What’s next in the Portland City Charter Review Process

The City of Portland convened a charter review commission to update the city charter in 2020. The charter is the document empowers city officials to do their work and outlines what that work should be. On June 14, the charter review commission voted to send a single ballot measure to voters that includes three major changes to local government:… Continue reading What’s next in the Portland City Charter Review Process

Early summer election nuts and bolts

Early summer can seem like a quiet time for political campaigns. The primary season is over and campaigns for the general election are only just getting started. But while there may be fewer visible campaign activities going on right now, there’s a lot happening on the procedural level — steps that must be completed as… Continue reading Early summer election nuts and bolts

When do we get primary results?

Today is the last day to return your ballot for this year’s primary. We already know the outcomes for uncontested races, but it may be a couple of weeks before we get results in other races. The key factor is always how many ballots each county needs to count. As of Monday evening, state turnout hit… Continue reading When do we get primary results?

Last minute resources for the 2022 primary

Ballot return for the primary election ends tomorrow. If you haven’t had a chance to turn in your ballot and you’re in the Portland metro area, here are resources that may help you get your vote in. If you need some help deciding who to vote for, PDX.Vote’s recommendations cover state, county, Metro, and city races that… Continue reading Last minute resources for the 2022 primary

Digest: Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Portland city charter commission proposes new government structures The commissioners responsible for updating Portland’s city charter held a preliminary vote on March 31 on changes to city government. All twenty members of the Portland City Charter Review Commission voted in favor of the moderate changes, including: Using ranked choice voting in city elections, which will allow voters to rank candidates in… Continue reading Digest: Tuesday, April 5, 2022

March State of the Ballot, Part One

We passed two major deadlines for the May primary last week: March 8 was the last day candidates could file to run in the primary. March 11 was the last day candidates could withdraw from the primary. With those two dates behind us, we now know who is actually on the ballot and which races… Continue reading March State of the Ballot, Part One

Calendar: March 8 to March 15

Tuesday, March 8 DEADLINE — Candidate registration for May primary Today is the deadline to register as a candidate in the May primary for local, state, or federal office. At the time of writing, all of the races I’m following have at least one candidate registered to run. Wednesday, March 9 DEADLINE — Applications for Multnomah County’s… Continue reading Calendar: March 8 to March 15

Digest: Friday, January 7, 2022

Kristof deemed ineligible to run for Oregon governor Nicholas Kristof’s gubernatorial run hit a major snag yesterday. The Elections Division of the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office informed Kristof that he does not meet the constitutional requirements to serve as governor — specifically that he has not been a resident of Oregon for the past… Continue reading Digest: Friday, January 7, 2022

Friday Digest: December 31, 2021

Warming shelters closed yesterday despite continuing cold weather Multnomah County announced yesterday that severe weather shelters were closing within hours even as snow remained on the ground in many parts of Portland. The decision was made in coordination with the City of Portland through the Joint Office on Homeless Services. While the decision follows the… Continue reading Friday Digest: December 31, 2021