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Politics

BY BOB YOUNG, byoung@wweek.com

Here's a scary thought to end the year. Ballots for two County Commission vacancies will start arriving in mailboxes in mid-February, and the political marathon won't stop until the general election in November. Before 1998 is over, metro-area voters will have cast ballots for everything from city commissioners and Metro councilors to governor and members of Congress. (Let's not even think about ballot measures.)

Below is a chart of the candidates--official and rumored--that are likely to come before Portland voters in contested races next year. What's surprising is how few new names have surfaced, despite the advent of term limits. Most candidates are current or former office-holders seeking new jobs. It just goes to show that Portland really is the City that Recycles. Follow the arrows to see where local pols hope to be a year from now.