Tristan Sheppard for Oregon

05/30/2026

While I appreciate that our democracy gives Oregonians the ability to come together and place measures on the ballot, it is incredibly important to actually read what you are being asked to sign.

A lot of people are approached with something simple like:
“Are you registered to vote here? Then sign this to stop animal cruelty.”

That can sound straightforward in the moment.

But the most important part is not always what is being said to you—it is what is actually written on the paper in front of you.

What is said in the moment is not always the full story.

Take the time to read the actual language yourself, because the written measure—not the sales pitch—is what matters.

Petitions are often presented with statements designed to create an emotional reaction or make you feel morally obligated to sign immediately.

Take the time to read the actual measure.
Ask questions.
Look at the language for yourself.

I am against animal cruelty. I would hope most people are as well.

However, after reading Initiative Petition 28 for myself, I am voting no.

I believe this measure would affect many Oregon families and change parts of the way many Oregonians live.

I remember standing on the riverbank with my grandfather and uncle—pole in hand. I never actually caught anything as a child, but I would not trade those memories I was fortunate enough to have with them.

I also remember times when we did not always have much. We were fortunate enough to have family who hunted or raised animals and shared with us so my sisters and I had meat in the freezer.

I would not want to take those same opportunities, traditions, and memories away from future generations either.

I also hope to share some of those same traditions and memories with my own family one day.

Whatever your position may be, please read before you sign anything—and most importantly, be informed before you vote.

Here is the official text of IP 28 from the Oregon Secretary of State:

https://sos.oregon.gov/admin/Documents/irr/2026/028text.pdf

05/25/2026

Memorial Day.

Today we remember and honor the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to our country.

Freedom has never been free. It has been defended and preserved by people willing to carry burdens many of us will never fully understand—and by families who carried those burdens with them.

Today is a day to pause, reflect, and remember those who never made it home.

May we honor their sacrifice not only with our words, but by how we live, how we serve others, and how we care for one another in our communities.

We remember your sacrifices. Thank you. 🇺🇸

05/21/2026

My condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, and my entire community of Wasco County. Wishing strength and support to everyone affected by this loss.

Commissioner Phil Brady was a good man who did a great deal for our community—from education, to healthcare access, to affordable housing, to mobilizing support for local families during difficult times. His loss is a big one for our community.

Thank you for your years of service and dedication to us, Phil Brady for Wasco County

Teacher, philosopher and longtime community advocate Phil Brady died Tuesday as voters simultaneously returned him to first place in the Wasco County commissioner race.

05/21/2026

I fully intended on taking some time to myself to rest and re-center after this election, but I was unable to. I realized something incredibly important:

I may no longer be in this race as a candidate, but yesterday was not the end for me. I still have a project that I believe is important for the future of Oregon, and I intend to see it through.

During this campaign, I heard from countless Oregonians—especially nonaffiliated and independent voters—who feel like their voices are not truly being heard within our current system.

I made a promise to listen to the people of Oregon, and I intend to keep that promise.

I have been developing a serious reform proposal focused on voter participation, equal access, election integrity, and ensuring that more Oregonians have a meaningful voice in publicly administered and publicly funded elections.

More specifically, the proposal focuses on creating a structured pathway for long-term nonaffiliated Oregon voters to participate in one major-party primary election without being required to formally join a political party, while still preserving election integrity, party rights, and Oregon’s existing vote-by-mail system.

While the framework has been developed, it will benefit from further review and refinement, and I am not quite ready to release all of the details publicly yet. However, I believe this is a conversation worth having for the future of Oregon.

If you are interested in supporting this effort, helping build a coalition, or simply learning more as this develops, please let me know.

Without public support, ideas like this can disappear quietly before they ever have the opportunity to be seriously discussed. I do not want that to happen if this truly matters to the people of Oregon.

05/20/2026

"You lost today kid, but it doesn’t mean you have to like it."

First and foremost, congratulations to the winners of their party primaries: Governor Tina Kotek and Republican nominee Christine Drazan. They earned it through the democratic process, and I wish them both success in serving the people of Oregon. Best of luck to you both in November.

To everyone who supported me throughout this campaign: thank you. Your encouragement, trust, conversations, and willingness to believe in this campaign meant more to me than I can properly express.

This experience taught me many lessons — including giving me a firsthand look into the realities of our civic and political process. The stories and perspectives I heard along the way were incredibly eye-opening and valuable, and I will carry those lessons forward with gratitude.

But regardless of tonight’s outcome, not one thing has changed on my end.

My service to Oregonians was never conditional on a win or a title — I will happily continue serving my community and any other communities that call upon me. I will continue answering questions, listening to concerns, and showing up where I am needed.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk — be sure to stay tuned in for deleted scenes, bloopers, and maybe even sequels.

Here is this morning's sunrise for you to enjoy, just as I got to.

05/20/2026

I appreciate every opportunity voters have given me to answer difficult questions directly and honestly throughout this campaign.

Whether we agree politically or not, I believe people deserve transparency, clear answers, and respect.

Over the past several months, I have tried to approach this campaign the same way I approached public service: listen first, stay grounded, and remember that the people of Oregon are more important than political division.

I know I am not the traditional candidate in this race. I come from a background in fire service, EMS, forestry, and community service — not career politics. But I believe real-world experience matters, and I believe leadership should be rooted in accountability, humility, and follow-through.

No matter what happens tonight on Election Night, I am grateful for every conversation, every question, every criticism, every suggestion, and every person who took the time to engage with me respectfully. Your insights and perspectives have truly been helpful throughout this journey.

