There are lots of political events happening this week and weekend. For starters, city council candidate John Branam is hosting a movie night tonight:

This Wednesday, January 9, City Council candidate John Branam kicks off a political film series at Mississippi Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi. 7 pm

John will speak briefly about his platform and bold plans for City Council—and will be available for questions—followed immediately by a free screening of Bill Maher’s searing and gut-splittingly funny HBO Special “The Decider.” Taking on everything from sex, drugs, President Bush and the Iraq War, satirist Maher gives his painfully funny insights and offers some of the best political commentary this side of Jon Stewart. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening as the writers’ strike drags on?

Please stop by, bring your friends and forward this email along. It is a chance to learn more about your next city council member, John Branam.

MISSISSIPPI STUDIO, 3939 N. MISSISSIPPI (enter through Mississippi Station), 7 pm, FREE, 21+

Beer & wine available!

VISIT: www.John4PDX.org

Then, starting on Friday, don’t forget about the kick ass Rebooting Democracy conference. I’ll be there, soaking up some of the great workshops, hobnobbing with fellow political geeks, introducing Dan Savage before Saturday night’s party (it’s all ages, by the way, and the Shaky Hands are playing!), and helping with the Secretary of State and Attorney General debates on Sunday. Join us! (There are lots of scholarships available, so speak up!)

And on Saturday morning—if you’re not at Rebooting Democracy, that is—you could head to SE Portland to help Portland’s newest potential mayoral candidate, Sho Dozono, collect the 1,500 contributions and signatures he needs to qualify for public funding (if he doesn’t get ‘em by the 31st, he says he’s dropping out).

Signature Gathering Event at Woodstock Wine & Deli

We have only a few weeks to collect the 1500 signatures and $5 donations that will qualify Sho for the city’s campaign finance program. We encourage you to support Sho’s efforts to qualify his candidacy in this phase of the campaign to assure that Portland has a real dialogue and a real choice in 2008.

That’s at Woodstock Wine and Deli (4030 SE Woodstock), at 10:30 am. More details at Dozono’s website.