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Good morning, Northwest.
It’s Election Day.
Voters in Oregon and Southwest Washington have big decisions to make on levies, taxes and even a few mayoral races. We lead off this morning’s newsletter with what we’re watching.
Also today, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is set to join “Think Out Loud” at noon on OPB to discuss the latest on federal food assistance and the National Guard.
Fall leaves are beginning to, well, fall, so today’s First Look finishes with scenes of the colorful foliage from above and below.
Here’s your First Look at Tuesday’s news.
—Bradley W. Parks
Ballots are processed at the Clark County Elections Office in Vancouver, Wash. on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
It’s Election Day in Oregon and Southwest Washington
Voters in Oregon and Washington still have time to cast a ballot before 8 p.m. today.
Election officials in both states recommend using an official ballot drop box in your county if you have not yet put a ballot in the mail.
Just 17 of Oregon’s 36 counties are holding elections. All Washingtonians who are registered to vote should receive a ballot for a constitutional amendment that would allow the state’s long-term care fund to be invested.
Here’s what to know. (OPB staff)
Justin Height, employee of Consumers Power Inc., uses a Jarraff tree trimmer to trim back branches that pose a risk to their company’s power lines in Blodgett, Ore., July 23, 2025.
Morgan Barnaby / OPB
3 things to know this morning
- About 10% of Oregonians get their electricity from not-for-profit cooperatives that are owned by ratepayers. Their community connectedness can help them prepare for a wildfire. (April Ehrlich)
- The Oregon Court of Appeals has reversed guilty verdicts against Ian Mackenzie Cranston, who was sentenced to 10 years in jail for fatally shooting Barry Washington Jr. outside a Bend nightclub in 2021. (Kathryn Styer Martínez)
- President Donald Trump’s administration said yesterday that it will partially fund SNAP after a pair of judges’ rulings required it to keep the food aid program running. (Geoff Mulvihill)
Marvin Simmons, 77, in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Facility in South Portland, Oct. 22, 2025. Simmons, a Vietnam War veteran, has been politically active since his deployment in the late 1960s.
Riley Martinez / OPB
Headlines from around the Northwest
- What led 4 older Oregonians to the Portland ICE protests (Riley Martinez)
- Former VP Kamala Harris is coming to Portland this week (Bryce Dole)
- Lakers snap Portland’s winning streak with a 123-115 victory over the Blazers (Anne M. Peterson)
Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation
“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):
- Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on partial SNAP funding and the National Guard
- Even as SNAP is partially restored, Clark County Food Bank responds to increased demand
- Salem City Council accepts business groups’ donation to help pay for more police officers
Portland’s fall colors before the rain
Fall is a season of vibrant colors, and in Portland, leaf peeping can happen right on city streets.
Rain is starting to wash away this year’s colorful spectacle, but thankfully cameras exist.
Here’s how foliage looked in part of the Sellwood neighborhood on a recent autumnal afternoon, from the ground and above the trees. (Stephani Gordon)
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