Do you know who your state legislators are and if they’re representing your interests?
If you’ve never paid attention to politics, talk of legislatures can get confusing. In the US, every citizen is represented by both the federal legislature—commonly known as congress—and their state legislature. Since lawmaking in DC garners the lion’s share of media attention, most Americans are more familiar with the legislative branch of the federal government than they are with their own state’s legislative assembly. Despite the disparities in media coverage, a state’s legislative branch impacts the everyday lives of residents just as much as the senators and congressmen on Capitol Hill.
Oregon’s legislature is made up of 60 members of the House of Representatives and 30 members of the Senate, each serving in a designated representative or senatorial district. Senators serve four-year terms, while representatives serve two. Together, the legislative assembly enact new state laws and revise existing ones, craft public policy, administrate the state budget, and review changes to state agency rules. Additionally, the Senate is responsible for confirming certain executive appointments made by the governor.
As of 2021, Oregon is divided into 60 congressional districts of 65,000 residents and 30 senatorial districts of 127,700 residents. Each Oregonian is represented by a sole senator and House representative, and OregonLive.com has not only created an easy way to look up your representatives, they’ve also curated the voting histories of said representatives. Click here, then enter your address. OregonLive will display both your representative and senator, as well as maps of their respective districts. Simply click on the legislators’ names to view an exhaustive record of their voting histories.