We did it!
The 2025 Special Election was a major milestone for our community—and a powerful example of what we can achieve together when we lead with purpose and unity. Thank you for showing up, raising your voices, and supporting leaders who will champion our public schools over the next four years.
East County Rising proudly endorsed 21 bold, community-first candidates for local school boards—and 19 of them won! That’s a 90% win rate, including 11 who ran unopposed and 7 who won in contested races. These victories reflect the strength of our collective efforts—from VPS support and candidate training, campaign strategy, and financial contributions. We’re especially proud of the support provided through ECR; Candidate Table, PAC compliance training, Meet & Greets, script development, and campaign resources.
We also ran a powerful and deep field program to help win a historic education and victory. After six failed attempts and more than 50 years without a bond, the MHCC Bond finally passed—by a razor-thin margin of 50.16%. This historic victory proves that every effort, every conversation, and every vote truly counts. We’re honored to have been part of this win. The Oregonian said it best, “Mt. Hood Community College voters approve bond after rejecting 6 previous requests.”
A huge thanks to the terrific board, staff, and field organizers from East County.
Here’s what some of our newly elected leaders had to say:
“When I first ran in 2011, union support was the only backing I had. This time, ECR was a grounding space—a real community. Zoom meetups were flexible, staff were incredibly supportive, and I always knew someone had my back.”
– Pam Shields
“I’m incredibly grateful for all that’s happened. ECR is stepping up in a way that the larger county party simply isn’t right now.”
– Will Mohring
“Your team was INCREDIBLE. I felt supported, empowered, and cared for. I want to keep representing and advocating for ECR.”
– Sara Epstein