League of Women Voters hosts presentation on open primaries in Oregon
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The League of Women Voters will host a public presentation in Bend on Thursday focused on the implementation of open primaries in Oregon. Speakers Andrew Kaza and former Rep. Cheri Helt will discuss the potential for allowing all voters to participate in all elections regardless of party affiliation.
The event, titled "Open Primaries: An Idea Whose Time Has Come Is Overdue," will examine how proposed ballot measures in Oregon compare to systems currently used in Washington and California. The presentation is part of the First Thursday Speaker Series and aims to provide civic education on nonpartisan primary systems.
Kaza currently serves as the co-chair of the Independent Party of Oregon and owns the Sisters Movie Theater. He will be joined by Helt, who previously served as an Oregon state representative and owns Zydeco in downtown Bend, and the newly opened Stackers deli in the Old Mill. The speakers intend to explain why Oregon is considered overdue to adopt an open primary system and how such a change would impact future elections.
The presentation is scheduled to take place at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon. The facility is located at 61980 Skyline Ranch Rd. in Bend. The session will run for 90 minutes, beginning at 11:30 a.m. and concluding at 1 p.m.
KTVZ News plans to livestream the discussion on KTVZ+.
The League of Women Voters, the organization presenting the series, was established following the suffrage movement and the end of World War I. The nonpartisan group currently maintains more than 750 chapters across all 50 states. The organization focuses on advocacy, education, litigation and organizing to protect the freedom to vote for all Americans.
