Time is running out if you want to vote in Oregon's primary election.  We'll all be happy to see the process come to an end.  We've had candidates over to our house, gone door-to-door for people we like, made telephone calls and even raised money (at least my wife has).  If you still have not mailed in your ballot and don't know which candidate to vote for here are my personal endorsements:

2/17:  Erik Sten has shown during his tenure at City Hall a determined effort to reflect the progressive values and spirit that have made Portland the great city it is. He has been a champion of the environmental cause, policies that help lift people out of homelessness, and a fighter for open government. Most politicians are timid leaders afraid of taking on big issues. You cannot say that about Erik. He has shown a willingness to make difficult decisions on behalf of the people of Portland no matter the political risk.

The downtown business community has their own candidate in this race: state senator Ginny Burdick. She was asked to run by groups associated with the Portland Business Alliance.  Burdick is already running a dishonest to the core campaign – and is facing charges of “double-dipping” into both state coffers and her campaign fund to pay her own car insurance and gas mileage (a practice that is legal but ethically questionable). The only reason she is in the race is because downtown business interests want to own a seat on the City Council and Ginny Burdick jumped at the chance to win their support.  She is backed by the same crowd that tried to overturn Portland's campaign finance law and that has worked to oppose city support for homeless programs.

I’ve known Erik since the first day he started working for then City Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury. Erik Sten has the kind of integrity and character that Portland needs now more than ever on the City Council. I hope you’ll join me in supporting his campaign.

3/25:  Liz and I took the twins out to Beaverton this morning and went door-to-door for Oregon Senate candidate Sam Chase.  Sam is a great advocate of affordable housing and public education.  He also happens to be a friend.  The race is for an open seat in District 17 (which includes most of Beaverton and NW Portland).  We walked today in a neighborhood next to the junior high school I attended (now a middle school) and where many of my friends grew up.  Sam has the backing of prominent Oregonians such as former Governor John Kitzhaber.  We hope the Democratic primary voters in District 17 get to know Sam and will support him in the election this May.  There is no Republican candidate in this race.       

4/18:  For readers of this blog outside Oregon there is a primary election coming up here in May. I’ve already noted that my vote will go to Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten in his re-election race and that I’m hoping that voters in state senate district 17 will select Sam Chase as the democratic nominee (there is no Republican candidate running in the fall so the primary will determine the next senator).

But there are a few other races that I’m particularly interested in.

Like Sten, Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman is also up for re-election. He is facing a strong challenger in political newcomer Amanda Fritz.

I’ll be voting to return Saltzman to City Hall. There is one basic reason: his leadership in creating the Children’s Investment Fund. The fund, approved by the voters, provides $8.5 million each year for children’s programs. His work on this issue has earned him the endorsement of Stand for Children and many community leaders. Mayor Tom Potter is among those in his camp. I’ve known Dan since he served as a Multnomah County commissioner and have found him to be hands-on and involved. By virtue of being elected to the county commission he had a seat on the Multnomah County Community Action Commission (which was then the county’s lead anti-poverty board) when I served as the chair. Most elected officials sent staff to meetings. Dan attended those meetings himself. Portland would benefit from having him serve another term.

City and county officials need to obtain over 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff in November. This will be most important in Sten’s race because of the number of candidates.

Another children’s advocate running for office this year is Tina Kotek. Tina is running for the Oregon House of Representatives in district 44. She is the public policy director of Children First for Oregon (the position Liz held before we left Portland for St. Louis and my stint in seminary). Tina worked at the Oregon Food Bank before taking the position at Children First and has been a champion for poverty issues in Salem for years as an advocate. Her voice is needed in Salem. Tina’s opponent in the democratic primary is Jim Robison. I’ve known Jim since high school. District 44 is fortunate to have good hearted candidates standing for election.

Multnomah County will be facing several leadership changes because of term limits. Chair Diane Linn is also up for re-election. Her challenger is Ted Wheeler and Wheeler will get my vote. I first meet him when I was serving as the executive director of the Goose Hollow Family Shelter at First United Methodist Church and he was a volunteer serving as an overnight host. He has been volunteering at the shelter for years. Wheeler is a very successful businessman with strong management skills. Multnomah County needs that. Linn has been a terrible disappointment. Rather than deal with issues she ducks them and chaos seems to follow her wherever she goes. The issue of family homelessness is one of the areas county government is charged with addressing. The county has failed mightily in this area under Linn’s administration. Linn had my vote the last go around but I won’t be fooled twice. Wheeler is also a newcomer to politics and a breath of fresh air. I hope he gets the chance to serve.

Finally, the Oregon Supreme Court needs a new justice and I’ll be voting for Gene Hallman. Hallman is a progressive attorney from Eastern Oregon who has the backing of groups like Planned Parenthood and the Oregon Education Association. Hallman is incredibly well respected across the state. He’ll be a fair minded jurist. Progressives can trust his judgment. My wife has been active on his campaign since the beginning of the year. Hallman is running against a former Republican statewide office holder and a sitting judge. The race is non-partisan. Court races don’t often get much attention but they matter and I hope you’ll join me in voting for Hallman.