[EDITOR'S NOTE: Okay, political junkies! Let's saddle up for what is sure to be an exciting May primary election night—one that's sure to be extra spicy, thanks to the wave of conservative candidates trying to take over the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners as well as that mud-flingin' District Attorney race. 

That said, here's an important thing to remember: Ballots that are mailed and postmarked by 8 pm tonight will still be counted, and it may take days for the final results to be tallied in certain races. However, we should have a pretty good idea where most races stand after the first ballot drop at 8 pm, and Multnomah County election officials say local races could be decided as soon as tomorrow. News reporter Taylor Griggs and I (Mercury editor Wm. Steven Humphrey) will be getting you the latest state and local results as soon as we have them (along with lots of sassy-ass analysis), while our news editor Courtney Vaughn and arts editor Suzette Smith will be skating around to some of the hottest candidate parties in town to witness the cheers, tears, and what sort of disgusting snacks they'll be serving. IT. WILL. BE. FUN.

So scroll down to read the latest dispatches, and LET'S GET DOWN WITH SOME DEMOCRACY, OREGON!]

UPDATE: 10:30 PM

And on that note (see tweet below), the Mercury Election Freak Squad is calling it for the night. But don't you worry your pretty head—we'll be up bright and early to inform you of all the overnight election happenings in Good Morning, News along with other newsy-style stories when you wake up tomorrow. Thanks to the Mercury's Courtney Vaughn, Taylor Griggs, and Suzette Smith for their excellent on-the-spot reporting tonight, zero thanks to AIPAC and the other dark money conservative groups who purchased their fair share of elections this year, and my eternal gratitude to former Mayor Sam Adams and Old Town gentrifier Jesse Burke for running against each other in the Multco Commish District Two race, thereby canceling each other out. (WOW! I guess "cancel culture" does exist!) Sleep well, my pretties, democracy continues tomorrow, and hopefully, every day after.—WSH

UPDATE: 10:23 PM

Not wrong:

UPDATE: 10:15 PM

The 10 pm update, which brings the statewide ballot count to 687,012 (about 23 percent of active registered voters), has only solidified the early results. Susheela Jayapal has now pulled in about 28 percent of the vote in Oregon's 3rd U.S. House District, but it's unlikely she'll catch up to Maxine Dexter. Janelle Bynum maintains a 40 point lead over Jamie McLeod-Skinner in Oregon's 5th U.S. House District, setting her up to take on Republican Lori Chavez-Deremer in the November election. As for the state legislative seats... we're pretty confident Shannon Jones Isadore, currently well-ahead in Oregon's 33rd District, will win the election.—TG

UPDATE: 10:05 PM

For the 10 pm ballot count drop, there's been movement in the District One race for MultCo Commissioners: Meghan Moyer has taken a three-point lead over the previously unelectable Vadim Mozyrsky, 44% to 41%. Shannon Singleton still leads both Sam Adams and Jessie Burke by a wide margin in District Two. (If I were her, I don't know who I would enjoy beating more in November!) And in District Four, Vince Dixon-Jones is creating distance between himself and the surprising Brian Knotts, 48% to 42%—a six-point spread. AND WHAT'S THIS? Nathan Vasquez' lead over Mike Schmidt in the MultCo District Attorney race is shrinking somewhat, with Vasquez currently at 55% to Schmidt's 43%. Nothing to get too excited about... but it's still WAY better than I thought Schmidt would do after the years of negative bullshit he's been through since taking the job. (I wonder if Vasquez will be jealous if people don't put up lying billboards about him?)—WSH

UPDATE: 9:32 PM

Elizabeth Steiner, who will likely be the next state treasurer (Democrats have held the seat since 1992), has released a statement.

“I am immensely grateful for the outpouring of support our campaign has received from Oregonians around the state. I want to thank my friends, family, staff, and all our volunteers who put in the work to bring us here," Steiner said. “I launched this campaign because I know there’s more we can do to help Oregonians save for their family’s financial goals, boost the financial health of our state, and invest in our shared priorities: healthcare, education, housing, jobs, and a secure retirement. I am honored to be the Democratic nominee for State Treasurer in the General Election, and look forward to continuing to talk to folks across the state about securing a healthy financial future for every Oregon family."

If elected in November, Steiner would become the first woman ever elected as Oregon State Treasurer. This is a big win for women doing numbers!—TG

UPDATE: 9:28 PM

Mike Schmidt, addressing a room full of supporters after unofficial election results show him far behind his opponent, says "this has been a hard fought campaign and we're still counting," but acknowledges he's down in the results and not likely to pull off a win. "I'm so grateful to be in here with all of you that know that we can fix a criminal justice system that's been broken since its inception."

