2024 Portland, Oregon City Council election explained

Election Name:	2024 Portland City Council elections
Majority Seats:	7
Seats For Election:	All 12 seats in the Portland City Council
Election Date:	November 5, 2023
Next Year:	2026
Next Election:	2026 Portland, Oregon City Council election
Previous Year:	2022
Previous Election:	2022 Portland, Oregon City Commission election
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no

The 2024 Portland City Council elections will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect the members of Portland's City Council. This will be a unique election as it will be the first election under Portland's new form of government, the first without a primary, the first where every seat will be up for election, and the first under a proportional ranked-choice voting system as opposed to a first-past-the-post voting system with a primary.^[1]

Currently, Portland operates under a city commission government with a five-member board, including the mayor.^[2] Under the new form of government, approved by voters in 2022, the mayor will no longer be a part of the city council, and instead of five at-large positions, the council will have twelve districted seats. Three councilmembers will each represent one of four districts. The district elections will use a single transferable vote system. Special elections will also no longer be used to fill vacancies in the council.^[3] The elections will continue to be officially nonpartisan.

In the previous election, Dan Ryan and Rene Gonzalez were elected to the council, marking a shift in voters away from progressivism towards more moderate democratic politicians.^[4] Currently, with Ted Wheeler choosing not to run for re-election, Mingus Mapps, Rene Gonzalez, and Carmen Rubio are running for mayor, while Dan Ryan is running for a City Council seat in District 2.

District 1

District 1 represents the eastern part of the city, primarily everything east of Interstate 205 all the way to the city's eastern border with Gresham, as well as Portland International Airport.^[5] Neighborhoods represented include Argay, Centennial, Glenfair, Hazelwood, Lents, Mill Park, Parkrose, Parkrose Heights, Pleasant Valley, Powellhurst-Gilbert, Russell, Sumner, Wilkes, and Woodland Park.^[6]

Candidates

Declared

• Candace Avalos, executive director of Verde, former member of the Portland Charter Commission, and candidate for Portland City Commission in 2020^[7]
• Jamie Dunphy, former staffer to Commissioner Nick Fish^[7]
• Timur Ender, former policy advisor to former Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick and Oregon Walks board member^[8]
• Noah Ernst
• Joe Furi
• Terrence Hayes, civil rights activist^[9]
• David Linn, Centennial School District board member^[10]
• Sonja McKenzie, Oregon School Boards Association president and Parkrose School District board member
• Steph Routh, Portland Planning Commission member^[11]
• Deian Salazar, Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder member at-large^{[7] [12]}
• Thomas Shervey^[13]
• Loretta Smith, former Multnomah County commissioner, candidate for city commission in 2018 and 2020, and candidate for in 2022^[14]
• Cayle Tern, Reynolds School Board member^[15]

District 2

District 2 represents most of North and Northeast Portland north of Interstate 84 and west of 82nd Avenue. Neighborhoods represented include Alameda, Arbor Lodge, Beaumont-Wilshire, Boise, Bridgeton, Cathedral Park, Concordia, Cully, Dignity Village, East Columbia, Eliot, Grant Park, Hayden Island, Hollywood, Humboldt, Irvington, Kenton, King, Lloyd District, Madison South, Overlook, Piedmont, Portsmouth, Sabin, St. Johns, Sullivan's Gulch, Sumner, Sunderland, University Park, Vernon, and Woodlawn.

Candidates

Declared

• James Armstrong, accountant and small business advocate
• Reuben Berlin, mortgage loan officer
• Alan Blake
• David Burnell, substance abuse counselor
• Michelle DePass, Portland Public Schools board chair^[16]
• Debbie Kitchin, former Portland Charter Commissioner and small business owner
• Marnie Glickman, lawyer
• Mariah Hudson, chair of Portland Bureau of Transportation and co-chair of the PPS Budget Advisory Committees, past chair Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods
• Mike Marshall
• William Mespelt
• John Middleton, Vice President of the Board of Community Warehouse
• Christopher Olson, nonprofit communications specialist^[17]
• Jennifer Park, nonprofit program director
• Tiffani Penson, Manager of People and Culture for the City of Portland^[17]
• Elana Pirtle-Guiney, labor advocate and policy expert for Governor Kate Brown^[17]
• Dan Ryan, Portland City Commissioner^[18]
• Laura Streib, nonprofit executive director^{[17] [9]}
• Jonathan Tasini, union activist, Democratic Party strategist, and former candidate for US Senate in New York in 2006^[19]
• Nat West, former owner of Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider^[20]

Withdrawn

• Joseph Emerson
• Brooklyn Sherman, school district employee (endorsed Armstrong)^[21]
• Marc Koller, Independent Party candidate for Oregon's 3rd congressional district in 2018

Declined

• Sam Adams, former mayor of Portland^[22] (Running for Multnomah County Commission)^[23]

District 3

District 3 represents most of Southeast Portland south of Interstate 84 and west of Interstate 205, as well as a small sliver of Northeast Portland east of 47th Avenue and south of Prescott Avenue. Neighborhoods represented include Brentwood-Darlington, Brooklyn, Buckman, Creston-Kenilworth, Foster-Powell, Hosford-Abernethy (includes Ladd's Addition), Kerns, Laurelhurst, Madison South, Montavilla, Mt. Scott-Arleta, Mt. Tabor, North Tabor, Richmond, Rose City Park, Roseway, South Tabor, Sunnyside, and Woodstock.

