StatesmanJournalminiquestionnairefor2016PrimaryElection

Thankyouforrespondingtothisquestionnaire.
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PleasereturnthefinishedquestionnairetotheEditorialBoardasanemailoranattachedWord
documenttoSalemed@StatesmanJournal.com.(Handwritten,pdf,WordPerfectorfaxresponses
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Important:PleasereturnthequestionnairebytheendofthedayApril14.
Questions?ContactEditorialPageEditorDickHughes,5033996727,dhughes@StatesmanJournal.com,or
EditorialAssistantNancyHarrington,5033996864,nharring@StatesmanJournal.com.

Yournameaslistedontheballot:BradAvakian
Age:55
(IfyouragewillchangebeforeMay31,pleaseindicateyourbirthday.Wewanttoensureweuse
accurateagesinpreandpostelectioneditorialsandnewscoverage.)
City/townofresidence:Portland
Politicalparty,ifthisisapartisanoffice:Democrat
Positionyouareseeking(nameofposition,districtnumber,etc.):SecretaryofState
Areyoucurrentlyafulltimeresidentwithintheboundariesofthespecificarea(ward,district,
county,etc.)thatyouseektorepresent?Yes.

Numberofcurrent,consecutiveyearslivingwithinthedistrictyouseektorepresent:46years
Family(nameofspouse/partner,numberandagesofchildrenifathomeornumberofgrown
children):Wife,DebbieAvakian,childrenNathanandClaire

Youreducation(highschool,trade,college,postbaccalaureate;indicateanydegreesyou
earned):
AlohaHighschool
HomesteadHighschool
OregonStateUniversity,B.S.Psychology
LewisandClarkLawSchool,J.D.
Ifemployed,currentoccupation,employerandjobduties:LaborCommissionerProtecting
workersfromwagetheftandenforcingOregoncivilrightslaw,apprenticeshiptraining,technical
assistanceforemployers
Previousemployersandwhen:
CivilRightsAttorney19902005
StateRepresentative20032006
StateSenator20072008
Militaryserviceandwhen:N/A
Volunteer/civic/religiousserviceandwhen:
Pleaselistallpublicofficestowhichyouvebeenelected,andwhen:
2002StateHouse,34thDistrict
Win 53.1%
2004StateHouse,34thDistrict
Win 96.6%
2006StateSenate,17thDistrict
Win 67.2%
2008LaborCommissioner
Win 67.2%
2012LaborCommissioner
Win 52.5%
2014LaborCommissioner
Win 98.3%
Pleaselistanyunsuccessfulcandidaciesforpublicoffice,andwhen:

1998 State Senate

2011 Congress (Primary)

Loss 46.4%
Loss 22.3%

Otherpriorpoliticalandgovernmentexperience:
IfyouarerunningforapositionthatinvolvesagoverningboardinOregonsuchascity
council,countyboardofcommissioners,LegislatureorStateLandBoardhowmanymeetings
ofthatboardhaveyouattendedinpersonduring2015and2016?Howmanyhaveyouwatched
onlineoronTV,ifapplicable?
None.
Howthepubliccanreachyourcampaign(rememberthatthisinformationwillbemadepublic):
Mailaddress:1319SEMLKJr.Blvd.,Suite204,Portland,OR97214
Emailaddress:campaign@bradavakian.com
WebsiteURL:www.bradavakian.com
Phone:
Facebook:www.facebook.com/BradAvakianOregon
Othersocialmedia:www.twitter.com/BradAvakian
Pleaselimityourresponsetoeachofthefollowingquestionstoabout75words.
1.Toanoutsider,howwouldyoudescribetheregionyouwishtorepresentgeographically,
economically,politicallyandsocially?
Oregonisoneofthemostvibrantstatesyouwillfindanywhereinthecountry.Ourpeopleare
welcomingandprogressivewithadeepappreciationofdifferingviewsandideals.Wehave
someofthemostscenicandbestpreservednaturalhabitatinthenationwithacommunity
dedicatedtopreservingthatnaturallegacyforfuturegenerations.Ourprogressiveviewsmakeus
oneofthebeststatesinthenationforcivilrights,womensrights,votersrightsandequality.
2.Whatarethepositivesandnegativesofthisregion(ward,district,countyorstate)thatyou
wishtorepresent?

