Joe K. Meyer (Oregon House of Representatives candidate)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Joe K. Meyer

Independent

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Linfield College, 2014

Graduate

Western Oregon University, 2018

Personal

Birthplace

Portland, Ore.

Religion

Agnostic Unitarian

Profession

Substitute teacher

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Joe K. Meyer (independent) ran for election to the Oregon House of Representatives to represent District 48. He lost as a write-in in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Meyer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Joe K. Meyer was born in Portland, Oregon. He received a bachelor's degree from Linfield College in 2014 and a master's degree from Western Oregon University in 2018. Meyer's professional experience includes being a substitute teacher for North Clackamas, Oregon City, Lake Oswego, and West Linn-Wilsonville School Districts and working in retail.

Elections

2020

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Oregon House of Representatives District 48

Incumbent Jeff Reardon defeated Edward Marihart and Joe K. Meyer in the general election for Oregon House of Representatives District 48 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeff Reardon (D / Independent)	75.7	21,328
	Submit photo	Edward Marihart (L)	22.3	6,291
		Joe K. Meyer (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	0
		Other/Write-in votes	2.0	564

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 28,183
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 48

Incumbent Jeff Reardon advanced from the Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 48 on May 19, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeff Reardon	99.2	6,794
		Other/Write-in votes	0.8	54

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,848
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Oregon House of Representatives District 48

Edward Marihart advanced from the Libertarian convention for Oregon House of Representatives District 48 on July 6, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Edward Marihart (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released August 28, 2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Joe K. Meyer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Meyer's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a 28-year-old substitute teacher who was laid off due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I was born, raised, and educated in Oregon, and have lived in the Portland metropolitan area all my life. My wife and I have resided in Happy Valley for the past three years with our two cats, and we love where we live.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I believe that a society can only call itself "free" when its institutions function not for private profit, but for the benefit of all its people.
• My campaign is 100% grassroots-funded. I do not accept contributions from corporations, PACs, or unions - unlike my opponent in this race
• I believe it is more important to be pro-democracy than to be simply pro-government.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am pro-choice, pro-public education, pro-environmental justice, pro-single payer healthcare, pro-Black Lives Matter, pro-LGBTQ+ rights, and I do not accept donations from corporations, PACs, or unions (although I am open to most union endorsements). I have years of experience working in minimum-wage retail jobs, and was a substitute teacher up until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

If elected to serve, my immediate priorities in policy making would be healthcare reform, public education reform, and the restructuring of our state government.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

In my personal life, both my mother and my father have traits that make them the amazing people they are, and I try to emulate them both. My dad has always had a good "work hard, play hard" ethic, and my mom is a terrific listener who always has the most sage advice to give to others. On top of that, I look up to my wife, who is such a caring soul and a terrific educator.

In terms of politics, I don't really have an answer. No human being - no matter how powerful or how wealthy or how altruistic - is perfect, and I don't believe we should idolize or romanticize individual political figures. All we can do is strive to make our world a little better in the way we best can, together.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

C.L.R. James, a Black Trinidadian writer, once penned a pamphlet titled "Every Cook Can Govern", and it has largely affected my view of the modern concept of democracy. Even if the reader doesn't believe a change in our governmental structure is necessary, it is nevertheless a fascinating read, and can teach much about the forgotten lessons of ancient Athenian democracy.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials should not try to stay in power as long as possible - this leads to corruption and the stifling of new ideas, particularly in a centralized system of government. They should treat each term in office as though it were their last, and worry more about drafting and passing meaningful policy than getting re-elected. Serving even just a single term as a representative of the people is a great honor that, unfortunately, far too few people get to experience in the governmental structure we have now; and if the people of my district mandate for me to serve them in Salem, I shall do just that.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I would rather listen than talk. This is an attribute that I pride myself on, since there is an existing stereotype of politicians being charismatic and egotistical. Some leaders listen to the worries of the "common folk" in order to tell them what they want to hear; but I will listen in order to begin finding solutions.

I am also not too proud to admit my own privileges. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I have had an easier life than most. I come from a broken home, but I was fortunate enough to have a home at all. I struggled in school, but my teachers bent over backwards to help me succeed. I didn't always see eye-to-eye with my father growing up, but I'll never be able to express to him how grateful I am to have him as a parent. I've been pulled over by highway patrol officers once or twice, but never did I fear that the way I looked would possibly get me killed.

I am willing to be vulnerable enough to admit when I am wrong or make a mistake, or when I don't know quite enough to confidently give advice to someone seeking it. I was taught as a child to never be too embarrassed to ask questions, and I feel that this is something more people in leadership positions should adhere to.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Listen more than you speak, especially when it comes to people from marginalized communities. Follow up with communities and sectors impacted by legislation you've helped write and/or voted to pass. Keep doors and dialogue open as much as you can. Do not forget who believes in you and who you are doing this for.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I wish to teach future generations that no one human is naturally better or worse than any other, and that, as the saying goes: "No man is an island entire of itself".

