Hillsboro City Council President Rob Harris endorsed three candidates on Wednesday, Oct. 14, the same day Washington County began mailing ballots for the Nov. 3 election.

Harris backed Ivette Pantoja for the Ward 2 council seat, Titonian Wallace Sr. for Ward 3 and former Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway for the Washington County Board of Commissioners District 4 seat, according to an opinion piece published in the Hillsboro News Times.

All three races are contested.

Harris, a retired lawyer who has lived in Hillsboro for four decades, framed his endorsements around what he called the city's core values. He wrote that the council presidency is "the first" and last elected office he will serve in. He said he wanted candidates "who can embrace positive change but who reflect and retain our community's positive values, work cooperatively with each other and treat everyone with basic human dignity."

The endorsements cover contested races in all three council wards and a county commission runoff. Harris did not endorse in the four-candidate Ward 1 race.

Ward 2: Pantoja vs. Delgado

Pantoja, co-founder and CEO of Brian Rose School in Hillsboro, serves on the Hillsboro School District Board of Directors. She is running against Karim Delgado, who owns The 649 Bar in Beaverton, for the seat held by Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair, who is not seeking reelection, according to the Hillsboro News Times.

Pantoja has also drawn endorsements from Mayor Beach Pace, Councilors Saba Anvery and Elizabeth Case, the Hillsboro Police Officers Association and the county chamber of commerce, The Oregonian reported Oct. 11. She had raised $21,534 as of that report.

"This moment calls for proven leaders who can listen, make hard decisions and disagree with respect," Pantoja told The Oregonian in that Oct. 11 profile.

Ward 3: Wallace vs. two challengers

Wallace, a self-employed digital marketing business owner, was the first Black chair of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. He faces Kimberly Culbertson and Dorian Russell for the Ward 3 seat being vacated by term-limited Councilor Olivia Alcaire.

Wallace had raised $24,546 as of The Oregonian's Oct. 11 report, the highest total among council candidates. Pace, Harris, Case, Callaway and several county commissioners also endorsed him.

District 4: Callaway vs. Sinclair

Callaway, who served as Hillsboro mayor from 2016 through 2024, led a six-candidate primary field in May with 32.9% of the vote, according to the Hillsboro News Times. He faces Sinclair, who received 21.4%, in the November runoff for the seat being vacated by retiring Commissioner Jerry Willey.

District 4 covers western Washington County, including most of Hillsboro, North Plains, Cornelius and Forest Grove. The position pays $136,161 a year, The Oregonian reported.

Nine candidates total are running for three Hillsboro council seats. All council candidates appear on every ballot because the seats are elected at-large, even though candidates run by ward.

Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3. Voters can also use an official drop site by 8 p.m. that day, including the Brookwood Library at 2850 N.E. Brookwood Parkway and the Shute Park Library at 775 S.E. 10th Ave.