By Butch Freedman
The time has come. November 3rd is going to set the course for the country for the next two years, and I’m losing my mind. I’ve avoided reading too much about the polls and the coming “blue wave.” I want it to be true—want and need it badly. But we’ve been burnt before. I keep flashing back on the elections of 2016 and 2024. I don’t think I can bear another similar nightmare. And, frankly, I don’t believe I will have to. I am more optimistic about this coming return to sanity than I’ve ever been before.
Trump has completely lost whatever bearings he might have once had. The certifiably demented fool has spent the last few weeks simply blithering at his zombie cult followers. He tells them all that he is on the ballot. And he is—which works for every Democratic candidate out there. Most every rational person knows how badly this country has suffered under his petty dictator regime for the last two years. The idiot man-child needs to be corralled. And this is our last chance to do it. If not, if some-how he manages to stay in power with all his enablers still safely ensconced in congress, we can forget about ever regaining our democracy and our standing in the world. So much damage has already been done to our national character and to our own citizens. A full tabulation would take multiple books — some of which have already been written with many more likely to follow. History will not speak well of this clownish man-child and even worse of all those who supported his efforts to destroy our national character and pride. Under trump, the entire civilized world has turned against the U.S. And all of us, whether opposed to the monster, or not get painted with the same brush of distrust and hatred.
If there is a force in this universe that moves toward a higher moral order, I hope now is when it kick starts. I’m not asking any gods to intervene. If there are such entities, I assume they have better things to do than interfere with the convulsions of the human race. It’s ours to figure out — to move toward the good and away from the cruelty, or to suffer the consequences. Yes, these elections are that consequential—good versus evil. It’s truly that simple and that significant.
I believe we’ll make it. There are enough reasonable people to see this change through—people who have been working tirelessly ever since trump returned to the White House and began painting it gold. There were the “No Kings” rallies with massive turnouts across the country and the world, and the ordinary citizens who fought (and died) to stand against the murderous thugs of ICE, and so many others who were willing to speak up and denounce the carnage at the risk of their own livelihoods. These efforts cannot be for naught.
At heart, I believe the vast majority of citizens are desperate for a return to civility and kindness. We’ve had all we can stand. And yes, I’ll take a deep, prayerful breath and declare that, despite all expected interference, there will be a Blue Tsunami on this election day. Then we can all take a deep breath and figure out the next steps.
EDITTOR’S NOTE: Have you voted?? Election day is Tuesday November 3rd, and it’s too late to mail your ballot. You must drop them off at a ballot box. See below for the list of the ballot boxes in Tillamook County (including a NEW one in Beaver!) VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! If you are unable to get your ballot to a ballot box, reach out to editor@tillamookcountypioneer.net and we’ll connect you with someone that will help.
Did you know that you can drop your ballot into ANY ballot box in any county and it will be counted?!
According to the Tillamook County Clerk’s Office:
BALLOT RETURNS
Received = total number of ballots cast.
Accepted = total number of ballots without challenges.
A challenged (unaccepted) ballot is one where the signature does not match the Voter record OR an unsigned ballot return envelope.
DATE OCTOBER 30, 2026 2:30 PM – Next update 11/2/2026
TOTAL ELIGIBLE VOTERS 21,794
BALLOTS RECEIVED/ACCEPTED 10,456 RECEIVED /10,305 ACCEPTED
% OF TURNOUT 47.28% (ACCEPTED)
