SCR 203

83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2026 Regular Session
  Enrolled
  Senate Concurrent Resolution 203
Sponsored by Senators WAGNER, FREDERICK, Representative GRAYBER, Senators GORSEK,
   MANNING JR, Representatives NELSON, SANCHEZ; Senators GELSER BLOUIN, GOLDEN,
   JAMA, PHAM K, PROZANSKI, Representatives GAMBA, GOMBERG, ISADORE, NGUYEN D,
   PHAM H, WISE (at the request of Senator Lew Frederick) (Presession filed.)
     Whereas Moses Ross was born on June 20, 1966; and
     Whereas at an early age Moses Ross learned from the example of his hardworking grandparents,
immigrants from Mexico to the mid-Willamette Valley, that “as parents, you do what is necessary
to provide for your family and strive to ensure the American dream for your progeny and for your
community”; and
     Whereas Moses Ross attended schools in Utah, Wyoming and Ontario, Canada, before making
his home in Portland in the late 1980s; and
     Whereas in 1989 Moses Ross began working for the Lake Oswego Review, and that experience
motivated him to start his own publication, a 50,000-circulation quarterly magazine for the local li-
censed holistic healthcare community that ran from 1990 to 1995; and
     Whereas spurred on by his grandparents’ example, Moses Ross was indeed a fierce advocate for
his communities of Multnomah Village and greater Southwest Portland, and was known affection-
ately by those for whom he fought so tirelessly as the “Mayor of Multnomah Village”; and
     Whereas as President of the Multnomah Neighborhood Association, Moses Ross proudly estab-
lished the first tiny pod village in Southwest Portland, providing a port in a storm for the
community’s houseless population; and
     Whereas Moses Ross was an engaged and accomplished small business owner, operating the
nationally recognized and award winning political organizations Smart Voter Contact and
PoliticalRobocalls.com; and
     Whereas in 2010, the magazine Campaigns & Elections named Moses Ross and
PoliticalRobocalls.com as the recipient of a prestigious Reed Award, recognizing his excellence in
political campaigning; and
     Whereas Moses Ross was also a repeat winner of the American Association of Political
Consultants’ “Pollie” Award, honoring excellence in polling and voter engagement; and
     Whereas Moses Ross was again recognized as a Reed Award winner in 2013 for Best Overall
Use of a Telephone Town Hall for Washington State Representative Larry Seaquist; and
     Whereas Moses Ross delivered frequent electoral wins and robust voter engagement for con-
gressional and statewide campaigns, school board candidates, city councilors, county commissioners,
state legislators, labor unions and nonprofits in Oregon and across the nation; and
     Whereas Moses Ross was also deeply respected for his volunteer work within the Democratic
Party of Oregon, where he cofounded the Democratic Party of Oregon Latino Caucus and served
as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008, 2016, 2020 and 2024; and
     Whereas as a steadfast and outspoken advocate for election reform, Moses Ross served on the
Multnomah County Charter Review Committee, which laid the groundwork for the successful City
of Portland Honest Elections campaign (Measure 26-200), securing more than 87 percent approval
from Portland voters; and
     Whereas Moses Ross was committed to local news, highlighting community issues as a host of
PDX Progressive Talk Radio on KBOO Community Radio and at the Willamette Falls Media Center;
and
Enrolled Senate Concurrent Resolution 203 (SCR 203-INTRO)  Page 1
     Whereas whenever there was an opportunity to fight for a cause, Moses Ross showed up, making
calls, walking turf, marching in parades and working tables; and
     Whereas Moses Ross always endeavored to find common ground and workable solutions for
Oregon’s most challenging issues, and his approach to each and every one of them was built on the
foundations of equity, equality and accessibility; and
     Whereas Moses Ross was remembered by Willamette Week for his effective volunteer work, his
relentless positivity and kindness and his unrelenting advocacy for all those who call Portland home;
and
     Whereas whether running for office, taking on new community or political responsibilities, ex-
panding his business or coordinating neighborhood projects, Moses Ross dedicated himself to making
the world a better place for all; and
     Whereas despite his unrelenting involvement in politics and in his communities, Moses Ross was
also a dedicated single father and best friend to his cherished daughter, Emma, and he strove above
all to teach her that one person truly can make a difference; and
     Whereas Emma remembers her dad as a loving, nerdy, amazing, one-of-a-kind person who was
“everything good”; and
     Whereas Moses Ross passed away at his home in Multnomah Village at the tender age of 58
on April 23, 2025; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:
    That we, the members of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly, honor and celebrate the life and
legacy of Moses Ross, and we recognize him as a force for good whose dedication improved the lives
of many across our state; and be it further
    Resolved, That we recognize Moses Ross as the honorary “Mayor Emeritus of Multnomah Vil-
lage”; and be it further
    Resolved, That a copy of this resolution shall be presented to Emma Ross as an expression of
our sympathy and condolences.
  Adopted by Senate February 16, 2026
  Obadiah Rutledge, Secretary of Senate
  Rob Wagner, President of Senate
  Adopted by House February 26, 2026
  Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Enrolled Senate Concurrent Resolution 203 (SCR 203-INTRO)  Page 2