Schmidt said his wife encouraged him to run for re-election to "show our two young boys that win or lose, it is good and it is worthwhile, always, to fight for what is right."—CV

Mike Schmidt addresses supporters alongside his wife, Clare. (Courtney Vaughn)

UPDATE: 9:25 PM

Hmmm... wonder if presumptive "DA Vasquez" will do anything about this?

UPDATE: 9:10 PM

As of 9 pm, the Multnomah County results are practically the same: In the MultCo Commish races, Vadim Mozyrsky and Meghan Moyer are just about tied in District One; Shannon Singleton will have the pleasure of taking on either the unlikable Sam Adams or unlikable Jessie Burke this November in District Two; (Can I call it? I'm calling it.) Julia Brim-Edwards wins District Three; and in District Four, Vince Jones-Dixon has just a weird, tiny lead over Brian Knotts, 46% to 43%.

Neither did we, Brian. Neither did we.—WSH

UPDATE: 9:02 PM

At the Vasquez/Mozyrsky/Burke party: Despite a pre-results mid-to-liquored interest, the vibes at the election party for three friends who wanted to clean up this rainy city have gotten (everyone on this couch with me agrees) weird. Vasquez has a significant lead. Mozyrsky is ahead—as Steve so expertly described—by a skootch. The city of Portland seems to have declined Burke’s offer to “volunteer as tribute.” Somewhat ironically, Vasquez paraphrase-quoted former New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan when he spoke to the crowd earlier. The quote: “When you elect people who have contempt for government, you get contemptible government.” Maybe Portland couldn’t get excited about someone who repeatedly referred to it as the Hunger Games.—SS

UPDATE: 8:59 PM

So far, more than four percent of Democratic presidential primary votes are write-ins. Any increase in write-in votes in the presidential primary this year is likely due to the push to write in "uncommitted" in the presidential primary to protest President Biden's handling of Israel's war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, The O has called Treasurer for Steiner, AG for Dan Rayfield, Secretary of State for Tobias Read, and Willy Chotzen D-46. D-33, the other contentious Oregon legislative race, hasn't been called yet.—TG

UPDATE: 8:57 PM

Schmidt, after a long absence, has re-entered the party. Consolation hugs are being exchanged throughout the room.—CV

 UPDATE: 8:55 PM

Today in "WOMP WOMP":

UPDATE: 8:42 PM

And to the surprise of no one—particularly me, since I predicted it like three weeks ago—every one of the Multnomah County measures (gas, zoo, teachers, and water quality) are passing by a medium-to-wide margin. Now let's do the "small penis tax" for drivers who insist on purchasing huge pickup trucks.—WSH

UPDATE: 8:35 PM

Well... this is... SOMETHING.

Kiss of Death, take two:

UPDATE: 8:25 PM

Schmidt's campaign has issued a statement:

“This has been a hard-fought campaign, and while it is still too early to definitively call this race, right now we are down. I look forward to seeing more results come in. Regardless of the outcome, I want to thank this community for the incredible support they have shown this campaign."—CV

UPDATE: 8:20 PM

The first results are IN… but only about 12 percent of the statewide vote has been counted so far, so these early rankings may or may not hold up. As far as federal races go, Maxine Dexter is currently leading the race for Oregon’s 3rd U.S. House District with a little more than 50 percent of the vote. Susheela Jayapal is second in the running, having racked up about 26 percent of the current vote, and Eddy Morales has received almost 15 percent. In the 5th District, Janelle Bynum is very solidly in the lead, receiving nearly 80 percent of the vote so far. The Secretary of State primary is going well for Tobias Read, who has a little more than 70 percent of the vote currently. Dan Rayfield is leading the race for Attorney General nomination, with more than three-quarters of the vote. Shaina Maxey Pomerantz is behind him at 22.7 percent. Elizabeth Steiner has a solid lead in the state treasurer contest. Shannon Jones Isadore is leading the race in the 33rd District right now with almost 50 percent of the vote, with Pete M Grabiel and Brian Duty behind her at 28.6 and 25.15 percent respectively. In the 46th District, Willy Chotzen is in the lead, taking about two-thirds of the vote.
Whoopsy, my numbers might be inaccurate already. Now about 20 percent has been counted.—TG

UPDATE: 8:15 PM

The mood at Schmidt's party has turned a little. There are audible sighs and nervous questions about whether it's "too soon to call it."—CV

UPDATE: 8:10 PM

And the first ballot result drops have… errr… DROPPED. Here’s how the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners races are shaping up. 

DISTRICT ONE

In District One, Vadim Mozyrsky leads Meghan Moyer by just a skootch, 43% to 42%. This race could stretch out for awhile, so cool your heels. (However, Vadim must be ECSTATIC… he’s thus far lost every political race he’s ever been in, and that includes dog catcher.)

