FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 9, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime@jaimemathis.com, 503-708-3249

Clackamas County Clerk Race Heats Up-Catherine McMullen Consolidates Momentum For A Win

West Linn.–March 8, 2022 was the deadline for candidates to file to run for office in the May 17, 2022 elections. As of today, there are two candidates for clerk that will appear on the November 8 General Election ballot. This means a longer campaign effort and an opportunity for more community members to participate in electing their next clerk.

Catherine McMullen, an experienced elections administrator, mom of two, and community advocate for neurodiverse children and underserved groups is ready for the run. 

“My family and community understand how important it is to have a qualified and fair county clerk who safeguards and administers their elections. I am looking forward to using this extended campaign time to bolster voter outreach and education throughout Clackamas County because citizens have the right to know how their democracy works and how they can have their voices heard.”

McMullen has been actively campaigning since filing last September and has centered elections transparency and security in her priorities when she takes office. She has also emphasized access to the ballot for all citizens legally able to vote and ensuring that traditionally marginalized communities have equal opportunity to participate in local elections.

Mohamed Salim Bahamadi, Founder and Director of HAKI Community Organization in Lake Oswego confirmed her dedication to voter access: “I met Catherine at a voter education event years ago. The work she does really impacts us, the East African Swahili-speaking community. Catherine is here for the community, and we’ve started voting now.” 

Marchel Marcos of Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) knows McMullen is ready to uplift their communities voices: “Catherine has a long and established relationship of working at the grassroots level with APANO to expand voter access and resources for the Asian and Pacific Islander communities in our region. We look forward to doing this work together in Clackamas County communities.” 

A contested election means both a more sustained campaign effort and also, more opportunities to hear community needs. “My door is always open to hear community members’ concerns and thoughts. Our campaign also welcomes volunteers with a passion for educating and uplifting the privilege and responsibility of voting. If you care about fair and secure elections, join my campaign and be a part of our movement.” 

McMullen has received top tier endorsements from elected officials, unions, and community leaders throughout the county, notably Governor Barbara Roberts and numerous labor unions.

Major Corey Hester (Milwaukie) of the US Army Reserves sees a leader who is willing and able to serve: “When I first met Catherine I could see the passion and care she had for people. I’ve had the opportunity to spend time getting to know her more and Catherine is a wonderful person who can absolutely get the job done and be a servant leader.” 

The Catherine McMullen for Clackamas County Clerk campaign will have yard signs later this week!  Please sign up HERE to have one delivered to your door.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 4, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime@jaimemathis.com 503-708-3249

West Linn, OR.–The Clackamas County Clerk’s contest has an ideal candidate running for office. Catherine McMullen, a long time Oregonian, certified elections administrator, and advocate for disenfranchised communities and neurodiverse children has garnered the backing of elected officials, unions and professional organizations. McMullen’s credentials, experience, and fitness for the position of Clackamas County’s top elections official have caused an outpouring of support and engagement in her campaign across the county.

Governor Barbara Roberts is fully on board. “I want Catherine to be MY clerk because she deeply understands how to run transparent and equitable elections.” 

Oregon’s senior elections official, former Secretary of State Phil Keisling is throwing his weight behind McMullen’s candidacy as well. “Catherine McMullen’s deep experience and unwavering commitment to fair and secure elections make her an outstanding choice to be Clackamas county’s next county clerk.” 

Clackamas county mayors like Jule Fitzgerald of Wilsonville voiced her support, citing McMullen’s deep experience with well-run elections. “Catherine McMullen has the expertise, qualifications, skills and dedication that all Clackamas County voters need. Elect Catherine for County Clerk.”

Unions are also lining up to show their solidarity with a fellow union member. “The NW Oregon Labor Council, AFL-CIO is proud to endorse Catherine McMullen for the office of County Clerk for Clackamas County. Catherine has seventeen years of public service experience and she started the Voter Education and Outreach Program, the only local government program of its kind. Catherine’s determination to assure everyone has fair and equitable access to the ballot and that elections in Clackamas County are accurate, secure and transparent align with our values and will be a refreshing change for this office.”

“With Catherine McMullen, Clackamas County residents will finally get the expertise to assure fair, accessible and credible elections.” -AFSCME Local 350

Equity organizations like Basic Rights Oregon have featured McMullen’s commitment to inclusion and advocacy in their publications, praising her for her stance.

“The county clerk’s office also officiates weddings–that is, if the clerk chooses to. In Clackamas County the clerk’s office ceased officiating weddings once same-sex weddings became legal. The timing makes it pretty evident that the clerk doesn’t want to officiate a gay wedding. Catherine McMullen, a candidate for Clackamas County Clerk, has pledged to renew the practice of officiating weddings – queer and straight – if elected. She’s said she wants the clerk’s office to feel welcoming to all county residents, whether it’s a gay couple seeking to be married, a trans person updating a passport, or a BIPOC resident accessing public records.”

