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Ashland council candidate Joy Fate files complaint against incumbent Tonya Graham By Morgan Rothborne Oct 03, 2022 12:30 AM A A Flags fly above Ashland city offices. [Mail Tribune/file photo] Joy Fate, an Ashland City Council candidate, has filed a complaint with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office accusing her opponent, incumbent City Councilor Tonya Graham, of violating election law. “I hereby file a complaint about the misuse of the city of Ashland website by City Councilor Tonya Graham to promote her re-election campaign in violation of the elected officials section of ORS 260.432, Restrictions on Political Campaigning,” said the complaint sent to the Secretary of State’s Office. A link to Graham’s website appears at the end of emails she sends on her official city council email as the signature: “P.S. To stay up to date on city of Ashland happenings and opportunities to get involved, sign up for my E-News on the front page of my website — www.TonyaForAshland.com. I send them out every two weeks before council meetings.” The complaint says that www.TonyaforAshland.com is a campaign website. Visitors to the website are invited to send comments or questions about city business to Graham, as well as thoughts about her campaign. Through a few clicks on the site, visitors are given options to donate to the campaign or become involved with yard signs, organizing events and other standard election campaign activities. The inclusion of the link in Graham’s official emails means city resources are contributing to an election site, the complaint argues. “This is simply a link to my website, letting people know where they can sign up for my bi-weekly e-news, which gives them information about local news,” Graham said. “My website is also a place that says if you have an issue with council, please send your message over here,” she said. Reached by phone, Graham said her website and the presence of the link in her email predates her campaign. She recalled speaking to state election staff about using the website in her email during the last election, and remembered being given the green light. Graham estimated she has sent 40 e-news email newsletters during her time on City Council. She described them as a way to get information to people about council business or events in Ashland such as recent fires, the Salmon festival, and how to sign up to speak in council meetings. There is nothing related to her campaign in the e-news, she said, except those who sign up for the e-news also sign up for updates from her, which can contain information from her election campaign. Graham said she is open to removing the website link, and will think about potentially retooling how her information and communications are organized. Reach Mail Tribune reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected] or 541-776-4487. Follow her on Twitter @MRothborne.