There’s an argument to be made that bicycling and transportation activists (aka the “all powerful Bike Lobby”) are one of the most influential and engaged voting blocs in Portland. Yes I’m biased, but consider this: before the cascading crises of recent years drowned it out, active transportation was consistently among this city’s most highly prioritized issues; some of our most powerful and well-known public figures have rested much of their legacy on building (or fighting) major transportation projects; Portland was the first major US city to earn a “Platinum” bike-friendly city award after a campaign that galvanized political and business leaders; and if you add up all the candidates we’ve hosted at Bike Happy Hour it’s surely the most popular venue for politicking in the city.
On Monday, four Portlanders will host an event that will make the case even more convincing.
“Bikes, Homes, and City Hall” will be a one-hour long, online, joint house party event with the specific goal of helping elect one Portland City Council candidate from each district. And because of Portland’s small donor election system, all organizers want is $5 for each candidate from every person who logs in.
The candidates chosen for the event are: Timur Ender in District 1 (East), Marnie Glickman in District 2 (Northeast), Angelita Morillo in District 3 (Southeast), and Chad Lykins in District 4 (West).
Housing and transportation activist Michael Andersen said he helped organize the event to boost candidates he thinks, “Have a clear path to win in November, but may not be the very highest-profile in their district.” “We think all four deserve particular attention from Portlanders who think better biking can serve the city,” Andersen added.
“We need a city council that works to build bike lanes, not remove them,” said even co-organizer and noted cycling activist Kiel Johnson. “We need a city council that understands the importance of good policy and has the guts to implement that policy. These candidates have stood out for their ability to help us create a city where anyone can bike and live wherever they choose to.”
Johnson and Andersen are trying to game the system. They know a low-commitment, low-donation, high-volume approach wouldn’t make sense in most cities. But in Portland’s small donor election system, bumping up a candidate’s total unique donor amount to 750 makes a huge difference because it unlocks double the matching funds — up to $80,000 — compared to the 250-donor tier. And a bump to 1,250 (in the case of Morillo) unlock $120,000.
Simply put, $5 bills are powerful political tools in Portland that should be wielded by everyone who cares about our city.
Organizers hope to raise $20,000, “Enough to give all these candidates a huge burst of momentum — and to make a big political splash on behalf of equitable transportation, abundant housing, and a city for everyone.” Good attendance will also burnish the reputation of bike activists as a powerful voting bloc.
The event will begin at 6:00 pm this coming Monday (June 18th). You can register here.