DISTRICT TWO

In the second district, the wildly qualified Shannon Singleton (39%) holds a 13 point lead over her nearest competitors, former Mayor Sam Adams (26%) and Jessie Burke (25%)—who I sometimes suspect may be the same person. Way to cancel each other out, guys! (No, sincerely, I mean it… THANK YOU.)

DISTRICT THREE

To the surprise of… looks around… NOBODY, Julia Brim-Edwards has a commanding lead over her one and only competitor, TJ Noddings, with Julia raking in a whopping 76% to TJ’s 23%. (Am I allowed to “call it” for Julia yet?)

DISTRICT FOUR

In a somewhat surprising turn of events, Vince Jones-Dixon is holding on to a small and tenuous lead (46%) to Brian Knotts (43%). WE GOT US A HORSE RACE HERE, SON!

MULTNOMAH COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

And in the race for Multnomah County District Attorney, People for Portland… sorry… Nathan Vasquez leads Mike Schmidt, 58% to the incumbent’s 41%. That’s a commanding lead—though closer than I thought since People for Portland has been campaigning for Vasquez since day one of Schmidt being on the job.—WSH

UPDATE: 7:45 PM

Time for the 7:45 vibe check: The campaign party for DA Mike Schmidt, who's trying to retain his seat for another four years, is at the hip and slightly posh Jupiter Next, where the vibe is fundraiser-cocktail-party-meets-art-reception. A DJ is spinning Grizzly Bear and other indie favs, and the snack table is legit. Mediterranean appetizers and clearly marked vegan options.

But best of all? There's a lighted sign for photos that just reads #SchmidtShow. 💯 No notes.

This would make a good billboard. (Courtney Vaughn)

UPDATE: 7:40 PM

As we gear up for the 8 pm ballot drop, here are some of the big statewide races we're keeping an eye on: Perhaps the juiciest races are the U.S. House primaries in the 3rd and 5th Districts. Tonight's results in the third district—where the top candidates are Maxine Dexter, Susheela Jayapal, and Eddy Morales—will be particularly informative about the future of big, outside spending in Oregon races. In the 5th District, Jamie McLeod-Skinner will face off against Janelle Bynum to determine who will flip this very important seat blue in November. We're also pretty excited to see who voters will pick as Democratic nominee for Oregon Secretary of State, with Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read and State Senator James Manning leading the pack. And then there are the Portland-area state house races—the most contentious of which is likely the 33rd District, where Shannon Jones Isadore and Brian Duty (both very respectable candidates) are vying for the Democratic nomination. We're also keeping a close watch on the race between Willy Chotzen and Mary Lou Hennrich in Oregon's 46th District.That's all for now, but stay tuned for the first drop... coming up nail-bitingly soon.—TG

UPDATE: 7:35 PM

And here I am at the Hoxton Hotel in Old Town, where the tri-candidate party for Nathan Vasquez (running for MultCo DA), Jessie Burke (MultCo Commish District 2), and Vadim Mozyrsky (MultCo Commish District 1) is being held in the Lovely Rita ground floor lobby/lounge. In past years, the windowed room was a pretty swanky restaurant, but its current incarnation is more of a freeform spot to eat charcuterie. And thus? The party boasts an impressively large charcuterie table! The people at this soirée are not the sort to mob a snack table, so I assume we have nothing in common.—SS

Ummm... meeeeeat. (Suzette Smith)

UPDATE: 7:25 PM

Howdy, y'all! I'll be keeping my squinty eyes on the Multnomah County races tonight, and (wooo-wheee!) there are some humdingers, including the District Attorney matchup between People for Portland's unhealthy obsession, Mike Schmidt, and poster child for Portland's elite, Nathan Vasquez. Plus there are a whopping FOUR races which could bring about major changes (potentially very bad) to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. We'll also be keeping an eye on four local measures, which could re-up the gas tax, the teachers' levy, the Oregon Zoo bond, and the "Urban Flood and Water Quality" tax—which everyone HATES. (That's not true at all, but since all of these will probably be approved with flying colors, I gotta find some drama somewhere... right?) Anyhoo, stick around because the first batch of results will be dropping at 8 pm.—WSH

UPDATE: 6:45 PM

As expected, the scene at the Multnomah County Elections Division in SE Portland is controlled chaos. Traffic is slow and backed up on surrounding streets, mainly due to the drive-up ballot drop box on Belmont Street. Inside the elections office, workers are gathered on multiple levels of the building.
Some are hovered around large sorting machines that count thousands of ballots a minute. Machines also verify signatures on the ballot envelopes. Ones that look fishy get set aside for humans to check.

In all, there are more than a dozen steps to the sorting and counting of each ballot—and Multnomah County has about 571,000 of them to get through (assuming everyone votes). Glad we have mail-in voting to give 'em an early start! Earlier today, the county reported just over 23 percent of registered voters have turned in their ballots. -CV

 A Multnomah County elections work sorts ballots on Tuesday, May 21. (Courtney Vaughn)