🗳️ Street Wonk Voter Guide | May 2025 Multnomah County Special District Election

School Boards, Special Districts and Ballot Measures

Dear Readers,

The Voters’ Pamphlet is out, and ballots will drop on April 30th, but I’m getting this guide out today because you have only ONE DAY left to update your voter registration if needed, and I really hope you’ll vote in this special election!

While national elections dominate the headlines, local elections profoundly shape our daily lives. Decisions made by school boards, special districts, and local officials influence the quality of our schools, the safety of our neighborhoods, and the inclusivity of our communities. These elections determine how resources are allocated, which programs are prioritized, and how responsive our institutions are to the needs of all residents.

And right now, public education itself is under attack.
Across the country, extremists aligned with Trump’s agenda are working to dismantle civil rights protections, defund diversity and inclusion efforts, roll back disability rights, and silence the teaching of real American history. They are targeting school boards and local institutions, hoping that low voter turnout will quietly hand them power.

That’s why local elections like this one matter so much. By casting your ballot, you’re not just voting for candidates — you're standing up for public education, civil rights, and the right of every student to be seen, supported, and valued.

Please note: Because Street Wonk’s primary focus is on Portland, I haven’t covered every race in the special election.
Here’s what you will find:

✅ Races within or overlapping with the City of Portland
✅ Races that are contested
✅ Races where there is a progressive candidate — or at least a more progressive choice relative to their opponent

Your voice matters. Let's make sure it's heard where it counts most — right here at home.

Please show up for our youth and vote for a better future!

Chloe

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Important Voting Information

• Election Day: Tuesday, May 20, 2025

• Ballots Drop: April 30, 2025

• Voter Registration Deadline: Tuesday, April 29, 2025 (TOMORROW!)

• Check or update your registration here: oregonvotes.gov

• Ballot Return:

  • Ballots must be postmarked or dropped off by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

  • Find an official ballot drop site here.

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🏫 School Board Races

Portland Public Schools Board

Zone 1

Christy Splitt
Appointed incumbent. Endorsed by PAT, BerniePDX, and Working Families Party. Committed to equitable school funding, inclusion, and strengthening public education.

Zone 4

Rashelle Chase-Miller
Endorsed by PAT, WFP, Basic Rights Oregon, and BerniePDX. Focuses on equity for marginalized students and strong support for school staffing and services.

Zone 5

Jorge Sanchez Bautista
Student, community organizer, and education equity advocate. Endorsed by the Portland Association of Teachers, Working Families Party, Basic Rights Oregon, and BerniePDX. Active in housing justice and youth empowerment since 2017.

Jorge Sanchez Bautista and Angela Bonilla via Jorge’s campaign website.

I must take a moment to tell you how excited I am to see Jorge Sanchez Bautista, a seasoned activist and advocate at just 18 years old, running for the Portland School Board. It’s not only because of his impressive accomplishments or his deep commitment to progressive values. It’s not only because, if elected, he would be the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color and the youngest school board member in PPS history.

It’s because of how our paths first crossed when he was just ten years old.

In early 2017, as a newly sworn-in City Commissioner, I visited Rigler Elementary during a time of deep fear and upheaval. A 100% rent hike at the Normandy Apartments threatened to displace dozens of families, including Jorge’s. I remember attending a packed community meeting at Rigler, needing to use translation equipment for the first time because the meeting was conducted entirely in Spanish. It was humbling and heartwarming to stand among families who refused to let barriers stand in their way, fighting not just for their housing, but for the right to stay rooted in their schools, their neighborhoods, and their community.

The Cully community rallied around the families, and my team pushed hard at City Hall—passing the Relocation Assistance ordinance within a month of my taking office. For the first time, Portland renters like Jorge’s family had a real measure of protection against price gouging and displacement.

That experience, for me, was transformative. And it’s clear it sparked a lifelong commitment to activism and justice for Jorge.

Seeing him now, stepping forward to lead, brings everything full circle. Jorge isn't just the future—he's living proof that our work matters.

• Anti-Displacement Work (Living Cully) A little trip down memory lane.

Zone 6

Stephanie Engelsman
Public defender and PPS parent. Endorsed by BerniePDX and Northwest Oregon Labor Council. Advocates for smaller class sizes and strong protections for public education.

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David Douglas School District

Position 3

Sara Ruth Epstein
Educator and housing advocate. Endorsed by East County Rising and WFP. Prioritizes public education funding, immigrant and refugee student support, and racial equity.

📣EXTRA! Sara Ruth Epstein is a first-generation college graduate whose personal experience with housing insecurity drives her advocacy for affordable housing and equitable public education. She has worked on campaigns to strengthen tenant protections and expand family housing in East Portland, bringing lived experience and policy expertise to one of the city's most vulnerable school districts.

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Parkrose School District

Position 1

Paul Tabron Jr. (At the time of publication, this candidate had no active campaign website.)
Incumbent board member. Program Officer at The Collins Foundation, focused on racial and educational equity. Strong supporter of accessible, inclusive public schools.

📣EXTRA! Paul Tabron Jr. grew up in East Portland and has dedicated his career to mentoring youth through Elevate Oregon, helping students overcome the barriers of poverty, racism, and systemic neglect. His leadership brings firsthand community experience and a strong commitment to educational equity to a district that deserves to see itself reflected in its board.

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Riverdale School District

Position 3

Michele Rosenbaum
Incumbent board member. Active advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion through MESD and OSBA. Committed to civil rights and inclusive education for all students.

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Multnomah Education Service District

Position 2

(At the time of publication, this candidate had no active campaign website.)
Retired educator and former MESD board member. Jones taught for nearly 30 years in North Clackamas and David Douglas school districts before joining the Mt. Hood Community College faculty, where she served for 12 years and later joined the board of directors. She previously served on the MESD board from 2017 to 2021 and is deeply committed to protecting the rights of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students.

📣 EXTRA! Susie Jones says she’s ready to be “effective and engaged from day one”—and her record backs it up. With a robust career in education and governance, she brings both heart and hard-won knowledge to the role at a time when civil rights in schools are under threat. Her return to the MESD Board would be a win for public education and vulnerable students across the region.

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🌎 Special District Races

Urban Flood Safety & Water Quality District

Position 1

Lori Stegmann (At the time of publication, this candidate had no active campaign website.)
Former Multnomah County Commissioner with extensive experience in public service and infrastructure investment. A pragmatic moderate who supports community resilience, environmental stewardship, and public infrastructure funding. While not necessarily a progressive, she is the stronger choice in this race for voters who prioritize equity, safety, and environmental planning.

📣EXTRA! Lori Stegmann was raised as a Korean adoptee in a white working-class family in East Portland — an experience that shaped her understanding of racial identity, economic disparity, and the importance of community investment. While a political moderate, she brings valuable lived experience to issues of environmental resilience and equitable infrastructure planning.

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🗳️ Ballot Measures

Measure 26-258 — Mt. Hood Community College Bond
✅ YES

Supports affordable, accessible higher education and workforce training. Modest new tax to modernize aging facilities and improve student success.

Measure 26-259 — Portland Public Schools Bond Renewal
✅ YES

Renews existing funding to modernize and repair Portland schools — seismic upgrades, lead removal, accessibility improvements — without raising tax rates.

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