CAUSA's 2008 Oregon Election Coverage

Welcome to CAUSA's Election Coverage 2008 from the Oregon Convention Center

8:07pm Not a moment after the Oregon Polls closed, it appears that Senator Barack Obama has struck an historic victory and has been elected President of the United States. The current Electoral Vote count is 324 Obama to 124 McCain.

8:24pm We just heard Senator McCain make his concession speech.

8:39pm KGW is reporting

49% Jeff Merkley (278669 votes)
46% Gordon Smith (260931 votes)
6% Dave Brownlow (31969 votes)

Precincts: 280 of 1000 - 28%
Updated: 11-04-2008 08:40 PM

8:41pm Here is the current numbers on Measure 58, Bill Sizemore's Anti-bilingual Ed Measure

56% No (236405 votes)
44% Yes (188155 votes)
Precincts: 208 of 1000 - 20%
Updated: 11-04-2008 08:31 PM

8:49pm We are now reporting from the Press riser in the Main Convention Hall. We moved from the Defend Oregon room as it was getting crowded. The crowd is waiting in anticipation for Oregon's ballot measure and candidate results, and an address from President Elect Obama.

8:59pm President Elect Obama is addressing the nation. The crowd here in the convention center is extrememly lively.

9:07pm Ballot Measure Update

Ballot Measure 58
54% No (411375 votes)
46% Yes (348551 votes)
Precincts: 376 of 1000 - 37%
Updated: 11-04-2008 09:10 PM

Ballot Measure 60
60% No (371129 votes)
40% Yes (243975 votes)
Precincts: 301 of 1000 - 30%
Updated: 11-04-2008 08:57 PM

9:26pm

• Schrader projected winner for 5th district race
  

9:55pm

The Senate Race in Oregon is still very close:

48% Jeff Merkley (384128 votes)
47% Gordon Smith (377338 votes)
6% Dave Brownlow (45008 votes)
Precincts: 401 of 1000 - 40%
Updated: 11-04-2008 09:50 PM

10:05pm How about those ballot measures?

Oregon voters reject most ballot measures

10:19pm For more complete election results visit KGW

10:40pm Measure 58 and 60 Fails. Other failures include 59, 60, 63 and 65. Those that have passed include 54, 55, 56 and 57. Those still undecided include 61, 62 and 64

10:55pm Apparently Fox 12 is projected Jeff Merkley winner:

Merkley Projected Winner In U.S. Senate Race

Senator Smith is supposed to speak at 11:00pm. Stay Tuned!

11:13pm Looks like those hoping to know how the Smith-Merkley race for U.S. Senate turns out will have to wait until morning.

11:30pm We are going to wrap-up here at the Oregon Convention Center. We will continue to report on the election returns through out the morning.

12:50pm

The National Headlines from the AP:

• Obama makes history; turns to sobering challenges
• Democratic majorities stronger, tougher

Image(s):

Around the Nation:

Anti-Civil Rights Proposition ahead in California

Gay marriage ban leading

A measure to once again ban gay marriage in California led Tuesday, throwing into doubt the unions of an estimated 18,000 same-sex couples who wed during the last 4 1/2 months...

Senator Dole unseated by Kay Hagan in North Carolina

One race many immigrant rights advocates were watching closely tonight was between Senator Elizabeth Dole and Kay Hagan in North Carolina. According to the returns, Hagen easily unseated Senator Dole.

Last month The Sanctuary reported on one of Senator Dole's allies. Apparently Johnston County Sheriff, Steve Bizzell who had a staring role in an anti-immigrant ad Dole was running used some choice words in an article that appeared a Raleigh, N.C. paper. The full story can be found by linking here.

Informative article(s) about the Latino Vote:

• Unprecedented Latino Voter Turnout Plays Critical Role in Early Outcome of the Presidential Election
• Record Breaking Hispanic Vote Can Swing Election
  
  

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Join Immigrant Rights and Latino Community Organizations in Woodburn for Election Night

MEDIA ADVISORY
November 4, 2008

Contact:
Francisco Lopez (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen (503) 488-0263

Immigrant Rights and Latino Community Organizations Invite the Public to Join them in Watching Historic Election Returns

Woodburn, Ore-Immigrant Rights, Labor and Latino Community Organizations including Voz Hispana Causa Chavista, PCUN (Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United) and CAUSA invite the public to join them this evening in waiting for the historic election results at PCUN Headquarters in Woodburn.

What: LET'S CELEBRATE DEMOCRACY TOGETHER!

Who: Immigrant Rights, Labor and Latino Community Organizations including Voz Hispana Causa Chavista, PCUN (Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United) and CAUSA

When: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 7:00pm

Where: PCUN at 300 Young Street, Woodburn, Oregon 97071

Last month, Voz Hispana Causa Chavista and PCUN mailed voter's guides to over 7,500 Latino voters in five Oregon cities including Woodburn, Gervais, Salem, Keizer, and Independence. Of those 7,500 Latinos receiving voters' guides, 3,500 were new voters that had been registered since December. With the explosion of new Latino Voters in Oregon, Latinos are poised to have a significant impact on tonight's election.

One important issue that will be watched closely during this evening's election returns is Ballot Measure 58. Organizations within the Latino and Immigrant rights community have been working closely with the Parents and Teachers Know Better Campaign in effort to defeat this measure.

Measure 58 would affect many families in the Latino Community as it would hinder the ability of their children to learn and grasp the English language, thereby having a detrimental impact on their future. Not to mention the costly measure would take local control away from school boards, families and educators-those who know what is best for our children-- and place it in the hands of convicted racketeer Bill Sizemore.