Candidates

Declared

• Matt Anderson, high school teacher and U.S. Air Force veteran
• Sandeep Bali, pharmacist and candidate for city commission in 2022^[24]
• Melodie Bierwagen
• Rex Burkholder, founder, Bicycle Transportation Alliance and former Metro Council member^{[17] [9]}
• Jesse Cornett, client manager at ADP, Inc., Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign staffer and candidate for city council in 2010^[25]
• Daniel DeMelo, software engineer and chair of the Portland Joint Office of Homeless Services Community Budget Advisory Committee
• Chris Flanary, Portland Housing Bureau employee
• Dan Gilk^[17]
• Theo Hathaway Saner^[17]
• Kelly Janes^[17]
• Harrison Kass
• Phillippe Knab^[17]
• Tiffany Koyama Lane, teacher at Alameda Elementary School and Portland Association of Teachers leader^[26]
• Kenneth Landgraver
• Angelita Morillo, policy advocate at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, member of the Portland Rental Services Commission, and social media influencer
• Steve Novick, former Portland City Commissioner^[27]
• Ahlam Osman, small business owner and environmental activist
• Terry Parker
• Luke Zak, political organizer and destination management professional^[17]

Potential

• Rachel Clark, small business manager and daughter of former mayor Bud Clark^[28]

Withdrawn

• Robin Ye, chief of staff to state representative Khanh Pham and former Portland Charter Commissioner^[29]

Failed to qualify

• Tony Morse, substance abuse nonprofit executive (running in District 4)

District 4

District 4 represents all of Portland west of the Willamette River (its Northwest, Southwest, and South sextants) as well as the Eastmoreland, Reed, and Sellwood-Moreland neighborhoods in southeast Portland. Neighborhoods represented include Arlington Heights, Arnold Creek, Ashcreek, Bridlemile (includes Glencullen), Collins View, Crestwood, Downtown, Eastmoreland, Far Southwest, Forest Park, Goose Hollow, Hayhurst (includes Vermont Hills), Hillsdale, Hillside, Homestead, Linnton, Maplewood, Markham, Marshall Park, Multnomah (includes Multnomah Village), Northwest District (includes Uptown, Nob Hill, Alphabet Historic District), Northwest Heights, Northwest Industrial, Old Town Chinatown, Pearl District, Reed, Sellwood-Moreland, South Burlingame, South Portland (includes Corbett, Fulton, Lair Hill, Terwilliger, and the Johns Landing and South Waterfront developments), Southwest Hills, Sylvan-Highlands, and West Portland Park (includes Capitol Hill).

Candidates

Declared

• Eli Arnold, police officer with the Portland Police Bureau^{[17] [9]}
• Patrick Cashman
• Olivia Clark, former legislative director of the city of Salem, Oregon
• Michael DiNapoli, event technician
• Brandon Farley, videographer and conservative activist
• Lisa Freeman^[17]
• Mitch Green, economist at Bonneville Power Administration^[30]
• Stephen Hall, communications consultant and pastor
• Chris Henry
• Ben Hufford^[17]
• Chad Lykins, executive director of Rose City Chess
• Tony Morse, substance abuse nonprofit executive^[22]
• Stan Penkin, Pearl District Neighborhood Association President^[17]
• Moses Ross, political consultant and chair of the Multnomah Neighborhood Association
• Sarah Silkie, Portland Water Bureau engineer^[7]
• John Toran, dispensary owner
• Michael Trimble^[17]
• Andra Vltavín
• Bob Weinstein, former mayor of Ketchikan, Alaska^{[17] [28]}
• Eric Zimmerman, chief of staff to Julia Brim-Edwards^{[17] [28]}

Withdrawn

• Chomba Kaluba^[17]
• Jeremy Beausoleil Smith

Declined

• Vadim Mozyrsky, administrative law judge and candidate for city commission in 2022 (running for Multnomah County Commission)^{[31] [32]}

See also

• 2024 Portland, Oregon municipal elections
• 2024 Portland, Oregon, mayoral election
• 2024 Portland, Oregon Auditor election
• 2024 Oregon elections

