It’s election day, people—and with a tight governor’s race, some heated county races and a scandal-filled House race in District 54, suffice to say it’s been quite the election season. And that’s not even mentioning the ups and downs and predictions coming from national politics. When it comes to elections and voting, there’s a lot […]
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The Life of a Ballot
Once you vote, the hard work begins for the Deschutes County Clerk’s office
Mail-in voting allows voters a chance to research their candidates and vote in the comfort of their own homes—but it also affects the timeline for counties to process those ballots. In Deschutes County, the county clerk’s office is counting ballots for weeks before election day. Although the process may seem mundane, it’s visibly exciting for […]
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Measure 104: Some Things to Know
Measure would require a supermajority for raising fees and other revenue-raising initiatives
When legislators want to raise revenue in the form of new taxes, they have to have a supermajority vote in the legislature. Now, the backers behind Measure 104 want to extend that requirement to anything that would in any way raise revenue—including the raising of fees. Oregon issues more than 2,400 fees—including fees for things […]
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Ballots Get Mailed This Week. Don’t Wait to Mail Them Back.
Depending on where you live, your ballot could take up to a week to get to the county clerk
The buzz of election season is evident in the office of Deschutes County Clerk Nancy Blankenship, who says the season is both thrilling and high-pressure. “It’s exciting. It’s fun because you have a whole lot more interaction with people,” she said. “There’s a whole lot more going on. Depending on what happens—not knowing what shoe […]
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Homeless Leadership Coalition to Hold Candidate Forum
On Friday, Oct. 5, the Homeless Leadership Coalition is hosting a candidate forum to address homelessness and housing in Central Oregon. Invitations were sent out to gubernatorial, U.S. Representative, Oregon Senate District 30, all Oregon House and Deschutes County Commissioner candidates. According to the HLC, the purpose of the forum is to give candidates an […]
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12 People are Running in Bend’s City Council/Mayor Race
Here’s who’s running
Three of Bend’s seven city council seats are up for grabs—and this time around, one of those positions is also the position filled by the newly-elected mayor. In May, voters voted in favor of choosing a directly-elected mayor, as opposed to allowing the city council to choose a mayor from among sitting councilors. On your […]
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Campbell Announces Re-Election Bid
Incumbent faces only one challenger for Position 6
On Aug. 9, Bend City Councilor Barb Campbell announced her re-election campaign for Position 6. According to the City’s website, she faces only one challenger, Ron Boozell. Campbell started her run on the council in November 2014. Campbell’s said she’s worked to make Bend more livable, create affordable housing options, protect current homeowners, improve transportation […]
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Two Votes Decides House 53 Republican Primary
Redmond real estate agent to be on ballot in November
Headed for the November ballot as the Republican in the House District 53 race: Jack Zika—by a nose. The Deschutes County Clerk’s office announced today that they’ve completed the recount—required by state law when the number of votes between candidates is less than half of one percent of the total votes cast—for the May primary […]
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Cheri Helt Vying for Buehler’s Seat
School board member will run for House 54
The race for Oregon House District 54 already has one Democratic candidate filed in the race—and now, one Republican is announcing her run for the Republican nomination. Cheri Helt, who currently sits on the school board for Bend-La Pine Schools, announced today that she’s seeking the Republican nomination for the seat currently held by Rep. […]
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Love Trumps Hate Rally Draws a Crowd from Both Sides
A look inside Saturday’s rally both against—and for—the new President-Elect.