Image credit: Multnomah County

Code changes will ensure implementation of voter-approved charter amendments; public is invited to comment.

On April 12, 2023, City Council will consider revisions to Code Chapter 2.08 - Election of Candidates. Portlanders are welcome to submit comments after reading the proposed code changes.

The elections code is being updated in several significant ways:

The Charter Commission included these key amendments to the charter to encourage a more participatory and growing democracy.

Independent District Committee Co-Chair Neisha Saxena discusses her experience on the committee and the district criteria commissioners must consider to create districts. 

When Portlanders approved changes to the City of Portland’s charter in November 2022, they also approved the creation of three advisory bodies that will guide the City in this historic process. The Independent District Commission (IDC) started meeting in February 2023. In March, the commission considered the district criteria in the charter amendments and took public comment on potentially adding more criteria.

Read the full article to learn more about the voter-approved district criteria, the IDC co-chairs, and the commission's work. 

Commissioners were appointed by Mayor Ted Wheeler and approved by Portland City Council on March 8.

Portland City Council recently approved five commissioners and two alternates with human resources expertise to the City of Portland’s first Salary Commission. The new independent commission will focus on setting pay for Portland’s elected officials that will play a key role in implementing voter-approved changes to Portland’s election system and form of government.

Read the full article to learn more about the commission and their work to recruit interest of people who have not traditionally been elected to city council or to the mayor's office in the electoral process. 

The new Government Transition Advisory Committee will advise the city council, the chief administrative officer and the City of Portland’s transition team on issues related to the development and implementation of the City’s transition plan.

On March 22, Portland City Council approved the 15-member Government Transition Advisory Committee. As the main public engagement body for the transition, the committee members will focus on community education and engagement related to the charter amendments approved by the voters in the November 2022 election.

Read the full article to learn more about the commission and their workplan on community education and engagement.

Get involved with the transition to a new form of government! View our entire list of events. Learn more about the commissions’ work and share your thoughts through public comment. Stay up to date on transition updates on our website or register your email to receive our monthly newsletter. 

The City’s core values include equity, anti-racism, collaboration, communication, transparency, and fiscal responsibility. A priority for implementing the voter-approved changes to the charter is centering racial equity and anti-racism and not replicating systems of white supremacy.   
 
Over the next three years, the implementation of the new charter will restructure local government in three ways:  

The voter-approved charter amendments require district-based elections using ranked-choice voting for all City of Portland elected offices in November 2024. A mayor, new city council and city auditor will enter office on Jan. 1, 2025, ready to lead Portland with new roles, responsibilities, and structure. 

The City of Portland ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, call 311 for Relay Service or TTY: 711.

Traducción e Interpretación  |  Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch  |  अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या

口笔译服务  |  Устный и письменный перевод  |  Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad

Письмовий і усний переклад  |  Traducere și interpretariat  |   Chiaku me Awewen Kapas

Translation and Interpretation:  311