Safeguarding the Process: Oregon's Stand for Secure State Run Elections (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Program Sponsors:

Cesie and Tom Scheuermann

"We are pleased to sponsor this program, in recognition of and gratitude for, Secretary Read and his team, and the County Clerks and their staffs and volunteers in all 36 Oregon counties, who work tirelessly to ensure that Oregon voters can participate in free, secure, and fair elections in communities across our state."

The constitutional right of American states to control elections is under attack from the US government. Fortunately, for now SCOTUS has put the brakes on that. However its likely the administration will continue to demand that states hand over sensitive voter information, and that it will continue trying to limit our Civil Rights with new executive orders and with threats of lawsuits.

We will hear more about these threats from Secretary Read, our chief elections officer, and how he plans on safeguarding Oregon's state controlled voting system from further Federal attacks and manipulation. Here are actions that he has implemented so far:

Shortly after taking office in 2024, Secretary Read announced on social media that he had begun traveling to each county in the state to meet with their county clerks and election officials to ascertain their preparedness for upcoming elections.

Recently, Secretary Read advocated for an emergency state funding increase. The legislature passed emergency funding of $1.25 million of which $618,000 will pay for additional drop box locations and expenses related to an anticipated increase in drop box usage. An additional $154,000 will allow the Secretary of State's office to provide all Oregon voters access to BallotTrax, an opt-in service that gives voters current updates on the status of their ballot. BallotTrax is widely popular in five counties. The remaining $480,000 will allow counties to send updated voter notification cards to inactive voters to continue the process of clearing old data from the inactive voter list.

Speaker

Tobias Read, OR Secretary of State

Tobias Read has been Oregon's Secreatry of State since 2024. As such, his main responsibility includes the following: he is Auditor of Public Accounts, Chief Elections Officer, and Administrator of Public Records.

Mr. Read was born in Montana and grew up in Boise, Idaho. Eventually he attended and graduated from Willamette University with a degree in politics and economics. Subsequently he earned an MBA from U of Washington in 2003.

His public service career began as a state Representative from 2007 to 2016 and eventually as elected Speaker Pro Tempore in 2015. He won election as State Treasurer in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020.

Event Details:

Doors open at 11:30

Program starts at 12:00

Congresswoman Andrea Salinas: Oregon's 6th District Congressional Report (22 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Salem City Club is pleased to present Congresswoman Andrea Salinas, representative of Oregon's 6th District which includes most of Salem*. She will brief us on the work of the U.S. Congress in general, her committee work, and her priorities for congressional action.

Most of the program will be devoted to addressing questions from the audience. The questions asked will provide Congresswoman Salinas and her staff insight into the concerns and hopes of constituents in the Salem area. We trust her answers to your questions will inform those listening with insight and understanding about policy and politics at the national level and how those elements can dramatically impact state and local services to the public. Please come with your questions ready! Please note: Salem City Club members will be given priority for asking questions.

* Click here for more information about Oregon's 6th Congressional District

Speaker

Andrea Salinas

Congresswoman Andrea Salinas is the proud daughter of a Mexican immigrant and a first-generation American who has dedicated her career to public service. Her father immigrated to the United States as a child, worked in the fields of the Rio Grande Valley, and later became a police officer-a story that shaped Andrea's belief in the promise of hard work and opportunity. A first-generation college student, Andrea began her career as a congressional aide and policy advisor before falling in love with Oregon's Willamette Valley.

Andrea later worked as an advocate for labor unions, environmental groups, and reproductive rights organizations before serving in the Oregon House of Representatives from 2017-2022, where she was House Majority Whip and Chair of the House Health Care Committee. In Congress, she serves on the House Agricultural and House Science, Space and Technology Committees and is Co-Chair of the bi-partisan Mental Health Caucus, focusing on lowering costs, supporting rural communities, expanding access to mental health care, and creating good-paying jobs. Andrea lives in Tigard with her husband, Chris, and their daughter Amelia.

Event Details:

Doors open at 11:30

Program starts at 12:00

Salem City Club upcoming events

Safeguarding the Process: Oregon's Stand for Secure State Run Elections (08 Oct 2026)

Congresswoman Andrea Salinas: Oregon's 6th District Congressional Report (22 Oct 2026)