The Bend Chamber’s Role in Elections: Candidates, Ballot Measures & Business

Election season brings another question about advocacy: what role does the Bend Chamber play when voters are choosing their representatives or deciding ballot measures? Our approach starts with information and engagement.

The Bend Chamber does not endorse candidates. Instead, we work to give members opportunities to learn where candidates stand on issues affecting businesses and Central Oregon’s economy. Ahead of the 2026 general election, we’ll soon be sharing questionnaires with candidates for city council and mayor, the state legislature and Congress. We’ll also reshare the responses provided by the remaining county commissioner candidates ahead of the May primary.

Candidate questionnaires, forums and conversations with business leaders serve another purpose, too: they put business issues in front of the people seeking to represent our community.

Ballot measures are different. Rather than evaluating an individual candidate, the Chamber can evaluate the policy being proposed and its potential impact on businesses, employees and the broader community. When appropriate, the Chamber may take a position on a ballot measure based on established priorities and our process for evaluating policy issues.

Election engagement is ultimately an extension of the same work we do throughout the year: helping members stay informed and making sure business issues are part of important community conversations.