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Posted inNews

UPDATE: City Commissioners Abandon Plans to Terminate Joint Homeless Response Agreement With Multnomah County

A Portland City Council discussion that could’ve ended a collaborative agreement, without a backup plan in place, has been scrapped a day after the election. The move would’ve cost the city more than $40M.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Update: Nov. 6- This story has been updated to note that this week’s Council discussion has been canceled. A day after an election showing Portland City Commissioners Mingus Mapps and Rene Gonzalez losing their bids for mayor, a plan to revisit an intergovernmental agreement on homelessness between the city and Multnomah County has been canceled.  […]

Posted inNews

It’s the Mercury’s 2024 General Election Night Live Blog!

All the parties, all the results, and all the election night DRAMAZ!
Avatar photo The Mercury Election Strike Force

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Good evening, fellow fingernail chewers! It’s ELECTION NIGHT in America and here in Portland, and as always the Mercury Election Strike Force is on the job and ready to give you the information you crave! Stick with us this evening as we report the local/national results you want, while also visiting various candidate […]

Posted inNews

Rubio Campaign Didn’t Violate Election Rules, Auditor’s Office Says

Two complaints involving Carmen Rubio yielded no findings of wrongdoing, but the investigations highlight a rivalry between Rubio’s supporters and those backing Rene Gonzalez
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

In the lead-up to the November general election, Portland auditors have had their hands full with investigations into potential campaign finance violations. But the five investigations that have taken place since September center around just two candidates: Rene Gonzalez and Carmen Rubio, both current city commissioners running for Portland mayor. In the latest round of […]

Posted inCity Council Race 2024

Meet Your Portland 2024 Mayoral Candidates

Here’s who wants to be Portland’s next mayor.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Courtney Vaughn and Taylor Griggs

Updated: October 25 Under Portland’s revised city charter, the mayor will serve in a largely administrative role, overseeing day-to-day operations alongside a city administrator. The mayor will be voted on by all city voters, while the council will be elected by district. The charter change is a shift from Portland’s longstanding form of government, which […]

Posted inCity Council Race 2024

Meet the Portland City Council Candidates: District 4

These candidates are running in the district composed of Portland’s west side and some Southeast neighborhoods.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Updated: Oct. 22 Thanks to a charter reform measure passed by voters in 2022, Portland is getting a new form of government, and it will come with a brand new districting system. In November 2024, Portlanders will vote for City Council members in one of four districts across the city, with three councilors per district. […]

Posted inNews

Auditor’s Office: Gonzalez Violated Campaign Finance Rules and Tried to Obstruct Investigation

A re-determination by the Portland Auditor’s Office finds city commissioner used taxpayer funds to benefit his campaign. Investigators say Gonzalez and his staffers lied about key documents and tried to interfere with the investigation.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Updated: 11:18 am Monday, Oct. 22 Rene Gonzalez, one of three Portland city commissioners currently running for mayor, violated campaign finance laws by using taxpayer money for a consulting firm to help edit his Wikipedia page earlier this year, the Auditor’s Office says. The updated determination comes after a Portland Auditor’s Office investigation previously found […]

Posted inElection Guide 2024

Mercury Endorsements: District 4 Candidates

Our top three picks for the District 4 City Council race—ranked for your convenience.
Avatar photo The Mercury Election Strike Force

[Hello! You know, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that’s on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds] District 4 covers Southwest Portland, downtown, and pockets of Southeast Portland like Sellwood. It’s economically diverse, stretching from the densely forested […]

Posted inElection Guide 2024

Small Donors, Big Changes

With a Government Transition, More Candidates Tapped Into Public Campaign Funding Than Ever—Here’s How It Works.
Avatar photo Abe Asher

Portland has been helping fund campaigns for its city offices for years, and its impact this year has been especially significant: In an election with more than 100 candidates, the Small Donor Elections program has doled out more than a million dollars and served as a lifeline for candidates without the financial means to get […]

Posted inCity Council Race 2024

Meet the Portland City Council Candidates: District 3

These candidates are running in the district that encompasses most of Southeast Portland east of the river to I-205.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Updated: Oct. 8 Thanks to a charter reform measure passed by voters in 2022, Portland is getting a new form of government, and it will come with a brand new districting system. In November 2024, Portlanders will vote for City Council members in one of four districts across the city, with three councilors per district. […]

Posted inNews

Portland Elections Division Issues Warning Letter to Gonzalez Campaign Over Political Sign

A large sign supporting Rene Gonzalez for mayor left out a fine print financial disclosure. A separate investigation into his use of taxpayer funds was recently reopened.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

The Portland Auditor’s Office is issuing Rene Gonzalez’s campaign a warning letter after the campaign displayed a campaign sign without disclosing who paid for the political sign. In response to a Sept. 2 complaint submitted to the Elections Division about the non-conforming sign near the Vista Bridge in Southwest Portland, the Auditor’s Office concluded it […]

Posted inNews

Portland Auditor’s Office Will Take Another Look At Gonzalez’s Potential Campaign Finance Violation

Citing new information, auditors will revisit their prior determination of insufficient evidence of illegal activity related to Wikipedia edits
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

The Portland Auditor’s Office is reevaluating the circumstances surrounding City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez’s use of taxpayer funds to edit his Wikipedia page. Last month, the Auditor’s Office announced that despite “an exceedingly close call” it didn’t find enough evidence to suggest Gonzalez, who is running for mayor, violated Portland’s campaign finance laws by using taxpayer […]

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