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2020 ELECTION INDEPENDENT VOTERS GUIDE Oregon Independent FREE TAKE ONE NOVEMBER 2020 ELECTION ISSUE STATE OF OREGON LOOK FOR INDEPENDENT ON YOUR OREGON BALLOT Independent Party candidates put Oregon first Ruiz has the right experience temperament to serve community Independent Party backs Ruiz based on real world experience solving problems As a Community Services Coordinator for the City of Gresham Ricki Ruiz is building a career out of his passion for improving his community and helping others He has a lot to say about running for office We interviewed him recently to discuss his decision to run Why did you decide to run In my role with the city I started seeing things that we were having to deal with homelessness housing affordability missing educational opportunities that are really state or regional issues and came to believe that my perspective on those things could improve public policy I originally got started in community services for the same reason I decided to run for the Oregon legislature to improve the lives of the people who live Independents take lead on collaboration major issues Collaboration problem solving take center stage at first meeting in this community so it is really an extension of my existing passion for public service What will be your priorities if you are elected What happens at the state level really effects us in Gresham We need more state and federal support for mental health services to help cities Continued on page 3 State Representatives Cheri Helt Bend R I Marty Wilde Springfield D I and Jeff Reardon Happy Valley D I have led meetings of a non partisan independent caucus to address pressing issues of concern to Oregonians As part of the Independent Party s 2020 nomination process all 29 of the party s legislative nominees agrees to participate in an Continued on page 3 Merkley brings emergency relief trusted leadership amid fires pandemic Oregon s Independent Democratic Senator faces Qanon backed Republican voters should back Merkley Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley D I has a long record of leadership in service to the people of Oregon As Speaker of the Oregon House he helped to usher in a number of reforms to protect consumers from predatory lending practices a trend he has continued since being elected to the US Senate But while those kinds of public interest issues never go away the Senator has shined in recent months As both the pandemic and recent unprecedented fires have ripped through the state within hours Senator Merkley helped to secure emergency federal disaster status that will bring millions in relief to impacted communities and immediately set to work gathering information from first responders local leaders business owners and other people key to the recovery effort This kind of leadership is not new from the Senator Merkley Continued on page 2 Collaboration problem solving Independent Party seeks to bridge partisan urban rural divides for the good of all page 3

Oregon voters should reject extremist running against Senator Merkley Continued from page 1 has a proven track records of public service both during times of testing and with regard to holding powerful special interests accountable His work for the people of Oregon has earned the Senator the animosity of internet extremist group QAnon which is backing his opponent QAnon has promulgated many false conspiracies ranging from outlandish such as allegations of a sex slave operation run by Hillary Clinton from the basement of a Pizza Restaurant to extremely dangerous such as conspiracies about the fires we have been experiencing in Oregon As his opponent continues to spread divisive rhetoric and conspiracies Senator Merkley is doing what he has always done Working to leverage the resources needed to help Oregon communities get back on their feet In addition to addressing these immediate emergencies the Senator is also working to protect vital services like Medicare Medicaid and the Postal Service that we all rely on Senator Merkley deserves re election in 2020 2020 STATEWIDE NOMINEES Federal Offices US Senator Jeff Merkley D Statewide Offices State Treasurer Chris Henry IND Secretary of State Kim Thatcher R I Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum D I State Legislature Oregon Senate Clackamas Multnomah Hood River District 25 Justin Hwang R I Oregon House Clackamas Multnomah Hood River District 49 Zach Hudson D I District 50 Ricky Ruiz D I District 51 Janelle Bynum D I District 52 Anna Williams D I For a full list of Independent Party nominees and endorsements please visit our web site www indparty com It s Your Tax Credit Use it or Lose it Building a political party and helping with campaigns is expensive It s one of the reasons special interests dominate today The interests writing big checks also help to draft and lobby on public policies that put their interests first The way to counter that is with direct democracy Fortunately thanks to Oregon s political tax credit you can support our efforts at no cost to you If you are an Oregonian who earns less than 100 000 per person or 200 000 per couple you can subtract donations to political campaigns from your state taxes up to 50 for individuals or 100 for cou ples filing jointly If you owe taxes you can subtract your contribution from what you owe If the state owes you a refund they will add it to your refund check This is a tax credit not a deduction so every dollar comes back to you You can t use this credit for charities It can be used only when you contribute to a candidate political committee or political party like the Independent Party of Oregon Use this form to make a contribution to the Independent Party of Oregon I have enclosed a check payable to the Independent Party of Oregon 10 25 50 Please send checks to 100 ___________Other INDEPENDENT PARTY 925 SE Davis St McMinnville OR 97128 Note Credit Card Payments can be made at www indparty com donate First Name ___________________________Last Name ____________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________________State _______ Zip _______________ Phone __________________________________ Email ___________________________________ Occupation can be retired or none ___________________________________________________ Employer _________________________________________________________________________ Employer City _________________________________________________State _______________ required for state campaign finance reporting

