January 27, 2021

Wyden Will Hold Virtual Eastern Oregon Town Hall on Feb. 5

Live on-line town hall hosted by Town Hall Project will be for residents of Harney, Malheur and Baker counties

Portland – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a regional on-line town hall at noon PT (1 pm MT) on Friday, Feb. 5 hosted by Town Hall Project for Eastern Oregon residents in Harney, Malheur and Baker counties

A two-time winner of Town Hall Project’s MVP award as well as a winner of Town Hall Project’s Democracy Defender 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. After the pandemic in March 2020 required Wyden’s town halls to go virtual, he held multiple regional and statewide virtual town halls hosted by Town Hall Project.

“With a new Senate and a new administration both in their early days, I am looking forward to this town hall with residents in Harney, Malheur and Baker counties to continue the conversation about their views and priorities,” Wyden said. “While the coronavirus public health crisis puts in-person town halls on a temporary hold, this virtual town hall channels the best of the ‘Oregon Way’ to figure out solutions that shorten the distance between Washington, D.C. and these three Eastern Oregon counties.”

The link to watch this virtual Feb. 5 town hall schedule is here. For Oregonians in Harney, Malheur, and Baker counties who want to submit questions for Senator Wyden, here’s the link.

"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."