McMullen’s integrity, fairness, and responsibility are some of the reasons professional groups are choosing to endorse her candidacy.

“The Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors® (PMAR), comprised of over 8,400 members throughout the metro region, is pleased to endorse Catherine McMullen, candidate for Clackamas County Clerk. The clerk plays an essential role in a real estate transaction, and we need a principled and committed leader in that position. Catherine is the candidate who is dedicated to ensuring real estate transactions are recorded promptly, easily, and accurately and is committed to addressing and providing the opportunity to eliminate past racist covenants. PMAR and our members are excited to see Catherine get elected as the next Clackamas County Clerk.”

McMullen’s campaign has raised over 25K to date and has reached thousands of voters through community driven postcard campaigns and events.

You can learn more about Catherine McMullen’s campaign, supporters, and how to get involved at:  ClackamasVoice.org 

Basic Rights Oregon wants you to vote across your ballot! Pay close attention to those Auditor, Clerk, BOLI Commissioner and other local contests. Vote with equity and equality in mind.

“Anytime voters go the polls these days, LGBTQ2SIA+ equality is on the ballot…

COUNTY CLERK

County clerks oversee elections where they serve. In this time, when unscrupulous candidates promote wholly unfounded theories of “voter fraud” – theories often based on racist lies involving immigrants – it’s important to elect clerks who believe in equity. County clerks make decisions every day that signal to voters who is included in our democracy. That means deciding which languages voting materials are translated into, in what neighborhoods voter outreach efforts are conducted, and which people and organizations the county partners with to carry out those efforts.

The county clerk’s office also officiates wedding–that is, if the clerk chooses to. In Clackamas County the clerk’s office ceased officiating weddings once same-sex weddings became legal. The timing makes it pretty evident that the clerk doesn’t want to officiate a gay wedding. Catherine McMullen, a candidate for Clackamas County Clerk, has pledged to renew the practice of officiating weddings – queer and straight – if elected. She’s said she wants the clerk’s office to feel welcoming to all county residents, whether it’s a gay couple seeking to be married, a trans person updating a passport, or a BIPOC resident accessing public records. We encourage you to decide which candidate for clerk champions equity in your county.”

Read the whole post here!

The Portland Community College Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals (PCCFFAP), Local 2277 Union proudly endorses Catherine McMullen for Clackamas County Clerk!

I am honored by the support of this union and their members, and look forward to serving the students, staff, faculty and community at PCC campuses that call Clackamas County their home.

Thank you PCCFFAP! 

Former Gov. Barbara Roberts supports West Linn resident’s bid for Clackamas County clerk

Catherine McMullen of West Linn has been endorsed in her campaign to be Clackamas County’s next clerk by former Gov. Barbara Roberts, who in 1990 became the first woman to be elected governor in Oregon history…

Roberts told Pamplin Media Group that she believes McMullen has “all of the credentialing that anybody could ask for in a county clerk.”

“I think she stands ready in her home county now to step forward and offer her services, her experience and her talent to that office and I feel very confident that she is a person who will give full service to all of the citizens of this county, making sure they can vote and that the system works fairly and easily for the access of citizens in Clackamas County.”

Read more at Pamplin Media Group.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 24, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime@jaimemathis.com 503-708-3249

Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors® Endorses Catherine McMullen for Clackamas County Clerk

West Linn, OR.–Catherine McMullen, candidate for Clackamas County Clerk, has secured an endorsement from the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors® (PMAR) to bolster her campaign to become Clackamas County’s top elections official and recording department head. 

PMAR, a non-profit trade association for Realtors®, is committed to “Promoting and enhancing the member’s ability to conduct business ethically, professionally, and profitably”. 

McMullen has been a vocal champion of accessibility and inclusion for all aspects of the Clerk’s duties, such as voting, real property records, and civil wedding ceremonies.  McMullen is pictured above with Michele Gila and Ernest Cooper at PMAR’s offices standing in front of the framed Realtors® “R” sign.

This endorsement comes at a time when past racist practices in real estate such as covenants in deeds prohibiting the sale of a home to Black homebuyers have come to light and are facing public scrutiny. PMAR has actively sought to address these inequities, bolstered by 2018 state legislation which allows homeowners to notify interested parties of their intention to eliminate a racist covenant so no further fees are incurred in the homebuying process. 

Both McMullen and PMAR have expressed their commitment to elevating anti-racist practices in real estate and ensuring transparent, equitable opportunities for Clackamas County’s homebuyers. McMullen has proposed a possible joint public outreach campaign to inform homeowners of the option to address the racist exclusionary language found in deeds before real property changes ownership.

