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Portlanders will vote in a special election on August 11th to fill the City Council seat vacated by the late Nick Fish. Voters have until July 21st to register to vote. You can mail your ballot no later than August 6th or use any official drop site in Multnomah County by 8:00 pm on Election Day. HBA is proud to endorse former Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith for Portland City Council, Position 2. Her experience managing the federal budget portfolio for Senator Wyden and her time on the Multnomah County Commission, makes her well positioned to grapple with Portland’s impending budget shortfalls. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing and future federal bailout dollars uncertain, Portlanders need a commissioner who is able to build on the legacy of Nick Fish and make difficult decisions to achieve budget stability. With her wealth of experience working to support Portland’s most vulnerable citizens, Loretta is the right person to respond to the calls for reform and equity and will help the city heal. While other politicians are guided solely by political dogma, Loretta is a capable facilitator, who is able to bring disparate sides together on thorny issues. Our industry is grappling with the pandemic and associated economic downturn, and we need smart pragmatists like Loretta who will work to achieve city governance reform while ensuring enough new homes are built to meet continuing demand. HBA’s endorsed candidates for Portland City Council are participating in the Open and Accountable Elections (OAE) Program, a voluntary small donor matching system for Portland’s citywide elections. Candidates participating in OAE fund their campaigns with small-dollar donations between $5 and $250 per individual. A portion of each donation is then matched through the City’s Public Elections Fund. Candidates participating in the program agree to follow certain guidelines, which include not accepting contributions from political action committees, like HBA’s Oregonians for Affordable Housing. Though HBA cannot contribute financially to these candidates, we encourage our members to directly support them. Join us in supporting Loretta Smith for Portland City Council!