From the Sam Adams campaign: They’ve just seen the Auditor’s memo, and “may or may not comment” in the next few days, says campaign manager Jennifer Yocom.

From Janice Thompson, executive director of Democracy Reform Oregon:

[V]alid concerns have surfaced about whether or not current program rules allow for major private contributions during the qualifying period – such as the Dozono poll. One interpretation of the code is that limits on in-kind contributions apply during the qualifying period regardless of the onset of a candidacy. Program administrators evidently disagreed.

“We respect Sho Dozono’s decision to run using the Voter-Owned Elections option and recognize that election administration is a tough job that in this case was complicated by reporting delays,” said Thompson. “Allowing a candidate to opt into the program after having received some level of exploratory private support may be worthy of future consideration, but current rules do not appear to allow the receipt of such a major
contribution during the qualifying period.”

And from Dozono’s campaign:

Pledging to stand up for the over 4,000 Portlanders who sought a substantive debate on the issues facing the city, an end to the influence of special interest money in Portland politics, and a fresh start at City Hall, Sho Dozono thanked his supporters today for helping him become the first certified mayoral candidate. Dozono made his comments upon receiving word from City Auditor Gary Blackmer that he met the qualifications of Portland’s fledgling Campaign Finance Fund, thereby becoming the first person to be certified to run for Portland mayor under the new system. As a “voter owned elections” candidate, Dozono will not be relying on special interest contributions to support his campaign.

More from the campaign’s statement after the cut.

Randall Edwards, Oregon State Treasurer said, “Sho is a community leader who shows up, rolls up his sleeves and gets the job done. The fact that he was able to gather over 4,000 signatures, far exceeding the 1500 needed, is a clear mandate for his candidacy. It says that residents don’t just want a choice, they want Sho Dozono. I have known Sho for over a dozen years; I trust him, and I trust that Portlanders will see that he is the right choice to lead our city to a brighter future.” "I am humbled to be able to give a voice to the thousands and thousands of Portlanders who want to see us have a contest for Mayor, not a coronation...and even though I'm the underdog -- a spirited contest is what they will get. I plan to run on a straightforward platform, which has been shaped by the experiences of my life in Portland. In my 64 years here, I have taught at Grant High, raised a family, built a small business and gotten involved in community activities to build better schools and a stronger economy. I'm running because it's time for a new perspective at City Hall -- a new respect for how we spend taxpayers' money...and end to wasteful pet projects...a focus on the core services that make us a great city...and a commitment to creating opportunities for families and neighborhoods that have been left out or left behind, while some parts of Portland have prospered. Sho Dozono is an experienced leader in community and civic affairs of Portland and the State of Oregon. For more than 30 years, he has been a volunteer and appointed official, serving six governors and five Portland mayors. He has championed and positively impacted issues such as education, diversity in the workplace, and the creation of jobs in Portland. As a founder of the March for Schools, Sho saved over 250 teacher jobs and raised over $11 million for your schools. “My years of involvement in this community have given me a clear view of the opportunities and challenges facing this region and their affect on the City of Portland. I am more than prepared to take on these challenges and look forward to working with the citizens of Portland to continue to improve our city,” stated Dozono.