FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Conan Knoll
conan@emccommunications.com
831-524-6764
Tina Sillers
916-220-3897
Broad Coalition of Oregon Leaders Sign Letter Calling for Peaceful Election Engagement in Portland
Gov. Tina Kotek, Sens. Merkley and Wyden, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, members of Congress and 100 elected officials, business, and community leaders sign letter supporting constructive civic engagement this election season
PORTLAND, ORE., Oct. 29, 2024—In an unprecedented show of unity, Oregon’s top elected officials—including U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, Gov. Tina Kotek and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler—have joined more than 100 elected and civic leaders in releasing an open letter calling for peaceful civic engagement during the upcoming election season.
The coalition, which includes U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici, candidate for the House of Representatives Maxine Dexter, State Treasurer Tobias Read, Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner, Metro Council President Lynn Peterson, and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, emphasizes the importance of protecting Portland's continued recovery through collaborative, constructive action during this crucial period. Their message comes at a crucial moment as Portland works to demonstrate how communities can successfully address national challenges through collaborative, constructive action.
“As the election results are tabulated, there may be moments of uncertainty or heightened emotions. It is in these moments that we must exemplify the very best of Oregon — our compassion, innovation, and commitment to progress and inclusivity,” the letter states. “By choosing peaceful and constructive forms of civic participation, we protect our community’s well-being and continue to build a place that works for everyone.”
The coalition, which spans local, state and national government, business, arts, and community organizations across Greater Portland and the state at-large, emphasizes the importance of protecting Portland’s recent economic and safety gains through the election period. These gains include downtown foot traffic reaching post-pandemic highs and significant improvements in public safety.
The diverse group of signatories includes elected leadership at every level of government, business associations, arts and advocacy organizations, chamber leaders, business owners, academic institutions, unions, homeless service providers, racial justice organizations, and environmental advocates – demonstrating strong regional unity in support of peaceful civic engagement during the presidential election across public and private sectors.
This call for peaceful engagement comes as Portland continues to show strong signs of recovery after the pandemic:
- Downtown foot traffic has reached its highest levels since before the pandemic, with 2.4 million monthly visitors
- Overall crime downtown has dropped 33% in 2024 so far
- New business openings increased 16% in 2023, with particularly strong growth among women-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and BIPOC-owned businesses, according to Yelp data
- The period between July 2023 and June 2024 saw the highest number of people moved into shelter and housing since 2016
- Portland now ranks among the top five job markets nationwide, with an unemployment rate of just 4%.
“Portland’s ongoing recovery is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together constructively. But this progress is still fragile. The damage from past episodes of vandalism and violence didn’t just affect individual businesses — it impacted our entire city’s reputation and recovery,” Portland Metro Chamber President Andrew Hoan said. “This unprecedented coalition of leaders has come together because we understand how crucial it is to protect this momentum.”
Elected officials, business owners, community leaders and residents who want to sign the letter may do so by emailing their full name, title and organization name to conan@emccommunications.com.
Read the full letter here.
To speak with Andrew Hoan or other signatories, contact Tina Sillers at tina@portlandmetrochamber.com or Conan Knoll at conan@emccommunications.com or (831) 524-6764.
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