151 applications
- District 3: 125 applications
- District 4: 142 applications
- District 5: 188 applications
The Oregon Legislature has until Sept. 27, 2021 to complete their redistricting process.
“I have every confidence that the Oregon Legislature will complete the work of redistricting,” Fagan said. “But if they’re unable to meet their deadline, the task of legislative redistricting falls to me. If that happens, my team and I are ready to complete this task.”
If redistricting moves to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, Oregon LegislatureFagan will announce the members of the People’s Commission and have three weeks to complete legislative redistricting.
