Last night, I was volunteering with the Sam Adams for Portland Mayor campaign at the March general meeting of the Rose City Park Neighborhood Association. The meeting featured a candidates forum, with almost every pertinent local office represented: Portland Mayor, Portland City Council (positions 1, 2, and 4), State Representative (HD 45), and State Senate (SD 23).

The turnout was excellent! I was so impressed to see neighbors coming out to learn more about the candidates and their positions. As a former neighborhood council board member back in Los Angeles, I know the importance of neighborhood councils and the residents who participate. Seeing everyone turn out was exciting and rewarding.

The funny thing for me was the traveling road show that is the totality of the campaigns. In attending these events you get to meet the volunteers and the team for each candidate: like you, they come with the campaign literature and swag, work the charm, and talk earnestly to voters about Portland's future. Faces become familiar, and a general campaign camaraderie emerges that I wouldn't miss for the world.

Moreover, talking to voters is such a delight. Engaging with individuals is the A-1 priority and thrill, and it's an absolute pleasure to meet people from all walks of life in neighborhoods all across Portland. Hearing their concerns and their passions makes each campaign stop its own reward, and the sincere time and energy that each neighborhood voter puts into coming to forums like these impresses me.

As for my biases, I thought Sam did a fantastic job. He is so sincere when he talks about Portland's future and the challenges we face. But hope is always there: with hard work and a command of the issues that matter, we can work together to ensure Portland of longstanding greatness. And the time he spent talking about neighborhoods and neighborhood issues really hit home for me (being a former neighborhood council guy myself). If you want to learn more about Sam's neighborhood-oriented leadership, head on over to his mayoral campaign website.

In closing, I have a question: has anyone out there spent time working with their local neighborhood organization? I know we're all really busy this time of year, but the time I spent working in my local Los Angeles neighborhoods was exceptionally rewarding. After this election cycle ends, I'm going to roll up my sleeves and get back into the swing of it, this time in Portland.

Disclaimer: I worked for Sam Adams' office in 2005 and I'm an ardent support, but I speak and write only for myself.