KWSO News for Tue., Nov. 8, 2022

Election Day is Today! There are 4 Ballot Measures that Oregonians will be deciding. Measure 111 comes in regarding affordable healthcare balanced against requirement to fund schools and other essential services. Measure 112 would amend the constitution, removing language allowing slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for crime. Measure 113 would hold Legislators accountable for unexcused absences from floor sessions and disqualify them from holding the next term of office. Measure 114 would require an application being submitted to acquire firearms, provide a database of firearms by state police and would make large capacity ammunition magazines illegal. Greg Leo is a public affairs consultant with a focus on Oregon, he reminds everyone that ultimately what is important is that you exercise your right to vote. “It’s an important election I sure hope everybody votes. Remember to sign the back of the envelope. But it’s gotten easier and easier, the postage is all paid nowadays, and they extended the deadline to vote up until 8pm on Tuesday the 8^th of November. So please everyone on the reservation, take the time and vote, cause it’s an important way to make sure things keep going in the right direction.” You can learn more about the measures in your Voters’ Pamphlet that is also available online at the Oregon Secretary of State website. Ballot Dop Boxes are located in Warm Springs on the corner across from the Post Office on Campus, in the Parking Lot at Three Warriors Market in Simnasho and in Madras in the parking lot at the County Clerk’s office at 66 SE D Street.

Voters in Oregon appear to be in no hurry to hand in ballots for this week’s election. Dirk Vanderhart reports. “As of Monday morning, 36 percent of voters had returned ballots, according to state elections officials. While that number was certain to change, turnout this year has consistently lagged the pace of the past two mid-term elections. That’s especially true in Multnomah County, the state’s most populous and a stronghold for Democrats. As of early Monday morning, the county had the lowest turnout percentage in the state. Still, it’s too soon to tell whether slow turnout will equal low turnout. In previous years, ballots had to be in the hands of elections officials by 8 pm on Election Day. This year, though, mailed ballots will be counted if they’re postmarked by election day. That greater flexibility could be spurring voters to wait longer to make their choices, in a year that features competitive races for governor, Congress, and the state Legislature. I’m DV reporting.”

A toss-up in one congressional district and a closer-than-expected race in another have Democrats battling to maintain their advantage in Oregon as Republicans seek to capitalize on concerns about inflation and crime. Democrats controlled four of the state’s five previous U.S. House seats and are hoping to claim its newly created sixth one as well. Oregon was one of just six states to gain a seat after the 2020 census. The most hotly contested race is in the 5th District, which stretches from Portland’s affluent southern suburbs to the central high desert city of Bend and includes the rural, mountainous areas in between.

Oregon’s gubernatorial election, usually a shoo-in for the Democratic candidate, has turned into a nail-biter with the Republican’s bid possibly buoyed by a third contender. Three women, all former legislators, are the top candidates to become the next governor of a state that hasn’t elected a Republican to the office in 40 years. Democrat Tina Kotek, formerly the longest serving Oregon House speaker, is being challenged by Christine Drazan, a former leader of the Republican minority in the House. The presence of Betsy Johnson, who was in the statehouse for 20 years and quit the Democratic Party to run as an unaffiliated candidate, presents a wild card.

In Local Sports: The Warm Springs K-8 Boys Basketball gets its season underway today as they host Culver. The 8^th Grade A & B teams will play at the K-8 Academy while the 7^th Grade A & B teams will play at the Community Center. Games will begin at 4pm today. Go Eagles!

KWSO Weather for Central Oregon:

• Partly Sunny today with a slight chance of snow and a high near 43 degrees
• Tonight, Cloudy with a slight chance of rain and snow and a low around 20
• Sunny tomorrow with widespread frost and a high of 47 degrees