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We narrowed the field to 27 candidates for 2017 Newsmaker of the Year and voters trimmed the list to 10 finalists. As you'll see, they aren't all heroes. Some of them are controversial figures; some were involved in tragic stories; some are longtime leaders and some you may never have heard of.

And one is not a person at all.

The finalists all have local or regional ties, and at one point or another captivated readers or encapsulated issues that proved to be defining moments for Oregon in 2017.



Read about the candidates below (listed in alphabetical order) to refresh your memory, then make your pick. You may vote once per day until the poll closes at 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 18.

Note: We will look at voting patterns to ensure our local community's views are reflected. Voting will also be limited by IP address.

Editor's note: We've gotten lots of feedback on 'person of the year'; here's our response

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Rick Best and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche

Rick Best and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche were hailed nationally as heroes after they stood up to racism and died in a horrific attack on a Portland MAX train that shook the city and challenged its progressive image.

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Niko Boskovic

Niko Boskovic, then 15, finished first in an essay contest sponsored by North Portland's Peninsula Odd Fellows Lodge. As the winner, he was given the opportunity to join 300 other winners from around the world for a trip to New York and the District of Columbia. He and his mom fought back against the national Odd Fellows after he was told he could not go on the trip because of his autism. Photo by Stephanie Yao Long

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Micah Fletcher

Micah Fletcher, who survived the MAX attack after he intervened to help two girls, became a symbol of the fight against racist violence as he carried gruesome scars along his neck. Photo by Dave Killen

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Joey Gibson

Joey Gibson's Patriot Prayer protest group clashed with the left in high profile faceoffs in liberal enclaves on the West Coast, provoking controversy for his group and himself. Photo by Jim Ryan

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Greg McKelvey

Greg McKelvey became the face of PDX Resistance, a near-ubiquitous figure at protests throughout 2017 and on social media. Photo by Jim Ryan

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Jeff Merkley

Jeff Merkley found his voice as a strong and early critic of President Donald Trump, forging a higher national stature and prompting speculation about his ultimate ambitions. Photo by Dave Killen

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Nora the Polar Bear

The plucky star at the Oregon Zoo starred in a five-part series and documentary film by The Oregonian/OregonLive, putting a bow on the polar bear cub's popular tenure in Portland before she was shipped off to Salt Lake City. Photo by Dave Killen

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Oregon Firefighters

They took on treacherous terrain and daunting winds to fight the Eagle Creek fire with grit and muscle, battling for weeks to save Oregon's beloved gorge trails and monuments such as the Multnomah Falls Lodge. Photo courtesy of Taylor Sluman

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Dennis Richardson

In a reliably blue state, Dennis Richardson became the first Republican to win election to his statewide office in 30 years. He has brought a novel, if controversial, approach to the job. Timothy J. Gonzalez/AP Photo

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Sgt. Matt Swanson

Matt Swanson, a Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant, blew the whistle on a detective's failure to follow up on rape and sexual abuse allegations, bringing at least the possibility of justice for some victims before the statute of limitations runs out. He says in return he suffered retaliation.

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