OPINION
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016
Founded in 1873
DAVID F. PERO, Publisher & Editor
LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
OUR VIEW
State leaders can
build on success
of Motor Voter
very state has its quirks, and some quirks come to define
that state in the national consciousness.
Florida, for instance, is part retirement community,
part Deep South, part Disney World, part Latino immigration
hub and part swamp, with an annual hurricane or two. The other
49 states aren’t sure exactly what to make of it.
Texas, which is not to be messed with, has an outlaw Western
spirit and wide open spaces, but is also home to six of the 20
largest cities in the U.S.
California is the magnet for show business and tech develop-
ment, Michigan is the sputtering frame of a once-great economic
engine and Delaware is a state, too.
Oregon’s place in the national consciousness is as a liberal
testing ground for progressive policies, rooted in Portland’s firm
seat as the state’s thought center.
Sometimes this doesn’t work out. Promising our public
employees a Rolls-Royce retirement package must have sounded
great at the time, but its had long-term financial consequences.
Every new iteration of the state’s education plan, touting a bet-
ter future for our students, seems to pan out as more style than
substance.
E
Initial success
But sometimes that striving for progress pays off. Oregon’s
innovative Motor Voter law, given its first real test drive this
election, is an example of creative thinking that solves a real
democratic problem. Given its initial success, we also believe
Motor Voter can be tweaked
to make it even better.
The state already allows
everyone to vote by mail, a
rarity in the country, and state
legislators passed a mea-
sure in 2015 to automatically
register residents through
the Department of Motor
Vehicles unless they specifi-
cally opt out. In essence, this
Claire Withycombe/EO Media Group means it’s more difficult to
Gov. Kate Brown appears at a opt out of getting a ballot for
news conference with hazelnuts
a general election than to reg-
that symbolize new voters under
ister to receive one.
the state’s Motor Voter law.
While lawmakers in other
states have contrived ways to make voting more difficult, which
always disproportionately affects poor and minority citizens,
Oregon has made equal voter access a priority.
Improvements
Creating even greater equal access is an area where the Motor
Voter program can be improved. Oregonians who are registered
through Motor Voter are automatically classified as nonaffiliated/
other until they return a follow-up postcard from the state and
re-register with a party affiliation. To date, 272,702 people have
been registered through Motor Voter, and of those, 78 percent
have remained nonaffiliated/other. Where the problem arises is
that by remaining unaffiliated, those new voters are locked out of
voting in partisan primary elections because of Oregon’s closed
primary system, and for practical purposes because of the demo-
graphic makeup of Oregon’s state and county voting districts,
many of the seats are decided in the primaries and are not con-
tested in the general election.
Additionally, research shows that unaffiliated voters in Oregon
account for 34 percent of the state’s electorate, and that percent-
age has been trending upward for four decades. If the trend con-
tinues, unaffiliated voters will outnumber either Democrats or
Republicans, which means fewer voters — rather than more vot-
ers — will be filling out ballots in those primaries and will have a
potentially disproportionate influence on the outcome.
Greater efforts need to be made either at the initial registration
point or in the follow-up to reach unaffiliated voters so that the
closed primary system and the Motor Voter registration system
are working in sync for all elections rather than just the general
election. Another possible alternative is changing the primary
system from closed to open primaries. State lawmakers should
study both options and work to get the most inclusive result.
Oregon had 97,000 new voters cast ballots in the general elec-
tion this year, about 44 percent of those registered through the
new law. That’s a lot of people newly enfranchised in a corner-
stone of our democracy. That engagement, while maybe a drop
in the bucket in the wider scheme of, say, the presidential elec-
tion outcome, can have a great effect on statewide and certainly
local politics.
A state can’t choose its reputation on a whim. Or-E-gawn
will always be seen as full of tree-hugging hippies if you ask
a random resident of Florida, Texas, California, Michigan or
Delaware. But by proving automatic voter registration can work
in the best possible way, we’ll give those other states a reason to
again follow our lead.
GUEST COLUMN
10 ways to make more
mindful charitable gifts
By MAX WILLIAMS
Special to The Daily Astorian
I
f you’re a community-minded
person, it’s easy be overwhelmed
with solicitations for financial sup-
port from worthy nonprofit organi-
zations, especially at the end of the
year. Being as thoughtful and inten-
tional about personal and business
philanthropy as you are about your
own finances is a
step in the right
direction.
Here are some
charitable giv-
ing ideas I recom-
mend keeping in
mind as you delve
into your philanthropy this month.
And, despite what bookkeepers or
certified public accountants might
cheerfully counsel, I try to think of
the tax deductibility of my own per-
sonal gifts as an added bonus, not a
primary motivation.
