APANO’s May 2023 Special District Elections Voter Guide

The Oregon 2023 special district election is here! We know there is a lot of detail coming your way, so we’ve put together a voter guide to support you in the information-gathering and decision-making process. We’ve designed our voter guide to share the candidates that will truly champion the issues that matter greatly to the Asian and Pacific Islander communities! 

In all of Oregon’s 36 counties, the May 2023 special district election provides an opportunity for us to elect School Board members in our school districts that will make a difference in our public education system. Board members establish budget, curriculum, and set goals for the school system. They also act as advocates for our students to be heard. If properly supported and resourced, schools can be one of the first places that our children are challenged to learn, grow, and begin developing a sense of their place in the world and community. 

At school, kids connect with others, have the opportunity to exercise their creativity, and begin adopting a world view that shapes our collective futures. Having school board members that are diverse, values driven, and aware of how our education system and curriculum needs to be changed can be one of the most radical ways to support social justice work now and in the future. 

In this election, APANO has endorsed 11 candidates for school boards in Multnomah and Washington County. We believe that these candidates will best meet the needs of our communities and help us create a public school system where students thrive and are empowered to learn!

APANO’s endorsement process is led by both staff and community members. Our goals through this process are to:

• Strengthen the relationship between APANO members, board, and staff
• Educate elected officials and candidates on the issues APANO members and Asian and Pacific Islander communities are facing 
• Expand opportunities for Asian and Pacific Islander political engagement
  

Candidates participate in a thorough interview and vetting process to ensure alignment with APANO’s values and political goals, including: 

✅ Affordable housing

✅ Accessible, affordable, and culturally specific childcare

✅ Disaggregating Asian and Pacific Islander data

✅ Community safety

✅ Divesting resources from policing and prisons and reinvesting in the Black community

✅ Increasing pay for legislators

✅ Post-election accountability 

APANO proudly endorses these 11 candidates for the May 2023 Special District Election. 

Multnomah County

Multnomah County Commission, District 3 | Ana Del Rocio

PPS School Board Zone 1 | Andrew Scott

PPS School Board Zone 7 | Eddie Wang

David Douglas School Board | Gabriela Saldana-Lopez

Washington County

‍Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District | Tya Ping

Beaverton School Board Zone 3 | Maham Ahmed

Beaverton School Board Zone 3 | Melissa Potter

Beaverton School Board Zone 6 | Justice Rajee

Beaverton School Board Zone 7 | Tammy Carpenter

Hillsboro School Board, Position 4 | See Eun Kim

West Linn Wilsonville School District Board Position 2 | Maegan Vidal

There are also a number of local measures on ballots this election. In Multnomah County, we are opposing the proposed capital gains tax. 

🚫 NO on Ballot Measure 26-238 NO 

Remember: May 16, 2023 is Election Day and the last day for voters to return ballots! 

The deadlines have passed to register to vote in the election cycle, however if you registered by April 25 you should expect your ballot in the mail soon! 

If you are mailing your ballot, postage is no longer required, but to be counted, completed ballots must be received at any county elections office in Oregon or at an Official Ballot Drop Site location by 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 16, 2023, or postmarked by Tuesday, May 16, 2023. Find your closest ballot box now!

Can’t vote or looking for other ways to get involved? Sign up to canvas alongside the campaign and phone bank our APANO base!

• Sign up for a phonebanking shift for May 2023 Special District Elections: https://bit.ly/APANOevents
• Become an APANO Politico and help us activate our base throughout the year https://secure.everyaction.com/Ipjq82NiVEK2zHLLP2dpzQ2

Thank you for all that you do to ensure Oregon’s democracy works for the people. Together, we can take care of our children and our communities.