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DEMOCRATS FACE ENTHUSIASM GAP: With less than a week to go until the Nov. 8 general election, ballots are trickling in: Fewer than 20% of voters had cast their ballots as of Oct. 31. That’s not surprising since ballots in recent election cycles have tended to come in during the final two days—a trend that will be amplified by the new law allowing ballots postmarked by Nov. 8 to be counted as well as those received by 8 pm on Election Day. One notable finding so far: In the past five general elections, Republicans turned out at a higher rate than Democrats by an average of eight-tenths of a percentage point. So far, however, Republican turnout for the Nov. 8 election is 1.9 points higher than Democratic turnout. Pollster John Horvick of DHM Research says that’s counterintuitive, given that Democrats urged voters in 2020 to fill out their ballots early, while Republicans cast doubt on the validity of vote by mail. “It’s notable that Republicans are turning out early,” Horvick says.
NONPROFIT SEEKS CAMP CONTRACT: More than 200 people testified last week on Mayor Ted Wheeler’s plan to create vast “campuses” where homeless people could pitch tents and get access to restrooms and other services. Some citizens said they loved the plan, while others warned the campuses would be concentration camps. Andrew Brown, director of systems operations at All Good Northwest, said he’d like to run them. “We are the only regional provider with a sustained experience and demonstrable success in operating outdoor shelters,” Brown said. It’s unusual for a service provider to make a business pitch during a hearing, especially when the provider has a complicated history. All Good Northwest billed the Joint Office of Homeless Services $525,000 in unallowed expenses, according to a July report by Multnomah County Auditor Jennifer McGuirk, including $330,000 in double-billed payroll. Brown said he wasn’t soliciting business. “We are not seeking a service contract,” he said at the hearing. “We are humbly suggesting that the operators of the only city-developed, county-funded, and private operator of outdoor houseless shelter be invited to contribute.”
PICKLEBALL WILL RID STREET OF TENTS BUT COULD BRING NOISE: The city of Portland says it will turn two blocks of a street next to Laurelhurst Park, known for its tent camping, into a weekend athlete’s dream: four pickleball courts. That sounds like welcome news for adjacent homeowners who have pressured the city for years to sweep campers. But nearby Lake Oswego may offer a warning: This fall, the LO City Council agreed to move pickleball courts away from a park due to noise complaints from neighbors. When the council decided to keep the courts open until they could be moved, a handful of neighbors threatened to sue. Jillian Schoene, chief of staff for City Commissioner Carmen Rubio, who oversees Portland parks, says her office has heard no concerns from Laurelhurst neighbors about possible noise from pickleball.
ARCADE VANDAL LEAVES A PHOTO TRAIL: Someone has been breaking into photo booths, vending machines, and arcade games in bars across Portland and stealing the cash inside—and taking photos of himself while he does it. The amount stolen isn’t much, but it’s causing thousands of dollars in damage to the machines and migraine headaches for the owners. “It’s a never-ending cycle of idiocy,” says Phil Ragaway, owner of the Hawthorne arcade QuarterWorld. Ragaway has tallied 40 thefts this year and had to replace around $15,000 worth of machines. The thief has been caught on video taking a selfie with a photo booth he was robbing. “He took his own mug shot,” says Jocelyn Dean, who owns a chain of booths across the city. Ten of them have been robbed so far this year. “It’s so infuriating. I have high-resolution pictures,” Dean says. She’s passed the images along to the police, but so far, she says, there has been no arrest.