Press Release

January 9, 2012

Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown unveils online Civics Toolkit

SALEM - Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown recently unveiled a new online Civics Toolkit. The civic education curriculum was developed through a collaboration of efforts by local professors, teachers and Oregon elections staff. The goal is to provide a beginners guide to civics with an Oregon-centric view that anyone can access and use.

According to the most recent national civics examination, fewer than half of American eighth graders know the purpose of the Bill of Rights. In addition, only one in 10 demonstrated acceptable knowledge of the checks and balances among the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

“Democracies can only be sustained by citizens who have the basic knowledge, skills and dispositions - I think our online Civic Toolkit can help,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “As your Secretary of State and Oregon’s chief elections officer, it is my duty to engage Oregonians in the political process.”

The toolkit is made up of 10 lessons that cover everything from your rights and responsibilities as a good citizen, the history of voting in Oregon and what you need to know before you register to vote in our great state.

You can find the online Civics Toolkit by visiting the Oregon Secretary of State website (Elections Division), clicking on Voter Resources and then Civics Toolkit in the top navigation. Or you can go directly to the Civics Toolkit.

Kate Brown speaking with McNary HS students about civics

For more information, please contact:
Tony Green
Communications Director
tony.green@state.or.us
(503) 507-0082