You need to get your Votes in! This 20204 Election Cycle is about to end and will do so in historic Fashion! Last night, we posted a photo on Social Media of the famous scene in Tiananmen Square on June 5th,1989, as a lone protestor stood against a row of Chinese tanks the day after the Chinese Government killed thousands across Beijing, China and cleared the square of protestors. The thousands involved wanted freedom and the right to some form of Democracy and were willing to die to have it. That photo is one of the most famous, defining the right and the battle for individual freedom.
Americans should view Tiananmen Square as a stark reminder of the importance of upholding democratic values and protecting individual freedoms. The events of Tiananmen serve as a warning about the dangers of unchecked authoritarianism. In the United States, we often take our freedoms for granted. Tiananmen Square reminds us that these freedoms, such as the right to protest and criticize the government, are precious and can be fragile. We must remain vigilant in protecting them. To do so, we must start by voting!
Your vote in these waning hours may well determine the outcome of local races in Hillsboro, North Plains, Forest Grove, and beyond. Nationally, your vote is every bit as important.
So please, do not think you do not matter- that your vote won’t count. It will- so grab that Ballot and drop it off before 8 PM today!
Use the interactive Map below to locate a drop box, drive up, and drop off your ballot!
Voter turnout this year in Washington County, Oregon, is low. LIke really low. Will there be a last-minute surge? Maybe. But statistically, this election looks to be surprisingly anemic. The Oregon Capital Chronicle reported the same thing in its recent story- https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/11/04/despite-sluggish-early-voting-pollsters-expect-high-turnout-in-oregon/ . They spoke to John Horvik, who is a political consultant, and he said:
“There’s a lot of hyperventilating about turnout right now,” said John Horvick, senior vice president of Portland-based DHM Research. “A lot of it is partisan cheerleading and some of it is just a misunderstanding of what’s going on.”
Horvick predicted the turnout will be normal before this is over. We will see. Some blame the fact that the Democrats know that Harris will easily win Oregon, which keeps them away from the ballot boxes. But there may be more at work here. Some reports indicate that more Republicans are voting than Democrats. While we can not speculate for sure, voter apathy seems to be a problem going into tonight.
This link will take you to a great graphic made by the Oregon Capital Chronicle, which shows voting over time by those who are registered.
Here is what Washington County Elections is reporting as of this hour:
53.62 % of the Votes are in so far in 2024 – historically very low:
Let’s look at 2020: Eight Percent came in on the last day, and a whopping 84.75% came out for the vote the year Biden and Trump squared off. There is no way under the stars this 2024 election will get us anywhere near as close. Does this mean the Dems are not voting this time around? 8% of that total came in the last day.
Now, let’s turn to 2022 for some frame of reference.
Almost 30% came in the last two days in the 2022 election, with a total of 68% of registered voters turning up to Vote.
So the Stats tell us:
2020: 85% Voter Turnout 13.73% the last two days – 5.74% day before the deadline
2022: 68% Voter Turnout 30.43 the last two days – 10% day before the deadline
2024: 53.6% Voter Turnout 7% day before deadline-
The Herald will guess and be generous.- unless we block-long lines at ballot drop-off locations, this last day might see 10% additional votes. That would mean a total voter turnout of 60-65% in a Presidential election year. What went wrong? Or is a swell coming?
That is where we are at this afternoon. GET OUT AND VOTE!
Will Fluoride Win The Day?
It may be just an advisory vote, but the vote on advising the Hillsboro City Council on Fluoridation of Hillsboro Water is anyone’s guess. The Hillsboro Herald Poll tells us this so far:
Perhaps our readers are skewed toward the anti-fluoride crowd. It will be interesting if this statistical sample, however small, is about right. My gut tells me 60/40 against when all the numbers are in, so we shall see.
Whoever you vote for, we salute you if you vote! Get out there, get it done! Participate in the process- and Complete the Assignment!
Looks good for the “NP 4″…Bye bye Teri!!!