In the City of Portland, voters approved an increased property tax levy to fund parks maintenance and recreation programs with 56% support. Several hundred union jobs were on the line with Measure 26-260, which was endorsed by the Northwest Oregon Labor Council and city unions among others. Portland Parks and Recreation would have faced budget cuts of roughly 50% if the measure had failed.
Labor-endorsed candidates also swept races in Southwest Washington. Vancouver mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, a strong labor ally, won re-election with an overwhelming 71% of ballots cast. And three labor-endorsed incumbent Vancouver city council members won re-election easily: Kim Harless (61%) Eric Paulsen (84%), and Diana Perez (76%). At the Camas-Washougal Port District, Brad Richardson, director of the Clark County Historical Museum, won with 58% of the vote. At Vancouver School District, incumbent Wendy Smith, a school teacher, won with 60% of the vote. And in Woodland School District, Stephen Blum won with 55% of the vote. All were union-endorsed, and all but Paulsen were backed by the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council — which saw all six of its endorsed candidates win.
Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council also celebrated a significant win: Retired longtime paper mill union leader Wayne Nichols won his first race for city council with 55% of the vote, beating the incumbent, Longview mayor Spencer Boudreau.
Meanwhile, Washington Ballot Measure 8201, backed by the Washington State Labor Council, passed with 58% support. A referral from the state legislature, it amends the state constitution to allow money that is held in the state fund for long-term care to be invested to earn higher returns.
Voter turnout in this off-year election was low: 39% statewide in Washington, 35% in Clark County, 33% in Cowlitz County, and 36.5% in Portland.
