It’s come down to the wire in Oregon’s May 20 election as voters decide whom to elect to their local school and community college boards and weigh key money measures ahead of today’s 8 p.m. voting deadline.
In Portland, voters will decide the outcome of a proposed $1.83 billion Portland Public Schools school modernization bond. And voters from Gresham to Sandy will make history by declaring the fate of what would be only the third construction bond issued in Mt. Hood Community College’s nearly 60-year history.
Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday or returned to an official dropbox by 8 p.m. to count.
As of Tuesday, about 16% of voters in both Multnomah and Clackamas counties had turned in their ballots. In Washington County, turnout stood at about 15% as of Monday. That suggests there could be a surge of last-day ballot returns.
Election offices will begin announcing results at 8 p.m. The OregonLive politics and education team will post updates here throughout the night on the outcomes of the key Portland-area races and measures listed below.
Portland Public Schools bond
Portland Public Schools is asking voters to approve a $1.83 billion bond measure that would fund badly needed school modernizations. The bond would maintain the current tax rate of $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Portland school board
There are contested races for four seats on the board of Portland Public Schools.
In Zone 1, government relations coordinator Christy Splitt, who was appointed to an open seat on the board in January, is facing a challenge from Ken Cavagnolo, who works in the artificial intelligence industry.
In Zone 4, Rashelle Chase-Miller, the statewide program director at SMART Reading, a children’s literacy nonprofit, is challenging incumbent Herman Greene, the senior pastor of Abundant Life PDX Church.
In Zone 5, communications strategist Virginia La Forte is facing Jorge Sanchez Bautista, a senior at McDaniel High School.
In Zone 6, the candidates are public defender Stephanie Engelsman, software company owner Rob Galanakis and disaster resilience consultant Simone Crowe.
Beaverton school board
Two incumbent members of the Beaverton school board are stepping down at the end of their terms, opening the door for newcomers who could bring significant changes to governance of Oregon’s third largest school district.
Read more: Meet the 8 candidates running for Beaverton school board
Hillsboro school board
Two incumbent members of the Hillsboro school board are stepping down at the end of their terms, creating an opening for a newcomer to more easily win a seat on the board that oversees Oregon’s fourth largest school district.
Read more: Meet the 7 candidates running for Hillsboro school board
Mt. Hood Community College bond
The $136 million bond measure would help Mt. Hood Community College make improvements to its 1970s era buildings, including earthquake retrofitting and updating original heating, cooling and wiring systems. The bond would add a tax of about 25 cents to every $1,000 of assessed home value.
Read more: Mt. Hood Community College asks voters to approve first bond in 50 years to shore up aging buildings
Tigard-Tualatin, Gladstone bonds
The Tigard-Tualatin School District is seeking approval of a $421.3 million bond, the first time the district has floated a construction bond since 2016.
In the 1,600-student Gladstone School District, voters will be asked to approve a $70 million bond to address a laundry list of maintenance and upgrade projects.
Read more: Voters in 2 Portland suburbs will decide bond measures to upgrade aging schools
— Jamie Goldberg oversees The Oregonian/OregonLive’s politics, education and homelessness coverage. She can be reached at [email protected] or 503-221-8228. You can find her on X at @jamiebgoldberg or Bluesky at @jamiebgoldberg.bsky.social.