Elevating active transportation options in local politics.
About Us
who we are
Bike Walk Vote works to elect candidates who best support Oregon's bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders. We also work on ballot measures.
Formed in 2004, we have worked in elections in 2004, 2006, and 2008. Our endorsed candidates and measures won 15 of 19 elections.
After a hiatus in 2010, we have relaunched Bike Walk Vote. Our first action was endorsing Alissa Keny-Guyer for appointment to the Oregon legislature, an appointment she won. We are now ramping up for a busy 2012 election year.
our unique value
As a political action committee, Bike Walk Vote goes where most non-profits cannot - directly into candidate elections. We endorse candidates and work to elect our strongest allies. While advocacy, organizing, education and lobbying are all valuable activities, the most influential action is electing the right people in the first place.
The People
Bike Walk Vote is run by an eight person volunteer steering committee who represent a cross-section of skills and interests in the biking, walking, and transit community.
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Evan Manvel, co-chair
Evan served as Executive Director of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance from 2005 to 2007, and as the Legislative Director for the Oregon League of Conservation Voters in 2008 and 2009. He has also served as campaign manager for Robert Liberty and Paul van Orden. He is now the Principal of Manvel Public Affairs.
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Peter W, co-chair
Peter loves bike touring and backpacking, but has just as much fun organizing for better walking and biking environments.
Outside of BWV, Peter enjoys web development and working on Open Source projects.
Peter's goal is for Bike Walk Vote to go global within 5 years.
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Jodi Jacobson-Swartfager, treasurer
A Spokane native, Jodi moved to Portland in 2000 and immediately fell in love with Portland's bike scene. She's currently enrolled in Portland State University's Masters of Urban and Regional Planning program. She can't wait to see the world covered with bike lanes.
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Jeff Jacobson-Swartfager, graphic designer
Jeff is the head of Press at an education and consultant company in Vancouver, WA. He also works as a freelance graphic designer.
Jeff loves his wife and his bike.
His mustache tickles.
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Steph Routh
When not working with Bike Walk Vote, you can find Steph geeking out on transportation wonkery or leading the charge for pedestrian safety with the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition. She has also been known to throw a mad dance party. And she speaks Chinese fluently.
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Beth Flanagan
Beth has a passion for design and legs of steel. Seriously, if Bike Walk Vote had a cyclocross team, we'd make her our Captain. When not racing or working with us, you can find her helping out at groups like OLCV and 1000 Friends of Oregon.
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Heidi Guenin
Heidi is the Transportation Policy Coordinator for Upstream Public Health. She loves good company, good beer, and good bakeries. She's also a huge transportation wonk (possibly more so than Steph even, which is saying a lot).
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Scott Lieuallen
Scott is a Eugene City Councilor turned Lane County Commissioner turned Bike and Pedestrian Advocate Superhero. You can find him leading the charge for the WPC's Getting Around On Foot neighborhood outreach project, at a local Shift or BTA volunteer gig, or sharing drinks with friends at one of Portland's great pubs.
The Questionnaire
We continually work to have our questionnaires inform candidates about the most current issues in the bike, walk, and transit communities. Each race may have a different questionnaire, which helps inform our endorsement decisions. We also sometimes supplement written questionnaires with in-person interviews.
Curious what issue's we're asking about? We'll have these Mayoral race questions on display at the 2011 Launch Party.