As Jefferson County voters cast ballots in today's primary, a local outreach effort that has been underway for weeks aimed to ensure that tribal members and underrepresented residents in the region had the information they needed to participate.
Earlier this month, a voter outreach event was held at Macy's Market on the Warm Springs Reservation, organized by a local group focused on community education for underrepresented populations. The event used an interactive format — ten labeled jars, each representing a different topic area — allowing attendees to weigh in on subjects they wanted covered in future educational events.
Topics That Matter to the Community
The jar survey covered nine specific areas of focus, including:
- Dam removals
- The Doctrine of Discovery
- Land back movements
- Environmental stability
- History of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Klamath, and Burns tribes
- Tribal sovereignty
- Voting rights and participation
One of the event organizers, Jolene Pitt, described the survey as a way for the group to hear directly from the community about what they want to learn and discuss.
The outreach campaign subsequently moved to Madras, with an event specifically targeting the Latino community, before expanding to Redmond and Bend. The goal was to reach Central Oregon's most underrepresented populations in the lead-up to the May 19 primary.
Warm Springs General Council Meeting Coming
Looking ahead, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs have a General Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 26 — one week from today. The meeting will include updates from the Secretary-Treasurer, Chief Operations Officer, and presentations on tribal solar energy projects, according to recent KWSO announcements.
District meetings across the reservation were also held earlier this month — with Seekseequa District meeting on May 11, Simnasho District on May 12, and the Agency District on May 13 — giving tribal members at the local level a chance to hear updates and weigh in ahead of the broader General Council gathering.
Tribal Participation in Local Elections
Tribal members who are U.S. citizens and registered to vote in Jefferson County are eligible to participate in today's primary. The county's commissioner races, library bond, and road levy are among the items on the ballot that directly affect residents living on and near the Warm Springs Reservation. Ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. tonight.