Westlund Says Campaign Has Gathered Over 18,000 Signatures

Westlund must submit 18,368 valid signatures by the end of August to qualify for the November ballot.

Salem-News.com

(BEND) - State Senator Ben Westlund (I), Independent candidate for Governor says his campaign has gathered 18,390 signatures.

“Reaching this milestone demonstrates that Ben Westlund will be on the November ballot,” said Stacey Dycus, campaign manager. “Oregonians from all over the state are signing because they are ready for a leader who will bring together people from both parties to solve Oregon’s problems.”

The campaign will continue to gather signatures to account for those signatures deemed invalid.

A new law passed during the last legislative session excludes Democrat and Republican voters who participated in the May Primary from signing the petition.

A successful entrepreneur and agri-businessman, Westlund served as a Republican in the state legislature since 1997, and was elected first as state representative from rural Central Oregon.

Westlund was appointed in the final days of the 2003 session to fill a vacancy in the Senate and was elected to the seat in November 2004, receiving both the Democratic and Republican nominations and over 80% of the votes cast.

Westlund says his politics defy party labels, as he continues to lead the fight to provide fiscal stability through comprehensive fiscal reform including changing Oregon’s tax structure that he says depends too heavily on income taxes paid by individual earners.

He says he is also working to reduce health care costs for individuals and businesses and believes that primary and preventative healthcare is a fundamental right. He describes himself as a champion of alternative and renewable energy technologies and believes they provide the key to Oregon’s prosperity.