History of Oregon's Dorchester Conference

The historic Dorchester House (built 1929), located at 2701 Northwest Highway 101 in Lincoln City, Oregon (listed on the US National Register of Historic Places ) was the location for the early Dorchester Conferences. (Click photo for larger view.)

Soon we'll hear the results of Dorchester XLVI, held this weekend March 5-7. Until then, here is a brief history of the Dorchester Conference, "Where politics is fun!" From dorchester.org/history: "The Dorchester Conference is America’s oldest annual political conference. Then-State Representative Bob Packwood founded the conference in 1965. Packwood invited Republicans from around the state to the Dorchester House in Lincoln City, Oregon. ∴ The first conference attracted about 200 participants for a lively discussion around the future of the politics in Oregon. At the end of the conference, delegates knew that this gathering was something special and would, in fact, be a driving force for years to come. ∴ The early years of the Dorchester Conference were chaired by Bob Packwood, and the Conference is now run by a volunteer Board of Directors. Throughout the years, many changes have taken place, including the addition of college students, the establishment of a scholarship fund, relocation to Seaside, and the creation of the (almost) always popular Tent Show.

Since its inception, Dorchester has sought to have lively debate among political activists about timely issues facing the state, nation and world. Many major issues have made repeat visits, sometimes taking on different forms given the decade. Property tax limitations, sales taxes, financial support for education, and abortion are a few examples of issues debated at early Dorchester Conferences as well as more recent ones.

The lively debate, intellectual conversation, humor, and camaraderie result in hundreds of Oregonians registering for the Conference each year. Dorchester is the only grassroots political conference of its kind in the nation and still thrives as it approaches its golden anniversary.

Dorchester IV marked the first year the conference began attracting nationally recognized speakers when Governor George Romney, a presidential candidate, became the keynote speaker. Over the years, Dorchester has hosted luminaries such as Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Nelson Rockefeller, Jack Kemp, Elizabeth Dole, Karl Rove, William Kristol and Gale Norton.

Notable Oregonians such as Tom McCall, Mark Hatfield, Norma Paulus, Gordon Smith, Clay Meyers, and Dave Frohnmeyer have also been a part of Dorchester; and Greg Walden, Bob Packwood and Vic Atiyeh all participate on a regular basis.

The format of the conference has changed over the years, but has always been designed to involve all attendees in the discussion and voting on various issues. Political activists and leaders from throughout the state gather together on equal footing. One delegate remarked, “I was amazed that my opinion counted as much as that of the state legislator in our group.”

Encouraging participation and underlining the fun of politics have been two of the keys to the conference’s longevity."

© 2010 Dorchester Conference, Inc. All rights reserved.

Currently, the Dorchester Conference is held in Seaside, Oregon at the Seaside Civic & Convention Center.


About Dorchester XLVI

GOP governor hopefuls to debate
Statesman Journal
February 28, 2010

Three of the Republicans seeking their party's nomination for governor in the May primary will debate at the Dorchester Conference, an unofficial gathering of Republicans.

The debate will follow the opening ceremony at 8 p.m. Friday at the Seaside Convention Center.

Allen Alley, Chris Dudley and John Lim have accepted invitations to the debate, which will be moderated by U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, the only GOP member of Oregon's congressional delegation. Bill Sizemore, the party's 1998 nominee and a candidate this time, is not listed as a participant.

A straw poll will be conducted March 7.

Walden and former U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, who lost his re-election bid in 2008, will speak Saturday.

Delegates will debate five topics: A state requirement for locator beacons, restructuring of Oregon universities to make some of them public corporations, U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, the federal budget and the national debt, and restructuring of the state tax system.