Oregon deserves leaders who are willing to listen, think critically, and treat people with dignity — even when we disagree.

Thank you all for being part of this journey. I could not have done this without the support of my fellow Oregonians.

I’ll take seeing this bald eagle perched on a fence this morning as a sign that it’s going to be a great day.

05/19/2026

As we go into Election Day tomorrow, I would like to say something that is incredibly important to me:

We are not enemies. We are Americans. Neighbors. Fellow Oregonians.

We do not have to agree on every single issue or be in the same party to treat each other with respect and dignity.

Healthy disagreement is part of what makes our democracy strong.

Listening, understanding, and being willing to actually talk to one another goes a long way toward solving problems together.

We need more of that from our leaders and from the people who represent us.

05/18/2026

Better late than never — here is my candidate profile from Vote-USA.org

I encourage voters to look into me as well as the other candidates running in this race. I cannot stress enough how much I believe people deserve transparency, clear information, and the opportunity to make informed decisions for themselves.

The profile includes information about my background, experience, and positions on a variety of issues. You can also find information about all the candidates on this website.

The link can be found here:

https://vote-usa.org/Intro.aspx?State=OR&Id=ORSHEPPARDTRISTAN

05/18/2026

Earlier, a pair of AP Government students reached out to ask thoughtful questions about my views on immigration policy, enforcement, and detention centers for a class project.

I appreciated the opportunity to answer honestly and in depth. Regardless of political affiliation, I believe voters deserve clear answers about where candidates stand and why.

I also believe students engaging in civic discussions and asking difficult questions is incredibly important for the future of our communities and our democracy.

Because I do not want people left questioning where I stand on immigration, I thought it was best for them to hear it directly from me — even if you do not agree. Below is the response I provided them:

Hello Jessica and Ani,

I am glad to see you both taking an interest in this topic, as it is a major concern for many of our families and communities. I am honored to assist you with your project.

My views on immigration are fairly solid, but not rigid. I believe immigration is a complex issue that requires both humanity and practicality, while upholding our laws and order.

I have deep respect for people who risk everything to come here and work difficult jobs in hopes of giving their families a better life and more opportunities. That is a huge sacrifice and our country was built on that promise.

At the same time, immigration policy is ultimately a federal responsibility. States do not have the authority to create their own independent immigration system outside of federal law.

With that said, states still have a responsibility to ensure that people are treated lawfully, constitutionally, and with basic human dignity.

I believe it is important to follow the law and to pursue legal pathways into this country whenever possible. I also understand that the immigration process can be extremely difficult and confusing. I personally experienced some difficulty navigating portions of the system and government websites myself — and I was born and raised in Oregon with English as my first language.

No family should have to live in constant fear of being separated unexpectedly or not knowing what will happen to their loved ones.

At the same time, I also believe it is important that we treat people like people. If you are in this country, you still possess constitutional rights and human rights. As I have said publicly before: “Policies can be changed overnight. The rights protected by our Constitution do not.”

When I meet someone, I do not ask about their immigration status — because that does not determine their value as a human being. I try to judge people by their character, their actions, and how they treat others.

Regarding enforcement, I believe Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a legitimate role in addressing serious criminal activity, trafficking, violent offenses, and genuine public safety threats. However, enforcement should still operate within constitutional boundaries and with accountability. To me, that means proper identification, clear authority, due process, and lawful probable cause for stopping someone.

I do not support people being randomly targeted, unlawfully detained, or treated in ways that violate their rights or dignity. Our Fourth Amendment exists to protect people from unreasonable searches and seizures. All of our constitutional protections matter — regardless of political opinion.

I also believe local and state governments can help ensure transparency and public safety during enforcement actions without unlawfully interfering with federal authority. For example, local law enforcement can help maintain public order, ensure situations remain lawful and nonviolent, and intervene if community safety becomes a concern. They can also help ensure that families are informed and not left completely in the dark during traumatic situations.

As for detention centers, I do not believe people should be treated inhumanely simply because of immigration status. Many individuals being detained are not violent criminals. While I would rather not see large-scale detention used as the primary response to immigration violations, if detention is going to occur, then Oregon should do everything legally within its power to ensure people are treated humanely and with dignity while in custody.

That means ensuring access to basic necessities such as food, clean facilities, a bed, medical care, communication with their families, and access to legal representation. Individuals should also have the ability to report officers or staff who act maliciously or violate established procedures.

People being detained should still be treated with respect, and their loved ones deserve to know where they are so they are not left completely in the dark.

Regardless of political affiliation, I believe most Americans agree that laws matter, borders matter, and human dignity matters as well. They do not have to be opposing ideas — it is simply a matter of how we choose to approach them. My way is ensuring that upholding the law and preserving civil rights are not opposite sides.

Thank you again for reaching out and for taking the time to engage thoughtfully with these issues. I appreciate students who are willing to research different perspectives and participate in civic discussions. We need more people who pay attention to civic issues and become involved in shaping positive change.

I hope this helps with your project. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions.

Respectfully,

Tristan Sheppard
Democratic Candidate for Governor of Oregon

** Photo Information: I took this photo outside Hillsboro three years ago when I was invited to celebrate a danza cultural event. It was grounding to see people celebrate their heritage and reconnect with their culture. It was an extremely hot July day — and yes, I did get smudged with copal by the Sahumadora after being invited into the circle following their ceremony.**

05/18/2026

As promised — complete and submitted.

Transparency and follow-through from our officials matter.

Regardless of who you support, please remember to vote by tomorrow at 8pm.