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11. I was nine years old, and I remember coming downstairs for breakfast that morning and seeing my mom crying as she watched the footage on TV. Of course, at that age I couldn't comprehend the seriousness of what had happened on the other end of the country, so I was confused as to why so many of my classmates were upset when I arrived at school that day.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I believe my very first paying job was mowing lawn for an elderly lady in southwest Portland. She had an enormous property surrounded by trees and wildlife, and it took me a few visits to mow all of the grass and weeds she had growing. Unfortunately it was just a one-time odd job, so I never saw her again.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I have a favorite book series, which is Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series. I read them all twice before I turned 15, and someday soon I hope to reread them again. Other than the Harry Potter books, I've yet to encounter a fictional universe as vast and richly-encompassing as that of "The Dark Tower", and the characters King has written for these books are colorful and well-crafted. I'd highly recommend this series, even if you've never read any other Stephen King works before!

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I find that I identify pretty strongly with Samwise Gamgee, Frodo's gardener and friend in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. What Sam lacks in physical strength, material wealth, or intelligence, he makes up for with his loyalty to his friends, and his determination and courage to do what is right.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

My wife and I just finished watching the extended editions of the Lord Of The Rings film trilogy, so the main theme is continuously looping in my head at the moment...

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have often struggled to find my own voice in speaking out against injustice in society. It has been nearly two and a half months since the current Black Lives Matter movement began, and I still struggle in finding the courage to fight like hell for what is right. I hope to find that courage one day before the end.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

Aside from the difference in geographical area that each seat represents in their respective chamber, I don't really have a strong opinion either way. However, I do think that the rules in both the House and the Senate should be revised and made to reflect the times we live in - it's no longer 1857.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I was recently admonished by a voter in my prospective district for wanting to serve in the State House with "no prior leadership experience". But what is the intended purpose of a so-called representative democracy, if not to provide an opportunity for the ordinary person to serve his/her community, both local and at large? This bias against candidates who have not yet served in public office only perpetuates the idea that politics is an exclusive club, and that only incumbent officers or well-connected people are considered fit enough to be "in".

Prior political experience may be helpful to the candidate, but not always to their electors. You cannot have a truly representative democratic government if you "gatekeep" the everyday folks who wish to genuinely help make said government work better for its people.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

We must act now on the very real, looming threat of climate change. This is something that will take all of us working together to accomplish; and while some individual lifestyles may require some re-evaluating, it is even more vital that we seek justice against the biggest perpetrators of accelerated ecological destruction - massive corporations.

Something else we should start considering (and it's possible that I may be alone in this) is the very structure of our state and local governing bodies. In my opinion, even centralized forms of government that are founded on the best of intentions, are prone to eventual hostile takeover and regulatory capture; this is something that we are seeing play out in real time in Washington, D.C. We all need to start thinking about more decentralized, directly-democratic forms of government - paradigms which allow the people more direct control over their own local communities.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

Both branches have a moral and civic duty to do what is best for the people whom they are supposed to serve - even those who may not have voted for them. If this isn't something which either party is willing to do, then I direct readers to the second paragraph of my response to the previous question.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

If one wishes to be a career politician, then absolutely!

On a more serious note, I do believe in extending basic civility and cordiality toward other lawmakers, both on and off the House floor. However, I am not going to Salem hoping that I will make 59+ new friends. My duty is to the people of my district, and to the people of Oregon as a whole; and if anyone in Salem decides to stand in the way of that, then they are no friend to Oregonians and no friend of mine.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

The task of drawing and approving legislative district boundaries should not go to legislators; that is, in my opinion, a major conflict of interest. While I cannot at this time name a perfect alternative, I firmly believe that any redistricting process should require the general public to weigh in, and to have the final say.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I will gladly accept any committee seat I am assigned. However, I would very much like to serve on the House Committee on Education and the Joint Committee on Information Management and Technology.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

N/A

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I do not have any particular desire to lead any political party in the legislature.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

As I've mentioned in my response to an earlier question, I do not believe in idolizing politicians.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

I have no desire to serve in the U.S. Congress. However, I am open to serving in public office at either the state or local level.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Unfortunately, with traditional campaigning being impacted by COVID-19, I haven't yet had much opportunity speaking to individual voters. But I would certainly like to find a way to get to know them on a personal level, and learn what they would like Salem to do better for them.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Candidate

Oregon House of Representatives District 48

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Footnotes

[show]

Oregon's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Jeff Merkley (D)

Ron Wyden (D)

Representatives

District 1

Suzanne Bonamici (D)

District 2

Cliff Bentz (R)

District 3

Maxine Dexter (D)

District 4

Val Hoyle (D)

District 5

Janelle Bynum (D)

District 6

Andrea Salinas (D)

Democratic Party (7)

Republican Party (1)