June 08, 2020

Wyden Will Hold Virtual Town Hall on June 12

Live on-line regional town hall hosted by Town Hall Project will be for residents of Hood River, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Wasco counties

Portland – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall on June 12 hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Hood River, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Wasco counties

Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 AM PT on Friday, June 12 can go to this Facebook link. Residents of Hood River, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Wasco counties who would like to participate by asking Wyden a question can fill out this form for consideration by Town Hall Project.

A two-time winner of Town Hall Project’s MVP Award, Wyden has held 970 in-person town halls statewide in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties.

Wyden has postponed in-person town halls until there are clear-cut public health guidelines that a large open-to-all public meeting poses no unusual health risk for Oregonians. On April 17, he held a statewide virtual town hall hosted by Town Hall Project. The virtual June 12 town hall will be the first of several regional town halls Wyden is planning for Oregonians throughout the state until in-person town halls can safely resume.

“Hearing directly from Oregonians is always a top priority and that conversation must continue so Oregonians in every part of our state can ask me questions, voice their views and share their priorities about all the challenges facing our state and country,” Wyden said. “The coronavirus public health crisis puts those in-person town halls on a temporary hold, but this virtual town hall with residents channels the best of our state’s ‘Oregon Way’ to figure out solutions that allow these civil conversations to continue.”

“While the virtual format this time with me joining from Washington DC differs, I expect the conversation will be just as robust,” Wyden said. “And I very much look forward to hearing from Hood River, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Wasco counties.”

"Town Hall Project was founded on the conviction that in-person town halls are essential to our democracy,” said Nathan Williams, Executive Director of Town Hall Project. “But during this global pandemic, we strongly encourage all lawmakers to prioritize the health of their constituents and to suspend indoor in-person gatherings,

“It's more important than ever that elected leaders stay connected to their constituents, so we urge lawmakers to hold virtual town halls that are open dialogues with the people they represent,” Williams said. “Town Hall Project is proud to be hosting another open, substantive virtual forum between Senator Wyden and his fellow Oregonians."