Members of the press are invited and encouraged to attend this evening's Election Night Celebration in Woodburn. For those media outlets not able to come to Woodburn, CAUSA will have staff available in other parts of the state for comment. Please contact Erik Sorensen, CAUSA's Communications Director at (503) 488-0236 for more information.

For more information about the Election Night Celebration in Woodburn, please contact Francisco Lopez at (503) 269-5694.

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Oregon Ballots: Too Late To Mail, Must be hand delivered

That’s right, it is too late to mail your Oregon Ballot. If you didn’t mail it out on Friday, you must now hand deliver it to your local county ballot drop box.

Election Day is tomorrow (Tuesday, November 4th) which means your ballot must be turned in to one of the drop boxes in your county by 8:00pm. For a list of ballot drop box locations in your respective county, please visit this link or go to www.oregonvotes.org

If you still have not received your ballot, you should immediately contact the elections office in the county where you are registered. The contact information for all county elections offices can be found here or by calling the Oregon Secretary of State at 1-866 ORE VOTE or 1-866-673-8683.

CAUSA will be reporting real time returns of the election at our news blog on Tuesday Night. Be sure to join us at www.causaoregon.blogspot.com or by linking off our home page at www.causaoregon.org to get election results and to participate in the discussion.

If you or anyone you know believes they have been a victim of voter suppression and/or voter intimidation tactics, please call 1-866 OUR VOTE (1-866-687-8683) or visit www.866ourvote.org and fill out their online form.

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CAUSA's Ballot Measure Recommendations

Detailed Description of Measures

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Eugene School District Board of Directors opposes Ballot Measure 58

This week the Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors came out in opposition to Measure 58. According to their resolution released on Wednesday, the measure would severely reduce the "district’s authority and ability to meet the unique needs our students who must learn English – while also learning academic skills".

If passed by voters in November, Measure 58 would prohibit teaching a public school student in a language other than English for more than two years. Education experts around the nation agree that the most effective way to help students learn English and promote high academic achievement has nothing to do with an arbitrary timeline.

In fact, children learn English more quickly, along with math, science and other academic subjects, when at least some of their instruction is in their native language. If passed, Measure 58 would take effective and proven teaching methods out of the hands of educators.

The Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors is projected to be just one of the many school boards that will come out in opposition to Measure 58 due to the negative and long-lasting impact it will have on children trying to learn English.

Below is a copy of Eugene School District 4J Board of Director's resolution.

Resolution

Statewide Prohibition of Teaching Public School Students in Language other than English for More than 1-2 Years

WHEREAS, Ballot Measure 58 and its resulting ballot measure would establish a statewide policy that English is the "language of opportunity" and mandate that non-English speaking students shall be immersed in English so they can be mainstreamed as quickly as possible; and

WHEREAS, Ballot Measure 58 proposes to place non-English speaking students in English immersion classes for state-specified, limited time periods based on grade level (a maximum of 1 year for K-4 students; 1.5 years for grades 5-8; and 2 years for grades 9-12); and

WHEREAS, this measure and its impact is not consistent with nationally-recognized best practices for serving non-English speaking students; and

WHEREAS, current, district-specified courses being taught to assist non-English speaking students who are unable to benefit from classes taught in English would effectively be eliminated,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors strongly opposes Ballot Measure 58 because it severely reduces our authority and ability to meet the unique needs of our students who must learn English – while also learning academic skills.

Adopted this 20th day of August, 2008
_______________________________________________
Chair, Board of Directors
Eugene School District 4J

related links
Measure Limiting English Learning to Cost Oregonians a Quarter of a Billion Dollars
Fiscal Impact of Measure 58
Ballot Title and Statement
Anti-ELL Instruction Measure Assigned Ballot Number

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Anti-ELL Instruction Measure Assigned Ballot Number

On Friday, the Oregon Secretary of State announced the numbers for the twelve measures that will appear on the November Ballot for Oregon's 2008 General Election. Of the twelve measures, eight are those that qualified from state-wide initiatives and four are measures referred to voters by the state legislature

Bill Sizemore’s anti-ELL (English Language Learner) instruction measure which “Prohibits teaching public school students in language other than English for more than two years” has been assigned number 58.

This November, Oregonians will have the chance to reject or pass this costly measure which would take control away from local school boards, families and educators and place it in the hands of convicted racketeer Bill Sizemore.

This measure, if passed, would also hinder the ability of ELL students to learn and grasp the English language, thereby having a detrimental impact on their future.

As the “No on Measure 58” campaign gears up, CAUSA and the Oregon Coalition for Educational Equity will need volunteers for canvassing, phone banking and organizing house parties, community and voter forums.

To get more details on the campaign and how to get involved, please contact CAUSA at info@causaoregon.org, or by calling 503-984-6816.

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Last Day to Return your Oregon Ballot

The Oregon Primary is finally here and the last day to turn in your ballot. Ballots must be received in a county elections office or designated dropsite by no later than 8:00 p.m tonight.

If you haven't voted yet, time is running out. Because it is too late to mail your ballot, you will need to take it to your local dropsite.

Here's a list of all the county dropsites in Oregon:
http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/may202008/dropsites.html

If you have questions, about your ballot, where to drop it off or need assistance, please call the Oregon Secretary of State at 1-866-ORE-VOTE / or 1-866-673 8683. You can also visit www.oregonvotes.org for other details.

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