You can find out more about Catherine McMullen’s campaign at: ClackamasVoice.org 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 22, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime@jaimemathis.com 503-708-3249

Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts Endorses Catherine McMullen for Clackamas County Clerk

West Linn, OR. – Oregon’s first woman to be elected governor, Barbara Roberts, has endorsed elections administrator Catherine McMullen in her bid to become Clackamas County’s next clerk. 

Governor Roberts is a Clackamas County voter and has voiced her support for McMullen saying, “I trust Catherine to be my clerk and head election official.” As an elections reformer during her time as Secretary of State and Oregon’s top elections official, Governor Roberts praised McMullen’s innovative work in voter outreach and education programs. “I want Catherine to be MY clerk because she deeply understands how to run transparent and equitable elections.” McMullen is currently an elections administrator, certified by the Oregon Association of County Clerks.

McMullen and Governor Roberts also share a common passion in advocating for the autistic community as they are both parents of autistic children. Oregon’s ground breaking governor stated that her original reason for entering politics was to advocate for her son receiving special education in the public school system. McMullen also has a daughter in public school and has fought to access the support necessary for her child to succeed. 

To date, Catherine McMullen has conducted 15 elections and has promised that as clerk she will perform same sex marriages which were legalized in Oregon in 2014. The current clerk stopped officiating civil unions when the law was passed. Governor Roberts applauded McMullen’s commitment to uplifting citizen rights to legal civil unions and fighting for equal access to the ballot.

Learn more about McMullen’s campaign for Clackamas County Clerk at ClackamasVoice.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 14, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime@jaimemathis.com 503-708-3249

Clackamas County Clerk Candidate, Catherine McMullen, Lands Union Endorsements

West Linn, OR.– Elections administrator Catherine McMullen has been endorsed by AFSCME Local 350,  IBEW Local 48 Electrical Workers and NW Oregon Labor Council AFL-CIO unions in her bid to become Clackamas County’s next Clerk. 

McMullen is currently the only candidate registered to run in the county clerk race.

A former librarian, McMullen changed careers from “books to ballots” in 2015 because she believes that county clerks have, “A critical role in protecting democracy and making local government accessible.” 

Her comment on receiving union endorsement highlights her platform of inclusion, equity, and access.

“Unions represent and protect the same people I will fight to ensure have access to the ballot box, public records, and civic involvement. Their support means that we are working together and as an active member of AFSCME Local 88 I take that seriously.”

McMullen is a long-time Oregonian, certified elections administrator, and has received awards for elections integrity as well as leading ground breaking initiatives in voter education and outreach. 

Learn more about her campaign at: ClackamasVoice.org

AFSCME Local 350 union logo in green and white. A green mountain sits behind the words LOCAL 350.

Catherine McMullen shares DEI statement with the West Linn Alliance

Thank you to the West Linn Alliance for Inclusion for inviting all candidates for office to share how they will promote diversity, equity, inclusion as an elected official. You can view all of the candidate submissions to date on the West Linn Alliance’s webpage: Elections 2022. Below is Catherine McMullen’s DEI statement as she campaigns for Clackamas County Clerk.

Catherine McMullen

Office Sought: Clackamas County Clerk

The County Clerk is a critical link between citizens and their local government. A primary duty of the office is to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to the ballot box. We need a resilient local elections system where disability, language, and homelessness are not barriers to voting. Regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic situation, all citizens need equal voices in electing our government officials. Your vote counts.

I am committed to providing Clackamas County with a robust, secure, and transparent elections system. As County Clerk, I will ensure we have procedures and planning in place so climate disasters like wildfires and floods will not interfere with access to voting. We will get ballots to voters who have been displaced by emergency in the same way that the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) codified our responsibility to voters with disabilities.

I am committed to building trust within our communities and establishing needed voter education services, providing factual information about voting and Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system. I will empower diverse voices in local decision-making, working in partnership with community leaders and stakeholders to strengthen the many communities that make up the rich diversity found in our county.

I am an active member of the West Linn Alliance, an organization focused on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am an elections administrator; created the first Voter Education and Outreach Program in a local government. I led the Voter Language Access Program in Portland, hiring bilingual election workers, working in partnership with language communities, and producing resources in multiple languages for voters.

I am also committed to reviving the County Clerk’s role in conducting weddings. The current clerk is no longer exercising her authority in this area since the legalization of same-sex marriages. As County Clerk, I will officiate over civil weddings and afford everyone the right to marry. All people deserve the freedom to follow our own spiritual beliefs, pursue happiness, and establish meaningful civil relationships.

Voting is both a right and a privilege for our citizens. County Clerk elections are sometimes not as visible or widely publicized as other contests, but they are a fundamental foundation of our democracy. I urge all voters to study the candidates and issues, and vote across the ballot, including selecting the next Clackamas County Clerk. A vote for me, Catherine McMullen, is a vote for equitable, secure, and transparent elections in Clackamas County.

Website: https://clackamasvoice.org

Contact: Catherine.ClackamasVoice@gmail.com