Puppets take over Rose City Reform!
Welcome to the May edition of Stump Talk, where we get a little help from some tiny surprise guests.
This month, we’ve got a special treat for Rose City Reform subscribers.
Meet our very own team of puppet YouTubers, here to explain how council elections are changing as a result of Portland’s reforms.
So grab the popcorn, and let our felted friends tell you everything you need to know about Portland’s new voting system.
Rose City Reform would like to thank the creative duo Devin Boone (director) and Ian Boone (animator) for making this educational video a reality. We also want to give credit to the following wildly talented artists: Qing Wang (puppets and costumes), Kesiah Manival (set and prop fabrication), Kristen Studdard (narration), and Porter Young (animation).
Wait, there’s more!
Today, we’re unveiling our redesigned website, which features an expanded and searchable candidate tracker for all city races. Make sure to bookmark it for easy-to-access information about your choices of representation in November.
If you enjoy the Rose City Reform blog, don’t worry—the website does not replace the blog. If you’re like us and don’t want to miss a thing, bookmark both pages to keep your finger on the pulse at all times!
Who joined the race in May?
John Toran, a long-time community organizer and the owner of the cannabis dispensary RJ’s Leaf, has entered the race for District 4. Meanwhile, Bob Simril, a veteran sales executive with experience at Coca-Cola and Microsoft, is seeking a seat in District 2. Simril is joined by Sameer Kanal, who manages community engagement for the city’s community safety division.
District 3 also welcomed two candidates this month. First out was Ahlam Osman, president of the environmental justice nonprofit Somali Empowerment Circle. Melodie Beirwagen has also declared her intention to run in this district.
Robin Ye exits District 3 race.
Social and environmental justice advocate Robin Ye announced on May 16 that he would exit the District 3 race to focus on his family.
“The path has changed for me, but I’m still a Portlander who believes in the city that we love,” said Ye, who was among the top fundraisers in his district and enjoyed support from numerous progressive leaders.
May also saw Chomba Kaluba, an athletic apparel entrepreneur, drop out of the District 4 race.
Gonzalez continues to outpace other mayoral candidates.
City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Rene Gonzalez has raised over twice as much money as his colleague and nearest competitor, Carmen Rubio. According to filings with the Secretary of State, Gonzalez has amassed $148,300 to Rubio’s $72,400. City Commissioner Mingus Mapps trails behind with $63,900, closely followed by transportation executive Keith Wilson with $61,600.
Olivia Clark surpasses $100K in fundraising.
District 4 candidate Olivia Clark has exceeded $100,000 in fundraising for her council race. Clark, whose background includes roles at TriMet and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, has raised $100,400. This includes a $40,000 match from Portland’s public campaign financing program.
Clark is trailed by District 1 candidate Steph Routh, who has raised $93,500, including a $40,000 public match. Routh’s total will likely get a boost in the coming days since she recently qualified for an additional $40,000 public match.
Have a tip for the candidate tracker?
We’d love to hear from you! Email us at info@rosecityreform.org, or hit reply to this newsletter.
Now, without further ado, here’s your May candidate round-up:
Candidates for Portland Mayor:
Incumbent:
Ted Wheeler (not seeking reelection)
Candidates for Portland City Council:
Each district elects three representatives.
DISTRICT 1 (D1) - EAST PORTLAND
Joe Furi (no website)
Thomas Shervey (no website)
Potential
Former County Commissioner Loretta Smith (rumored)
DISTRICT 2 (D2) - NORTH/NORTHEAST
Dan Ryan (incumbent)
Potential
Erin Crum (candidate committee)
Exited race:
Joseph Emerson
Marc Koller
Brooklyn Sherman
District 3 (D3) - Central/Southeast
Matthew Anderson (no website)
Melodie Beirwagen (no website)
Ahlam Osman (no website)
Potential
Rachel Clark (rumored)
Exited race:
Robin Ye
District 4 (D4) - West
Exited race:
Chomba Kaluba
Candidates for Portland Auditor
Simone Rede (incumbent)