Ruiz s experience with city community relations clearly needed at state legislature Continued from page 1 address a homelessness more effectively than our system currently allows Working for the city has also helped me to better understand how important it is for people to have good information about policy Conspiracy theories spread really quickly and we need to elect people who will be responsible in the information that they share with others What concerns do you have about government Ha Where should I start Too often I feel that people who serve in public office have the wrong interests in mind I want to support our local businesses and people in our local community It bothers me to see the powerful taking advantage of things to get ahead while so many people are struggling Every day you see the effects this has on public policy even in a great state like Oregon The powerful getting support for bad policies they want or misleading people to get what they want We need to elect people whose only north star is doing right by the people they serve and that should be the communities we live in We need to elect people whose only north star is doing right by the people they serve and that should be the communities we live in Rick Ruiz for Oregon Independents focus on problem solving Continued from page 1 Independent Party caucus to help find common ground on pressing issues of concern to Oregonians The group held their first meetings in September and tackled some vexing issues Fifteen incumbent legislators participated in the group s first meeting via Zoom in early September to discuss rural internet access for students and workers needing broadband ensuring Oregonians can receive their ballots in the event of postal problems and youth service op portunities to help young people develop marketable skills doing public service while the jobs market is tight The group s second meeting included policy discussions about fire recovery and resiliency rural connectivity and police reform Each issue was led by subject matter experts including former chief of police Ron Noble R I We expect that after the elections some additional Independent nominees will join this transpartisan problem solvers caucus CONTACT THE INDEPENDENT PARTY Web www indparty com Email info indparty com Phone 503 437 2833 Party Secretary www facebook com IndependentPartyOR www twitter com ORIndependent Independents seek to restore balance bridge urban rural divide The Democrats have a Donkey The Republicans an elephant In 2007 when the Independent Party was founded the officers adopted the elk as its logo Our decision to use the Elk was inspired by the famed Bronze Elk Statue gifted to the City of Portland in 1900 that commemorates the herds of elk that once roamed the entire state and grazed in and around what is now downtown Portland To us the statue captured what the party s founders have sought to accomplish with the Independent Party The Elk is native Its regal stature recalls the wild bounty of Oregon while its presence in our state s financial and commercial center reminds us that our economic cultural and social futures are inextricably linked to each other and what happens in one place whether it be fires in the Coast range and western slopes of the cascades or massive protests in Portland affects us all In these times of testing this kind of symbolism is important But what is more important is that we elect leaders who will put the broad interests of the pub than shrill shouting We expect disagreements that can t be easily bridged We believe they can be lic ahead of those who shower candidates with money and then lobby them on public policy The Independent Party its candidates and our leaders to support policies that benefit all of Oregon Whether our nominee is from Coos Bay Scappoose Redmond or Portland they will value reasonable conversation listening and discussion rather done without being disagreeable so that our elected officials continue to work constructively together We believe the best solutions are based on reason facts and fairness We view public issues as problems to be solved in a way that benefits all of us not with a political lens of how different solutions impact some well fund ed donor or an extremist with uncompromising views The Independent Party backs community supported candidates for local office We support the problem solvers for public office We will continue to provide ballot access to Independent candidates who run positive idea oriented campaigns based on common sense good information and the facts When you see the Independent Nomination on the ballot or in the voters pamphlet or you see the Independent endorsement on campaign literature it means something If you see the Independent elk logo it means that the candidate can be trusted to do what s best for all Oregonians

N O G E R O E V LO Ricki Ruiz D I for Oregon House District 50 www ricki4oregon com Y L R A E E T VO VOTE www indparty com