Alan Olsen
{{short description|American Republican politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Alan Olsen
| image = Alan Olsen.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|3|24}}
| birth_place = McHenry, Illinois, U.S.
| residence = Canby, Oregon, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| state_senate = Oregon
| district = 20th
| term_start = January 10, 2011
| term_end = January 10, 2021
| predecessor = Martha Schrader
| successor = Bill Kennemer
| party = Republican
| religion =
| alma_mater = Purdue University (BS)
| occupation =
| majority =
| relations =
| spouse = Juanita Olsen
| children =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Alan Randal Olsen (born March 24, 1948) is an American Republican politician who served in the Oregon State Senate from 2011 until 2021, representing Oregon's 20th Senate district in southeastern Clackamas County, including the cities of Barlow, Canby, Gladstone, Johnson City, Oregon City, and portions of Milwaukie. He defeated incumbent Democrat Martha Schrader in the 2010 election.
Early life and career
Olsen was born and grew up in McHenry, Illinois. He graduated from McHenry High School and attended Purdue University, where in 1975 he earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. From 1969 to 1971 Olsen served in the U.S. Army. He moved to Oregon in 1978 and has been the owner and operator of Custom Construction Services since 1987 specializing in the design and construction custom homes and commercial projects. Locally, Olsen is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and is a past President of the Oregon Bass Federation Nation.{{cite web|url=http://alanolsen.com/newsarticle.php?id=1 |title=Small business owner announces run for State Senate |publisher=Alan Olsen for State Senate Committee |accessdate=2010-08-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707102955/http://alanolsen.com/newsarticle.php?id=1 |archivedate=2011-07-07 |df= }}
Political career
Olsen was the candidate for Senate District 20. According to Willamette Week Senate District 20 was a battleground race between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats held a majority in both the state House (36–24) and Senate (18–12).{{cite web|url=http://wweek.com/editorial/3629/14078/|title=The Fall Line|publisher=Willamette Week|accessdate=2010-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530000203/http://wweek.com/editorial/3629/14078/|archive-date=2010-05-30|url-status=dead|df=}}
The Republican Party of Oregon for the 2010 election cycle hosted the first online primary. On July 30 the primary results were released announcing Olsen as the nominated candidate for senate district 20 from the Republican Party of Oregon.{{cite web|url=http://indparty.com/results.pdf|title=Primary Election Results|publisher=Independent party of Oregon|accessdate=2010-08-17|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815231745/http://indparty.com/results.pdf|archivedate=15 August 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
Olsen narrowly defeated incumbent Martha Schrader by 227 votes.{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/senate_democrats_seek_partial.html|title=Senate Democrats seek partial recount in Olsen-Schrader race|publisher=The Oregonian|last=Mapes|first=Jeff|accessdate=January 10, 2011|date=December 6, 2010|archive-date=December 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209030623/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/senate_democrats_seek_partial.html|url-status=live}}
In 2014, Olsen proposed a referendum to end same-day voter registration; voters rejected his proposal.{{Cite web|last=Banville|first=Lee|title=Montanans Vote To Keep Same-Day Voter Registration|url=https://www.mtpr.org/post/montanans-vote-keep-same-day-voter-registration|access-date=2021-04-20|website=www.mtpr.org|language=en|archive-date=2021-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420005254/https://www.mtpr.org/post/montanans-vote-keep-same-day-voter-registration|url-status=live}}
From June 20, 2019, all 11 Republican state senators for Oregon, including Olsen, refused to show up for work at the Oregon State Capitol, instead going into hiding, some even fleeing the state. Their aim was to prevent a vote on a cap-and-trade proposal that would dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to combat climate change. The Senate holds 30 seats, but 1 is vacant due to a death. Without the Republican senators, the remaining 18 Democratic state senators could not reach a quorum of 20 to hold a vote.{{cite web |title=Oregon Republicans walk out on state Senate over climate change bill as governor threatens police roundup |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/oregon-republicans-climate-change-bill-lawmakers-walk-out-of-state-legislature-as-governor-orders-police-round-up/ |website=CBS News |accessdate=24 June 2019 |archive-date=24 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624145338/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/oregon-republicans-climate-change-bill-lawmakers-walk-out-of-state-legislature-as-governor-orders-police-round-up/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Osborne |first1=Mark |last2=Youn |first2=Soo |title=Oregon's Republican state senators go into hiding over climate change vote amid militia threat |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/oregons-republican-state-senators-hiding-democrats-delay-climate/story?id=63880562 |website=ABC News |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |date=June 23, 2019 |archive-date=June 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623192337/https://abcnews.go.com/US/oregons-republican-state-senators-hiding-democrats-delay-climate/story?id=63880562 |url-status=live }}
On December 11, 2020, Olsen and 11 other state Republican officials signed a letter requesting Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum join Texas and other states contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election in Texas v. Pennsylvania. Rosenblum announced she had filed in behalf of the defense, and against Texas, the day prior.{{Cite web |title=A Dozen Oregon Republican Lawmakers Urged the Attorney General to Support Texas Lawsuit Undermining U.S. Election Results |author=Tess Riski |work=Willamette Week |date=13 December 2020 |access-date=13 December 2020 |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2020/12/13/a-dozen-oregon-republican-lawmakers-urged-the-attorney-general-to-support-texas-lawsuit-undermining-u-s-election-results/ |archive-date=14 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214022229/https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2020/12/13/a-dozen-oregon-republican-lawmakers-urged-the-attorney-general-to-support-texas-lawsuit-undermining-u-s-election-results/ |url-status=live }}
Olson resigned from the Senate effective January 10, 2021.{{cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/2021/01/oregon-senator-from-clackamas-county-will-resign.html|title=Oregon senator from Clackamas County will resign|last=Killen|first=Dave|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=January 4, 2021|accessdate=February 1, 2021|archive-date=January 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112031444/https://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/2021/01/oregon-senator-from-clackamas-county-will-resign.html|url-status=live}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2010 Oregon State Senator, 20th district{{cite web
| title = Official Results November 2, 2010
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873642
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = August 31, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230831080329/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873642
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Alan R Olsen
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 23,044
| percentage = 50.2}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Martha Schrader
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 22,817
| percentage = 49.7}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 74
| percentage = 0.2}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 45,935
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2014 Oregon State Senator, 20th district{{cite web
| title = November 4, 2014, General Election, Official Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = April 6, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406223359/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Alan R Olsen
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 26,705
| percentage = 52.5}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jamie Damon
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 23,930
| percentage = 47.1}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 199
| percentage = 0.4}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 50,834
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2018 Oregon State Senator, 20th district{{cite web
| title = November 6, 2018, General Election Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = April 6, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406153942/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Alan R Olsen
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 33,685
| percentage = 51.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Charles Gallia
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 29,927
| percentage = 46.1}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Kenny Sernach
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| votes = 1,245
| percentage = 1.9}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 111
| percentage = 0.2}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 64,968
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebdrawer/RecordView/6873771 2014 Primary Election Voters' Pamphlet, page 16]
- [http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebdrawer/RecordView/6873678 2010 Primary Election Voters' Pamphlet, page 18]
- [http://www.alanolsen.com/ Campaign website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olsen, Alan}}
Category:Republican Party Oregon state senators
Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Category:Politicians from Canby, Oregon