Phil Keisling
Encyclopedia
Phil Keislinghttp://books.google.com/books?id=DnQkAQAAIAAJ&q=Phil+Keisling+secretary+1955&dq=Phil+Keisling+secretary+1955&hl=en&ei=MQNXTePVHIL-8AaxhaDfBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA is a politician and business executive in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. He served as Oregon Secretary of State
from 1991 to 1999. He is known for having championed the state's vote-by-mail
system.
Prior to seeking public office, Keisling pursued a career in journalism, including six years as a reporter and correspondent in Portland, Oregon
and Washington, and two years as editor of Washington Monthly. He is a Democrat
, and a member of the Democratic Leadership Council
.
Keisling, now a Senior Vice President for Marketing for the Oregon high tech company, CorSource Technology Group, Inc. (formerly Hepieric, Inc.), has remained deeply involved in politics and civic affairs since leaving office, serving on a variety of local, statewide and national committees, commissions and organizations, both inside and outside of government.
In 2010, Keisling joined a new state-wide Trade association, Smart Grid Oregon, as its Board Chairman. The organization has been created to enable, promote and grow the smart grid industry and infrastructure in the State of Oregon.
He accepted appointment in 1998 to the Performance Audit Implementation Steering Committee of the Portland Public Schools, which guided the financially troubled district through comprehensive reform in response to an independent performance audit.
When a proposal came before the Oregon State Legislature in 2003 transfer responsibility for audits of state agencies and programs from the Audit Division of the Secretary of State to the Legislature
, Keisling joined with four other former Secretaries of States of both parties, Mark Hatfield
, Clay Myers, Norma Paulus
, and Barbara Roberts
, to publicly denounce the move.
Keisling is a chief proponent of open primaries in Oregon, contributing to and later promoting a 2004 white paper
sponsored by the non-partisan Oregon Progress Forum. The Public Commission on the Oregon Legislature
included open primaries among its sweeping proposals for reforms to the legislature
. Keisling and Paulus, a Republican
, headed an initiative petition signature drive to place the issue on the 2006 ballot. Of the 91,401 petition signatures submitted, only 67% were determined to be valid, and the measure did not make it to a vote. They tried again in 2008, successfully placing Measure 65 on the ballot.
A longtime supporter of open government, Keisling serves on the Board of Open Oregon, a statewide advocacy and watchdog organization involved in Oregon Public Meeting Law (Sunshine Law) enforcement, and other government secrecy issues. He is also a co-founder and board member of the Oregon Public Affairs Network (OPAN), roughly based on the C-SPAN
television model.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He served as Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
from 1991 to 1999. He is known for having championed the state's vote-by-mail
Postal voting
Postal voting describes the method of voting in an election whereby ballot papers are distributed or returned by post to electors, in contrast to electors voting in person at a polling station or electronically via an electronic voting system....
system.
Prior to seeking public office, Keisling pursued a career in journalism, including six years as a reporter and correspondent in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and Washington, and two years as editor of Washington Monthly. He is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and a member of the Democratic Leadership Council
Democratic Leadership Council
The Democratic Leadership Council was a non-profit 501 corporation that, upon its formation, argued the United States Democratic Party should shift away from the leftward turn it took in the late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...
.
Keisling, now a Senior Vice President for Marketing for the Oregon high tech company, CorSource Technology Group, Inc. (formerly Hepieric, Inc.), has remained deeply involved in politics and civic affairs since leaving office, serving on a variety of local, statewide and national committees, commissions and organizations, both inside and outside of government.
In 2010, Keisling joined a new state-wide Trade association, Smart Grid Oregon, as its Board Chairman. The organization has been created to enable, promote and grow the smart grid industry and infrastructure in the State of Oregon.
He accepted appointment in 1998 to the Performance Audit Implementation Steering Committee of the Portland Public Schools, which guided the financially troubled district through comprehensive reform in response to an independent performance audit.
When a proposal came before the Oregon State Legislature in 2003 transfer responsibility for audits of state agencies and programs from the Audit Division of the Secretary of State to the Legislature
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
, Keisling joined with four other former Secretaries of States of both parties, Mark Hatfield
Mark Hatfield
Mark Odom Hatfield was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States Senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee...
, Clay Myers, Norma Paulus
Norma Paulus
Norma Paulus is an American attorney and former politician in the state of Oregon. A native of Nebraska, she was raised in Eastern Oregon before becoming a lawyer...
, and Barbara Roberts
Barbara Roberts
Barbara Kay Roberts is an American politician from the state of Oregon. A native of the state, she served as the 34th Governor of Oregon from 1991 to 1995. She is the first and, to date, only woman to be elected to that office. A Democrat, Roberts was also the first woman to serve as majority...
, to publicly denounce the move.
Keisling is a chief proponent of open primaries in Oregon, contributing to and later promoting a 2004 white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
sponsored by the non-partisan Oregon Progress Forum. The Public Commission on the Oregon Legislature
Public Commission on the Oregon Legislature
The Public Commission on the Oregon Legislature was a group of 30 citizens in the U.S. state of Oregon charged with developing recommendations on how to improve the Oregon Legislative Assembly. The 2005 session of the legislature established the commission with Senate Bill 1084...
included open primaries among its sweeping proposals for reforms to the legislature
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
. Keisling and Paulus, a Republican
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
, headed an initiative petition signature drive to place the issue on the 2006 ballot. Of the 91,401 petition signatures submitted, only 67% were determined to be valid, and the measure did not make it to a vote. They tried again in 2008, successfully placing Measure 65 on the ballot.
A longtime supporter of open government, Keisling serves on the Board of Open Oregon, a statewide advocacy and watchdog organization involved in Oregon Public Meeting Law (Sunshine Law) enforcement, and other government secrecy issues. He is also a co-founder and board member of the Oregon Public Affairs Network (OPAN), roughly based on the C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
television model.