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024 Election . https://web.archive.org/web/20230807040432/https://www.portland.gov/smalldonorelections/everything-about-2024-election . August 7, 2023 . August 7, 2023 . Portland.gov . en.
2. Web site: Chapter 2 Government . August 7, 2023 . Portland.gov . en.
3. Web site: May 4, 2023 . Frequently Asked Questions: Recent Changes to Portland Election Code Portland.gov . August 7, 2023 . Portland.gov . en.
4. Web site: Kavanaugh . Shane Dixon . November 9, 2022 . Rene Gonzalez, with law-and-order focus, ousts Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in contentious City Council race . August 7, 2023 . . en.
5. Web site: Foran . Andrew . August 17, 2023 . Commission unanimously votes for new Portland voting district map . August 21, 2023 . . en-US.
6. Web site: Portland 2023 . August 22, 2023 . Districtr.
7. News: Peel. Sophie. September 26, 2023. Charter Commissioner Candace Avalos Announces City Council Candidacy. live. Willamette Week. https://web.archive.org/web/20231001215033/https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2023/09/26/charter-commissioner-candace-avalos-announces-city-council-candidacy/. October 1, 2023. October 1, 2023.
8. Web site: Maus . Jonathan . August 31, 2023 . Former PBOT and Novick staffer Timur Ender, announces council bid . September 4, 2023 . BikePortland . en-US.
9. News: January 7, 2024. Terrence Hayes, Activist Whose Cousin Was Killed by Police, Will Run for Portland City Council. Willamette Week. February 16, 2024.
10. Web site: Vaughn . Courtney . Griggs . Taylor . August 30, 2023 . The Race For Portland's Next City Council Has Already Begun . September 4, 2023 . . en.
11. Web site: Peel . Sophie . August 25, 2023 . Four Candidates File for Portland City Council Seats Opening in 2024 . August 28, 2023 . . en.
12. Web site: About the Commission / Current Membership. orcommissionasd.org. Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder. February 16, 2024.
13. Web site: 2024 Election Portland.gov . October 22, 2023 . www.portland.gov . en.
14. News: Peele . Sophie . July 11, 2024 . Loretta Smith Is Running for City Council Seat in East Portland . July 11, 2024 . Willamette Week.
15. Web site: Cayle Tern|Reynolds School District - Oregon. reynolds.k12.or.us. Reynolds School District (Oregon). February 16, 2024.
16. News: Zielinski . Alex . April 17, 2024. Portland School Board leader Michelle DePass joins city council race. Oregon Public Broadcasting. April 18, 2024.
17. Web site: 2024 Election Portland.gov . November 20, 2023 . www.portland.gov . en.
18. News: Peel. Sophie. January 26, 2024. City Commissioner Dan Ryan Will Again Run for Portland City Council. Willamette Week. January 27, 2024.
19. News: Griggs. Taylor. November 21, 2023. Portland City Council Candidates: District 2. Portland Mercury. February 16, 2024.
20. News: Pettigrew. Jashayla . February 23, 2024. Former Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider owner vies for spot on Portland City Council . KOIN. Portland, Oregon. February 26, 2024.
21. Web site: SHERMAN FOR CITY COUNCIL . 2024-05-06 . SHERMAN FOR CITY COUNCIL . en.
22. News: Peel . Sophie . August 30, 2023 . Rumored to Be Weighing Runs for Portland City Council, These Big Names Demur . . September 13, 2023.
23. Web site: 2024-02-28 . Former Portland Mayor Sam Adams announces run for MultCo seat . 2024-05-06 . KOIN.com . en-US.
24. Web site: Peel . Sophie . August 28, 2023 . Charter Commissioner Robin Ye Will Run for City Council in 2024, as Will Policy Advocate Angelita Morillo . August 30, 2023 . . en.
25. News: Mesh. Aaron. February 26, 2020. A Portlander Is the “Body Man” for Bernie Sanders. Willamette Week. February 16, 2024.
26. News: October 2, 2023. Portland Public Schools Teacher, Air Force Veteran Join Crowded City Council Race. live. Willamette Week. https://web.archive.org/web/20231003234847/https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2023/10/02/portland-public-schools-teacher-air-force-veteran-join-crowded-city-council-race/. October 3, 2023. October 3, 2023.
27. News: Peel. Sophie. December 15, 2023. Former Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick Will Run For City Council Next Year. Willamette Week. December 15, 2023.
28. News: Peel. Sophie. February 4, 2024. Rachel Clark, Daughter of Late Portland Mayor Bud Clark, Considers Run for City Council. Willamette Week. February 5, 2024.
29. News: Bianco. Veronica . May 21, 2024. Robin Ye, Former Chief of Staff to State Rep. Khanh Pham, Drops Out of Portland City Council Race. Willamette Week. May 22, 2024.
30. News: Vaughn. Courtney. January 30, 2024. Portland City Council Candidates: District 4. Portland Mercury. February 16, 2024.
31. Web site: Peel . Sophie . January 28, 2023 . Former City Council Candidate Vadim Mozyrsky Mulls a Run for Multnomah County District Attorney . February 9, 2023 . . Mozyrsky says he does not intend to run for one of the 12 City Council seats that will be available under the new form of government in 2024..
32. Web site: Oregonian/OregonLive . Shane Dixon Kavanaugh The . January 22, 2024 . Vadim Mozyrsky, a judge and Portland volunteer, to run for Multnomah County Board of Commissioners . March 27, 2024 . oregonlive . en.