The 2020 General Election saw a variety of important victories for LIUNA members and our efforts helped deliver numerous key wins for working people up & down the ballot across the region. The Presidential race was ultimately called for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, following an extended period to ensure all votes were counted in every state, in an election that saw some of the highest turnout in our nation’s history. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to prioritizing working families and leading on a collaborative policy agenda that will look to rebuild our economy based on shared prosperity principles, fairness and renewed support for the right to organize. This is a substantial win that LIUNA members throughout the country worked tirelessly to help achieve.
Oregon also brought many important wins for workers, including electing Shemia Fagan as our incoming Secretary of State. As a State Senator, Shemia has been among the strongest Labor champions in recent memory and unwavering in her commitment to working people. She is dedicated to safeguarding continuing robust access to the ballot for all voters and utilizing the audit function of the office to help ensure our state government works effectively to serve the most people going forward.
Additionally, several pro-worker advocates were newly elected to the State Legislature, including WLnsvey Campos, Ricki Ruiz, Dacia Grayber, Jason Kropf and Kate Lieber. Strong union allies Rep. Paul Evans and Rep. Rachel Prusak were also reelected to the House, while longtime union member Rep. Chris Gorsek was elected to serve in the Senate and SEIU 503 member Deb Patterson is still holding a fairly narrow lead in her Senate District 10 race.
At the local level, LIUNA supported a strong slate of pro-worker candidates who all won election to the Bend City Council as well as a diverse array of successful candidates in the greater Metro area, who are now poised to bring important new progressive leadership within areas like Washington County. Two critical LIUNA endorsed ballot measures also passed—a Portland Parks & Recreation 5-year operating levy and a nearly $400 million Multnomah County Library construction bond-- that will both help support and make vital investments in the essential work members do throughout the region.
LIUNA achieved a record-breaking year for our efforts in Oregon this election, including completing over 400 phone bank shifts as well as sending thousands of Get out the Vote educational postcards and mail pieces. LIUNA also received the 2020 Highest Engagement OR AFL-CIO Union “Mobilizer” award for our leading participation in a Labor outreach program that made over 240,000 phone calls to union households throughout the state. Thank you to the members and staff that helped achieve these many significant victories on the ballot!
See below for a full list of candidate races and ballot measures where LIUNA made endorsements at the Statewide, Legislative & Local level:
Presidential and Congressional Races
Statewide Office
Oregon State Senate
Ballot Initiatives/Referrals
County & Local Government Races
