About Us

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Our first meeting convened at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, on April 17-18, 1948. Among participants were some of the biggest names in political science in the Northwest: Charles E. Martin, Linden A. Mander, Kenneth C. Cole, and Maury Goldschmidt. Charles McKinley, elected president of the American Political Science Association in 1954 was also present. Founding member institutions included the University of Washington, Reed College, State College of Oregon (now Oregon State University), State College of Washington (now Washington State University), and North Idaho Junior College. 

Our first meeting established traditions that have been with the Association every since panels/roundtables covering aspects of the discipline, a formal all-member luncheon with a distinguished speaker, executive council and general members meetings, a report on the budget, and a decision about the location for the following year's meeting.

We continue to build on these traditions. Our members look forward to our signature events including the quadrennial election postmortem, our teaching roundtables, and the Pacific Northwest roundtable.