Tawna Sanchez

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix = The Honorable

| name = Tawna Sanchez

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Rep. Tawna Sanchez Joint Committee on Transportation in Portland (cropped).jpg

| caption = Sanchez in 2024

| state_house = Oregon

| district = 43rd

| term_start = January 9, 2017

| term_end =

| predecessor = Lew Frederick

| successor =

| office1 =

| term_start1 =

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 =

| prior_term =

| birth_name = Tawna Dee Sanchez

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|08|23}}

| birth_place = Portland, Oregon, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| resting_place =

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| citizenship =

| nationality =

| party = Democratic

| spouse =

| children =

| education =

| alma_mater = Marylhurst University (BA)
Portland State University (MA)

| occupation =

| signature = Tawna Sanchez Signature.png

| module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Tawna Sanchez voice.ogg|title=Tawna Sanchez's voice|type=speech|description=Sanchez receiving an award from the League of Minority Voters of Oregon
Recorded May 18, 2024}}

}}

Tawna Dee Sanchez (born August 23, 1961) is an American politician, currently serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives. She represents the 43rd district, which covers parts of north-central Portland.

Early life and education

Sanchez was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Sanchez is of Shoshone-Bannock, Ute, and Carrizo descent and was the second person of Native American descent elected to serve in the Oregon legislature (following Jackie Taylor) and the first to represent Portland.{{cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/03/oregon-planned-to-mark-250-years-since-declaration-of-independence-without-giving-tribes-a-voice-2-lawmakers-changed-that.html|title=Oregon planned to mark 250 years since Declaration of Independence without giving tribes a voice. 2 lawmakers changed that|date=March 6, 2024|access-date=March 7, 2024|publisher=OregonLive.com|last=Edge|first=Sami}}

Sanchez graduated with a bachelor's degree from Marylhurst University and with a master's degree from Portland State University.

Career

She has worked with the Native American Youth and Family Center for much of her life.{{cite web|title=Tawna Sanchez's Biography|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/168092/tawna-sanchez#.WILrkXfMwZc|publisher=Project VoteSmart|accessdate=January 20, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001638/http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/168092/tawna-sanchez#.WILrkXfMwZc|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Tawna Sanchez to bring a new perspective to Salem|url=http://news.streetroots.org/2016/09/08/tawna-sanchez-bring-new-perspective-salem|author=Quirke, Steven|date=September 8, 2016|publisher=Street Roots|accessdate=January 20, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202140306/http://news.streetroots.org/2016/09/08/tawna-sanchez-bring-new-perspective-salem|url-status=live}}

Sanchez has served on the Oregon Child Welfare Advisory Commission and the Oregon Family Services Review Commission.

She won election to the House in 2016, narrowly defeating Roberta Phillip-Robbins in the Democratic primary and running unopposed in the general election.{{cite web|url=http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/RecordView/6873777|title=November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=January 20, 2017|archive-date=September 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922111443/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/RecordView/6873777|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/05/closest_race_for_oregon_legisl.html|title=Closest race for Oregon Legislature decided: Tawna Sanchez wins|author=Hammill, Luke|publisher=The Oregonian (OregonLive.com)|date=May 20, 2016|accessdate=January 20, 2017|archive-date=August 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825230446/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/05/closest_race_for_oregon_legisl.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/05/neck-and-neck_race_for_legisla.html|title=Controversial neck-and-neck race for Legislature may head for recount|author=Hammill, Luke|publisher=The Oregonian (OregonLive.com)|date=May 18, 2016|accessdate=January 20, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822213632/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/05/neck-and-neck_race_for_legisla.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.wweek.com/news/2016/05/18/sixteen-votes-separate-tawna-sanchez-and-roberta-phillip-robbins-in-house-district-43/|title=In Surprising Reversal, Tawna Sanchez Now Leads Roberta Phillip-Robbins in House District 43|author=Slovic, Beth|newspaper=Willamette Week|date=May 18, 2016|accessdate=January 20, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202074416/http://www.wweek.com/news/2016/05/18/sixteen-votes-separate-tawna-sanchez-and-roberta-phillip-robbins-in-house-district-43/|url-status=live}}

As of 2023 Sanchez is the co-chair of the Oregon legislature's joint Ways and Means committee, along with Senator Elizabeth Steiner.{{cite news|last=VanderHart|first=Dirk|date=March 23, 2023|title=Budget writers unveil a no-frills plan for Oregon's next 2 years|url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/03/23/budget-proposal-oregon-steiner-sanchez-kotek/|url-status=live|work=Oregon Public Broadcasting|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731180304/https://www.opb.org/article/2023/03/23/budget-proposal-oregon-steiner-sanchez-kotek/|archive-date=July 31, 2023|access-date=November 1, 2023}}

Electoral history

=2016=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2016 Oregon State Representative, 43rd district

{{cite web

| title = November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes

| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873777

| website = Oregon Secretary of State

| access-date = October 30, 2023

| archive-date = January 19, 2023

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230119071743/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873777

| url-status = live }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Tawna Sanchez

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 31,052

| percentage = 98.5}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes = 457

| percentage = 1.5}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 31,509

| percentage = 100%}}

=2018=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2018 Oregon State Representative, 43rd 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 = Tawna Sanchez

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 31,885

| percentage = 98.7}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes = 425

| percentage = 1.3}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 32,310

| percentage = 100%}}

=2020=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2020 Oregon State Representative, 43rd district

{{cite web

| title = November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes

| url = https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2020.pdf

| website = Oregon Secretary of State

| access-date = October 30, 2023

| archive-date = November 12, 2022

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221112205917/https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2020.pdf

| url-status = live }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Tawna Sanchez

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 39,274

| percentage = 98.8}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes = 479

| percentage = 1.2}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 39,753

| percentage = 100%}}

=2022=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2022 Oregon State Representative, 43rd district Democratic primary {{cite web|title=May 17, 2022, Primary Election Abstract of Votes|website=Oregon Secretary of State|url=https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/may-primary-2022.pdf|access-date=7 March 2023|archive-date=31 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231174734/https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/may-primary-2022.pdf|url-status=live}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Tawna Sanchez (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 13,247

| percentage = 99.34

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Write-in

| votes = 88

| percentage = 0.66

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 13,335

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title=2022 Oregon State Representative, 43rd district{{Cite web |title=November 8, 2022, General Election Abstract of Votes |url=https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2022.pdf |access-date=March 7, 2023 |website=Oregon Secretary of State |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612205817/https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2022.pdf |url-status=live }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tawna Sanchez (incumbent)

|votes = 33,466

|percentage = 91.80

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Tim LeMaster

|votes = 2,943

|percentage = 8.07

}}