Avakian Bests Starr in Labor Commissioner Contest

Incumbent Hangs On In Low-Profile Battle

News
Incumbent Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian appears on the verge of eking out a narrow victory over his opponent, state Sen. Bruce Starr (R-Hillsboro).

Avakian leads Starr 53 percent to 47 percent.

Although both men are longtime officeholders, the nonpartisan nature of the race and the somewhat obscure role of the labor commissioner limited interest in the battle. <...   More

 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Democrats Capture Majority in Oregon House

GOP Surrenders Key Metro-Area Seats

News The historic 30-30 split of the Oregon House is no more.

Rep. Tina Kotek (D-North Portland), who is likely to be the new speaker of the House, took the stage at about 9:30 pm amid raucous cheering.

"I'm one of those people who wants to see the numbers before they call the game," Kotek said. "But things look pretty good."

Based on current numbers, it appears Democrats will ...   More

 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Voters Pan Anti-Tax and Casino Measures

News Every election cycle, certain candidate races or ballot measures prove that even when voters appear uninterested, they are paying close attention.

Voters saw through Measure 84, which sought to abolish the so-called “death tax.” The premise was solid: Isn’t dying bad enough without also getting taxed to do so?

Voters are turning the measure down, 55 percent "no"...   More

 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Clackamas County Clerk Skips Emergency Meeting, Issues Statement

Still More Questions Than Answers About Alleged Ballot Fraud

News The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners met in an emergency session today, hoping to gain more information about ballot fraud that took place last week in the county elections office.
But County Clerk Sherry Hall, the woman who presumably has many of the answers to questions posed by County Chair Charlotte Lehan  in a    More

 

Monday, November 5, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Suspect in Clackamas County Voting Fraud Case Claims Only Two Ballots Were Involved

News The woman who’s at the center of a ballot-tampering investigation at the Clackamas County elections office tells WW the number of ballots involved in the case is two.

WW has identified the woman as Deanna Swenson, 55, of Oregon City, who until last Wednesday was working as a temporary employee at the county elections office. Swenson is now facing a criminal in...   More

 

Monday, November 5, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Lehan Calls For "Emergency" Meeting of Clackamas Board

County Chair Wants Answers: Speculation About Alleged Fraudster Intensifies

News Clackamas County Chair Charlotte Lehan tonight called for an emergency meeting of that county's board of commissioners on Monday morning, the day before ballots for the Nov. 6 general election are to be counted.
Lehan, who is locked in a tight re-election battle with challenger John Ludlow, took action after the state's top elections official, Secretary of State Kate Brown...   More

 

Sunday, November 4, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Department of Justice Investigating Alleged Ballot Fraud At Clackamas County Elections

Sources say election worker filled in ballots for Republican candidates

News A Clackamas County elections worker is under criminal investigation for tampering with ballots, WW has learned. The underlying allegation is that the woman, whose name has not been released, filled in blanks on ballots turned into the county for the Nov. 6 general election.
Sources familiar with the incident say their understanding is that the woman filled in a straight Repu...   More

 

Friday, November 2, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Kate Brown Spending Exceeds $1 Million

Secretary of State says "in-kind" contributions that pushed her over voluntary spending limit shouldn't count

News Secretary of State Kate Brown is now reporting spending more than $1 million in her bid for re-election—officially going over the line she promised in September she wouldn't break.Today's filings show that she's spent $1.08 million, to be exact. Spending on her behalf by a political action committee targeting her Republican opponent, Dr. Knute Buehler, counts as an in-kind c...   More

 

Thursday, November 1, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS

Big Bad Wolfe

An activist launches a campaign to oust Secretary of State Kate Brown.

News A light drizzle fell on Bob Wolfe as he stood outside a citadel of the Portland establishment like the lupine nemesis in the story of the Three Little Pigs.  Wolfe was rattling the doors    More

 

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 NIGEL JAQUISS

Library Taxing District Campaign, Nearly Out of Cash, Borrows Big

Backer Kicks in a $300,000 Loan

News The campaign for a permanent Multnomah County Library taxing district has already spent more than $1 million but is leaving nothing to chance in its effort to pass Measure 26-143 on Nov. 6.
Over the weekend, the campaign disclosed borrowing $300...   More

 

Monday, October 29, 2012 by NIGEL JAQUISS