Campaigns are busy with Get Out The Vote activities, including calling known supporters who have not yet had their ballot recorded by County elections. Note: If you want to avoid receiving those phone calls from multiple campaigns, place your completed, signed ballot in a drop box at a County library or other approved site, at your earliest opportunity. Here's a report e-mailed from one of my volunteers making calls at our office:

"Woman answered phone. When we identified ourselves she said, "I knew it." Sound of phone to held up in the air. She bellowed, "I told you Amanda's team would call!! And what do we say?!?"

Woman explained that it was a family dinner ballot party. 30 people just voted for Amanda Fritz for City Council."

Thank you, big happy thoughtful family! I am glad I am your choice.

And thank you, the veteran drinking beer alone at the bar at Dante's Inferno downtown on Burnside, Tuesday evening. I was there as a guest of The Ed Forman Show, at the end of my 15-hour work day. As I waited to be called on stage, I reviewed my options for who to talk to. Even after 13 months of campaigning, I am not good at schmoozing. So I decided against trying to intrude at any of the tables with groups of two or three young people merrily engaged with each other, and instead perched on a bar stool next to an older man sitting by himself. I introduced myself with the now-automatic "I'm Amanda Fritz, I'm running for City Council", but I could tell he couldn't hear my name well over the noise of the crowd. So I proceeded to the standard "Do you come here often?" line (hey, I assume it's standard, I haven't made conversation with a stranger in a bar for about 30 years). We chatted. He told me he served in Germany in the 60s, brought a brother home from Vietnam in a body bag. Worked as a Teamster and as a school janitor. Then he said, "You look familiar. What did you say your name is?". I repeated my standard intro. A big smile spread over his face. "I voted for you", he said.

This week, passersby on SE 122nd, SW Broadway by PSU, SE 82nd, SE Grand, and N Rosa Parks, have smiled at me, waved, given thumbs up, honked, yelled that they voted for me. A week ago, a driver circled the block at a sign-wave on SE Powell to tell me he did. A pedestrian stopped yesterday, telling me her son who has never taken much interest in politics is enthusiastic about me because he follows my other blog. Walkers sometimes ask questions at sign-wavings about my opinions on issues, and generally nod, satisfied, with my answers. My volunteers and staff have sign-waved at many locations all over Portland, morning and evening throughout the voting period, and report similar enthusiasm and support, even when I'm not there with my "Hi, I'm Amanda" sign (thanks again to the sign's creator, Jasun Wurster). Thank you, each person who reacts positively to my volunteers and me, for your support and encouragement.

The veteran drinking a beer by himself at Dante's, and the big family holding a home ballot party. Streams of passersby in cars, trucks, on bikes and on foot, all over Portland. Blog readers at home. It is good to know so many people have voted already, and especially comforting to know some of those who voted for me.

Let's continue to work hard to outreach to still more voters, over the last five days of the campaign.