Mayoral candidate Sho Dozono just turned in 2,403 $5 contribution forms at the city auditor’s office. He says he’s got hundreds more “back at the office” and thinks his campaign might ultimately turn in 3,500 by the January 31 deadline (they only need 1,500 valid ones, but every $5 Dozono collects himself—and every seed money contribution of up to $100—is money the taxpayers don’t shell out, he likes to say).

“The citizens of Portland really want choice,” Dozono said in the hall. “Not a coronation.” Until Dozono’s entry into the race, current City Commissioner Sam Adams was the frontrunner, and didn’t have a strong or well funded opponent.

Dozono has been hesitant to call himself a candidate, saying he’d drop out if he didn’t qualify for public funds. While he hasn’t yet qualified—he hasn’t filed his request for certification—turning in so many contributions means “clearly I’m a candidate at this point.” And “now that I’m a candidate, I can talk about the issues that really matter.”

Just before Dozono dropped off his contributions, city council candidate Jim Middaugh was quietly slipping out of the auditor’s office. I didn’t jot down the exact number he said he’d turned in, but it was around 1,075. He’s got more to process, and more trickling in, but he isn’t planning any last push events this weekend—in fact, he’s taking a few days off from the campaign rush.