Andrea P is feelin' a little overwhelmed by all the important choices in the election that starts Friday. Friday? Yup, because even though the official election day and very last day to vote is May 20th - several safe weeks away, ballots drop this Friday and thanks to our vote-by-mail system, you can mail or hand deliver your ballot any ol' time till 8 PM on May 20th. In fact, as we discussed last election season, earlier is better. Andrea writes:
Perhaps you are a perfectly informed participant in the democratic process. If so, I envy you...strive to be you really. But, if you are more like me, you're a wee bit overwhelmed by the multitude of options on our upcoming May ballot. There are so many offices up for grabs, some representing geographic areas and others specific job responsibilities. And with daily candidate forums and lawn signs everywhere, it's hard to keep straight what and whom you actually get to vote for - not to mention where and when!
I mean, do all Portland residents vote for all city council members? Ok, yes we do, but then what's the difference between City Council Seats 1, 2 and 3? Huh? What exactly is the Metro Council and which districts do I vote for? Not sure. Who is running for county commissioner in my district? District? What congressional and house districts am I in again? You get the picture. There must be a simple way to sort this out for us time-challenged voters.
Yippee, mamas, help is on the way. The Oregonian's Voter Guide is designed to help people just like us! All you do is plug in your address and political party and you'll be routed to your specific primary ballot (all 40-odd pages of it...no wonder we're confused!). Every office from U.S. President to Mayor to City Council is listed. You can click on each candidate (or measure) to get the scoop. You can even mark your ballot as you go, narrowing down the races you've decided on from those you haven't.
So, if you have a little time this week (or even on May 20th, if that's your style), check it out! Ballots will be mailed May 2nd - and yeah, that's this Friday! Eek.
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