Oregonhassomeofthemostdedicatedpubliceducatorsinthecountry,butwearenotfunding
ourschoolsatanadequatelevel.Weallwantourchildrentohaveeverychancetosucceedin
life,thatswhyIworkedtoreturn21stcenturyshopclassestoover300publicschoolsacrossthe
state.AsSecretaryofState,Iwillbuildacoalitiontoreturnmoderncivicseducationtothe
publicschoolcurriculum,andcreatetheOregonYouthVote,aprogramtogetyoungpeople
excitedaboutvoting.
3.Whatspecificskillsandexperiencesdoyoubringtotheposition,especiallyonesthatwould
helpturnthosenegativesintopositives?
Iamtheonlycandidateinthisracewithexperiencerunningastateagency.Whileinthe
legislature,IwasnamedConsensusBuilderoftheYearbytheOregonLeagueofConservation
Voters.IwilltakethoseexperiencestotheSecretaryofStatesofficeandimprovegovernment
transparency,expandaccesstovoting,andincreasecivicparticipation.
4.Whatseparatesyoufromyouropponent(s)?Bespecific.
Iamtheonlyprogressivecandidateinthisrace,whichiswhyIhavethesoleendorsementof
NARALProChoiceOregonPAC,TheMotherPAC,BasicRightsOregonsEqualityPAC,the
SierraClubandtheOregonLeagueofConservationVoters.Iamtheonlycandidatewithatrack
recordoftakingourprogressivevaluesandturningthemintoaction.
5.Pleaselistfivespecificaccomplishmentsthatyouhaveachievedinpoliticsorcivicaffairs:

Returned21stcenturyshopclassestoover300publicschools
ExpandedOregonsbottlebillkeepingmillionsofplasticbottlesoutofourlandfills
PassedtheRighttoWorkplaceLeaveforVictimsofSexualAssault&Domestic
Violence
Secureda$2.4millionsettlementagainstDaimlerTrucksNorthAmericastemmingfrom
complaintsofracialdiscriminationandintimidation
PassedtheOregonRenewableEnergyActof2007

6.HowmuchwillyourPrimaryElectioncampaigncost?(bespecific)
$800,000
7.Haveyoueverbeenconvictedofacrime,beendisciplinedbyaprofessionallicensing
board/organizationorhadanethicsviolationfiledagainstyou?Ifso,pleasegivethedetails.
No.

8.Haveyoueverfiledforbankruptcy,beendelinquentonyourtaxesorothermajoraccounts,or
beensuedpersonallyorprofessionally?Ifso,pleasegivethedetails.
Ihavehadonetaxlienfiledagainstmyproperty.In2005asIwasmakingthetransitionfrom
runningalawpracticetoservinginthelegislatureandwashavingtroublemakingendsmeet
likemanyOregoniansatthetime.IimmediatelypaidthelienwhenIbecameawareofit.
Ihavealsobeensuedinsmallclaimscourtforbillsrelatedtotheclosureofmylawpracticeand
1medicalbill.IwasunawareofanyoftheoutstandingdebtsandpaidtheminfullassoonasI
becameawareofthem.

9.Whatarethethreemostimportantissuesyouwouldaddressifelected,andhow?(75words
foreachissue)
A. Getyoungpeopleexcitedaboutparticipatingindemocracy.IwanttocreatetheOregon
YouthVote,aprogramtogiveeveryhighschoolstudentaballottodiscusswiththeir
classmatesandtheirfamilies,andthencompletetobetalliedtowardsaspecialOregon
YouthVotetotal.ThiswillraisethenextgenerationofOregoniansunderstandingthe
processandimportanceofvoting.
B. PromotenewcleanenergytechnologiesthroughtheStateLandBoard.Weshouldbe
investinginwindandsolartechnologiesinEasternOregon,geothermalenergyinSouthern
Oregon,andwaveenergyoffOregonscoast.Thiswillnotonlycreategoodpayingjobsfor
Oregonians,butwillprovideefficient,cleanenergysourcesforgenerations.
C. MakeOregonanationalleaderingoodgovernanceandtransparency.TheSecretaryof
Statesofficewillleadthewayintransparencywithaccessibleandaffordableaccessto
informationcontainedintheofficeandthestatearchives.
10.Whatdoyouseeasotherimportantissues?
Iseethisofficeasanopportunitytopromoteourprogressivevalues.Fromstrengtheningour
publicschoolstopreservingOregonsnaturallegacyforfuturegenerations,Iwillbeaproactive
SecretaryofState.
AsSecretaryofState,IwillusetheAuditsDivisiontoinvestigatecompaniescontractingwith
thestateandrequiregreatertransparencyforallcorporationsregisteringwiththestatetoprevent
andprosecutefinancialfraud.
11.Whatonlineand/orprintpublicationsdoyouregularlyreadtokeepabreastofissuesinthe
districtyouseektorepresent?

StatesmanJournal,TheOregonian,WWeek,RegisterGuard,EugeneWeekly,PortlandTribune,
andmanymore.
12.Anyskeletonsinyourclosetorotherpotentiallyembarrassinginformationthatyoushould
disclosebeforeitcomesupinthecampaign?Anything(includinghealthissues)thatwould
affectyourabilitytoserveyourfullterm?Anychangesinyourlifesituationthatare
contemplatedorexpectedbeforetheelectionorbeforeyouwouldtakeoffice?
No.
Thankyou.PleasereturnthisquestionnairetotheEditorialBoardasanattachedWorddocumentto
Salemed@StatesmanJournal.combyApril14,2016.