1. Ask yourself
the key questions
What’s a realistic budget for
charitable contributions? And, given
my current and likely future avail-
able resources, where do I think I
can make the greatest impact?
2. Don’t wait
for organizations
(and causes) to find you
Do some homework to evalu-
ate the vision and effectiveness of
groups you’re considering, then
connect with them in ways that
make the most sense. Sometimes,
it’s good to link with organizations
that align directly with your work
or your hobbies. That’s why home
improvement retailers have sup-
ported Habitat for Humanity and
why tech firm owners give hardware
and software to schools and col-
leges. You’ll be far more invested
in their success if you pick the right
partners.
3. Determine the best
sources of information
Charity Navigator and Guide-
Star are two readily accessible
online sources of intelligence about
the structure and performance of
many nonprofit organizations, but
they don’t evaluate and rate every-
one. Ask trusted experts about what
groups are really doing the best
work on multiple measures: breadth
and depth of effective services,
financial management, leadership,
innovation, community support and
involvement, sustainability, etc.
4. Make gifts that satisfy
both your heart and head
Over time figure out what really
inspires you and commit to giving
most generously there. The real key
to long-term success and satisfac-
tion is to give honestly, not solely
for ulterior motives.
Submitted Photo
The North Coast Symphonic Band received a $2,500 grant from the
Oregon Community Foundation to help with general operating ex-
penses for the 2016-2017 season.
5. Leverage your resources
There are many simple ways to
make your money go farther. For
example, consider making a match
challenge to other individuals and
businesses who care about the same
things you do. And investigate how
“aggregators” such as community
foundations can effectively pool
donor dollars to increase the number
and size of grants, scholarships and
other forms of support.
6. Fewer may be better.
As the old saying goes, if you’re
thirsty, it’s better to fill up a few
cups than put one drop in a thou-
sand. You’ll achieve the great-
est return on your investment with
deeper, longer-term commitments,
not with a flavor-of-the-month
approach. And, if you have a solid
giving strategy in place, it’s much
more reasonable to decline opportu-
nities that don’t fit the profile.
7. Involve family members
and employees
Bring your children, grandchil-
dren or parents into the conver-
sation and give them a chance to
share what is important to them so
they can help guide your giving.
Or, if you are a business owner, let
staff members give you input on
what causes and groups are most
important to them. Even owners of
micro-businesses often match their
employees’ donations up to a cer-
tain limit. Also, consider creating
fun and meaningful staff volunteer
activities such as a nonprofit facility
clean-up or a holiday food drive.
8. Contribute things
other than money
Time, talent, treasure — every-
one has some of each. Once you’ve
identified who you want to support,
constantly inventory what you have
to give that matches up best with
what’s needed. In addition to cash,
you may want to join a nonprofit’s
board or host a get-to-know brunch
for potential donors.
9. Think outside the
“collection box.”
Many organizations, religious
and secular alike, rely on donors
who commit to making regular con-
tributions. But, every once in a
while, it’s good to check around and
see if there are emerging groups
meeting new and more critical
needs.
10. Ask for help
when you need it.
If doing all the research and
legwork associated with creating
and managing your charitable giv-
ing this year seems daunting, think
about tapping into the expertise of
The Oregon Community Foundation
(www.oregoncf.org). It has helped
thousands of donors make this com-
munity and ones around our state
great places to live and work.
One final thought. Although you
may want to use charitable giving to
enhance the visibility of your cause,
not all donations need to be publicly
acknowledged. Many cultural tradi-
tions teach that the most rewarding
gifts are made quietly and we have
a number of foundation donors who
have expressed how much they love
seeing themselves listed as “Anony-
mous” at the top of the donor list!
Max Williams is the president
and CEO of The Oregon Commu-
nity Foundation. The organization
just announced $162,000 in grants
to support the important work of
nonprofits along the North Coast.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Be of good cheer
A
s a small lad, our whole fam-
ily would get up very early on
Christmas morning to listen on the
radio to King George’s Christmas
message. In his message in 1939,
with his nation at war, he ended his
speech with a poem, “The Gate of
the Year” by Minerva Haskins. It
went in part, and I quote, like this:
“And I said to the man who
stood at the gate of the year, ‘Give
me light that I may tread safely into
the unknown,’ and he replied, ‘Go
out into the darkness and put your
hand into the hand of God. That
shall be to you better than light and
safer than a known way.’”
At this Christmastime, and with
a coming new year, no matter what
you’re facing — sickness, family
problems, loneliness, depression,
sorrow — know this: There is a way
through. There is hope. And that is
the message of Christmas. So be of
good cheer.
JIM BERNARD
Warrenton