By Tony Zeli
This Tuesday’s municipal election leaves the composition of the Portland City Council unchanged. The only challenged incumbent, At-large City Councilor Pious Ali won reelection with 61% of the vote (in unofficial results) over challenger Sam Aborne.
In District 3 the only other seat on this year’s ballot, Councilor Regina Phillips ran unopposed for reelection. With a large drop off of about 30% of ballots left blank for both the district 3 city council seat and unopposed school board seat, it seems that voters were at the polls primarily to weigh in on the state ballot questions – which had less than 1% of ballots left blank.
Portland Question A – $19 Minimum Wage Approved
The current minimum wage in Portland of $15.50 per hour is set to go up. Portland voters approved the $19 minimum wage with 63% of the vote (in unofficial results). Only one voting precinct voted against the measure, 5-2 in North Deering, and even there it was within about one hundred votes.
The minimum wage will rise in steps until reaching $19 per hour by 2028.
How the State Ballot Questions Did in Portland
QUESTION 1 – Absentee Voting Restrictions
Failing statewide with 64% of the vote opposed (NBC News), the absentee voting measure was even more unpopular in Portland. All of Portland’s neighborhoods were solidly against this measure. In total about 90% of Portland voters were against Question 1 (in unofficial city results).
QUESTION 2 – Firearm Red Flag
Passing statewide with 63% of the vote, the red flag law was overwhelmingly successful in the City of Portland where 88% voted in favor with support from every voting precinct.
