NOTICES
Get Smart About Your Insurance
Governor Honors WWII Veterans
Often called the “Greatest
Generation,” World War II veterans paid
a tremendous sacrifice for our
freedoms. In a special ceremony at the
Oregon Department of Veterans’
Affairs, Gov. Ted Kulongoski will
present nine World War II veterans with
the Non-Commissioned Officers’
Association of America WWII Medallion.
The ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m.
on March 3 in the auditorium of the
Oregon Veterans’ Building, 700
Summer St. NE, in Salem, Ore. While
it’s impossible to honor every veteran
who served during WWII with a
medallion, this group is representative
of all veterans who served in various
military branches during the war.
“This award pays tribute to the
selfless sacrifice of World War II
veterans, who have never sought
recognition, yet have always deserved
it,” said Jim Willis, ODVA director.
“This is our way of saying thank you,
we will never forget what you have done.”
The medallion was created by the
Non-Commissioned
Officers’
Association of America as a way to
honor the military men and women of
World War II who stood tall for America
during the dark hours of war. The
medallion, suspended from a red, white,
and blue ribbon, was designed for
public presentation to provide each
recipient a moment of personal
recognition in celebration with family
and friends of their military service.
■ You Can’t Vote if You Don’t Register j
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For more information on registering to vote, visit
www.sos.state.or.us/electionsAAOtreg/vreg.htm and
www.co.llncoln.or.us/clerk/registration.htm.
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Important Dates for 2004 Elections
from ore gonvotes .org/ date s04 .htm
Election Day: county regular election
Voters Pamphlet arguments due for May 18 statewide primary
election
March 22
Voters Pamphlet arguments due for county measures and
candidates for May 18 primary election
April 27
Voter registration deadline for May 18 primary election
April 28
Last day to mail Voters Pamphlet for May 18 primary election
April 28-May 4 Ballots mailed for May 18 primary election
March 9
March 11
May 18
Election Day: statewide primary election
June 17
Aug. 1
Aug. 24
Aug. 31
Sept. 3-7
Sept. 21
Oct. 12
Oct. 13
Oct. 15-19
Last day for secretary of state to declare election of primary
candidates and governor to declare passage of primary measures
Last day to submit required number of signatures for a statewide
initiative petition
Voters Pamphlet arguments due for county measures and
candidates for Sept. 21 election
Deadline for signature verification for initiative petitions
Voters Pamphlet arguments due for Nov. 2 statewide general election
Voter registration deadline for Sept. 21 county election
Ballots mailed for Sept. 21 county election
Election Day: county regular election
Voter registration deadline for Nov 2 general election
Last day to mail Voters Pamphlet for Nov 2 general election
Ballots mailed for Nov 2 general election
Nov. 2
Election Day: statewide general election
Dec. 2
Last day for Secretary of State to declare election of general
candidates and Governor to declare passage of general measures
Electors of president and vice president convene at the Capitol
July 2
July 26
Dec. 20
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March
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Although most Americans feel they
have about the right amount of
insurance coverage (72 percent), only
33 percent say they understand the
details of those policies “very well,”
according to a recent survey by the
National Association of Insurance
Commissioners (NAIC).
When it comes to insurance,
knowledge is your best policy. That’s
why the Oregon Insurance Division
encourages consumers to review their
coverage annually.
Oregonians can call the Insurance
Division toll-free at 1-888-877-4894 or
visit the division’s Web site
(www.oregoninsurance.org) to request
free consumer publications. Also
available on the division’s Web site is
an interactive quiz allowing consumers
to test their insurance knowledge.
the details of their coverage “very well,”
however, has remained about the same
(33-34 percent).
The youngest adults (ages 18-24)
are the least likely to understand
insurance details very well (20 percent).
Understanding increases with age, as
almost half of the participants 65 and
older claim they know their insurance
details very well (45 percent).
“Get Smart” Tips
Here are some recommendations
from the Oregon Insurance Division:
•
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Room for Improvement
To gauge Americans’ understanding
and perceptions of their insurance
coverage, the NAIC, a voluntary associ
ation of state insurance regulators,
commissioned a telephone survey of
1,009 adults last year.
The number of people who think they
have the right amount of insurance has
increased since a year ago (72 percent
vs. 67 percent, respectively). The number
of consumers who say they understand
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•
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•
Call the Insurance Division or visit
its Web site for free tips and up-to-
date information before purchasing
insurance.
Schedule a routine checkup with
your insurance agent or company
at least once a year.
Inquire about the cost benefits of
choosing higher deductibles.
Ask specifically about discounts for
good driving records, good health,
good grades, special education, or
training.
Shop around for similar products
and services. Not every insurance
company charges the same rates.
Remember - an insurance policy is
a legal document. Read it carefully.
Why It’s Important That You Vote
from oregonvotes.org/outreach.htm
Does my vote really count?
Yes. In the 2002 election, in
District 28 (southern Oregon), only
42 votes came between the two can
didates. That means 22 votes would
have changed the outcome, and close
elections like this are not unusual.
Next time, the vote that changes the
outcome could be yours.
Who votes?
The people who vote make
decisions that affect all of us.
For every 100 Oregonians, only
24 actually voted in the 2002 primary.
Only 12 of them were younger than
60 years old.
Oregon has a total population of
3.5 million. Of those, only 75 percent
are of voting age, so the voting
population is about 2.6 million.
But only 72 percent of those who
are 18 or over are actually registered
to vote. Registered voters number
about 1.8 million.
In May 2002, only 860,000
people, or 47 percent, of registered
voters actually turned in their ballots.
That means that only 24 percent of
Oregonians make the decisions that
we all live by.
In a low-turnout election, the
average age of voters is a 60. In a
high-turnout election, such as a
presidential election, the average age
of voters drops to 50.