Oregon Primary - Hmmm
I’m in Portland for a few days, coinciding with the shift in the Democratic primary race attention to Oregon’s upcoming primary. I realized this evening: after 2 days in Oregon I don’t think I’ve seen a single campaign sign on a lawn, in a home or store window — nothing. Nor any bumper stickers. From what little I’ve heard I think Oregonians are exhausted from the national primary campaigning.
Nor have I seen billboards or other “paid” signs. Have seen one or two TV ads, but then I haven’t been watching. And I’ve been listening to public radio.
But what’s most intriguing is the lack of private expressions of commitment.
Oregon runs its election entirely via vote-by-mail (”absentee” balloting). It could be effects from this: that is, from not having the election necessarily correspond to an “event” (election day) but a “time period” (that is, election day is a *deadline*). Even then, though, I’d expect to see a few Obama signs… but, you aren’t even seeing local campaigning? (say, city council or the equivalent)
I did see a number of local signs — mostly for mayor, it seems. Which made it all the more interesting that a lawn with multiple local signs would have NO national primary signs.
I finally saw one Hillary sign and two Obama signs — for those who know Portland, these were all on 39th off I-84. And on Saturday I saw a handwritten sign pointing to a fundraiser for Obama, $20 for a barbecue, I think. Again, on 39th, very close to Hawthorne.
But, as I say, a surprising lack of signs for Obama and Clinton.