Oregon, Washington voters have one week to get their ballots in

Election Day is one week away.

Ballots have been mailed out to voters for special elections in Oregon and for the general election in Washington state. There’s just over a week to go before the Nov. 4 deadline.

The off-year election is typically a slow one in Oregon and Southwest Washington. In Oregon, voters in just 17 of the state’s 36 counties are casting ballots in special elections. Each of Washington’s 39 counties will have an election, due to the statewide constitutional amendment that would allow the state’s long-term care fund to be invested.

But there are a few items of note.

Here’s what you should know:

Oregon

Portland Parks levy: The city’s beloved outdoor spaces are on the ballot in the form of a five-year property tax levy renewal. Read more about the levy in our coverage here, including why the city continues to build more parks despite the maintenance backlog.

Washington County library levy: Oregon’s second-most populous county has a unique library system. Read more about why not all cities in the western suburbs of Portland are keen on its library levy renewal.

Washington County public safety levy: Washington County residents will also weigh an increase to the county’s public safety levy. It would set a fixed property tax rate of 66 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That’s a 19-cent, or 40%, increase from the current levy, which expires next June. According to ballot materials submitted by the county, the measure would fund jail services, assistance programs for domestic violence victims and a mental health response team.

School bonds: Three school districts in Clackamas County are floating general obligation bonds before voters. The Lake Oswego School District is seeking $245 million to fund construction of two new elementary schools, replace aging infrastructure and expand STEM and Career, Technical Education classroom space. In the neighboring West Linn-Wilsonville School District, residents will vote on a $190 million bond for facility upgrades to increase school security, improve accessibility and upgrade athletic fields. The Oregon Trail School District is also asking voters to approve a $172 million bond to repair and improve aging schools.

Medford lodging tax: Medford voters will decide whether to approve a hotel tax increase. Measure 15-238 would allow the city to raise a tax visitors pay when they stay in a hotel or short-term rental like Airbnb. The increase would take the rate from 11% to 13%. The higher tax rate would allow the city to move forward with a project called the Creekside Quarter, a conference center and hotel, which opens the door for a potential baseball stadium for a minor league club.

Southwest Washington

Vancouver mayor’s race: Voters will choose between incumbent Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle and political newcomer Justin Forsman. McEnerny-Ogle is a constant presence in Vancouver who advocates for expanded affordable housing, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program and funding for public safety. Forsman is a small business owner. In his campaign statement, he says he is a Second Amendment and “medical freedom” advocate who will work to remove fluoride from drinking water and stop light rail expansion on a new I-5 bridge.

Vancouver City Council Seat 1: City Councilor Kim Harless is in a competitive race against local business owner Pooneh Gray. Harless is a first-term progressive council member whose priorities include equity and justice issues, housing and homelessness, and climate action. Gray, who has a background in mental health and transitional housing programming, is advocating for a ban on urban camping.

Proposition 5: Vancouver voters will decide whether to increase property taxes to pay for 13 new police officers in Clark County’s biggest city. Read more about Vancouver’s relatively low officer ratio compared to the rest of the state and what Proposition 5 will cost voters.

Clark County Charter Review Commission: Once every five years, Clark County voters elect a commission to review the county charter, which is sometimes called the local “constitution.” Read more here about what the county charter is and how some of the 35 candidates in the running hope to win a seat to change local governance.

Mayor of Longview: Incumbent Longview Mayor Spencer Boudreau is being challenged by Wayne Nichols in a race that could change the character of the City Council. Boudreau is one of several council members embroiled in a long-simmering lawsuit alleging they broke open government laws when removing the former city manager. While mayor, he has focused on hiring more police and removing homeless camps from the city’s parks. Nichols is a retired union leader and longtime employee of Weyerhaeuser, the timber company. The winner will decide how to address contested topics like homeless services as Longview faces a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall.

Check out results in Oregon here, and in Washington state here after polls close on Election Day.