Portland City Council (Oregon)

Portland City Council
Portland City Council
Type
Type	Unicameral
Leadership
Mayor	Keith Wilson
President of the Council	Elana Pirtle-Guiney
Vice President of the Council	Tiffany Koyama Lane
Structure
Seats	12
Political groups	Democratic (12) ; (Officially nonpartisan)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	Single transferable vote (current); At-large (until November 8, 2022)
Last election	November 5, 2024
Next election	November 3, 2026 (6 seats)
Meeting place
	Council Chamber, Portland City Hall ; 1221 SW 4th Ave; Portland, Oregon 97204
Website
	Portland City Council

Last updated January 19, 2025

The Portland City Council (formerly the Portland City Commission) is the legislative body of the City of Portland in Oregon and forms part of the government of the city.

In January 2025, the city of Portland switched to a mayor–council form of government from a commission form of government, with elections held the prior November. The half of the city council and the mayor began full four-year terms, while the other half of the city council started initial two-year terms to establish a staggered election cycle.^[1]

There are no term-limits for city councilors and they are all officially nonpartisan.^[2]

Members

District		Elected
1	Candace Avalos	2024
	Loretta Smith	2024
	Jamie Dunphy	2024
2	Dan Ryan	2020
	Elana Pirtle-Guiney	2024
	Sameer Kanal	2024
3	Steve Novick	2024
	Tiffany Koyama Lane	2024
	Angelita Morillo	2024
4	Olivia Clark	2024
	Mitch Green	2024
	Eric Zimmerman	2024

Districts

Since 2024, the council has been districted as follows:^[3]

District	Geography and neighborhoods
1	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. Neighborhoods: Argay, Centennial, Glenfair, Hazelwood, Lents, Mill Park, Parkrose, Parkrose Heights, Pleasant Valley, Powellhurst-Gilbert, Russell, Sumner, Wilkes, and Woodland Park.
2	Most of North and Northeast Portland north of Interstate 84 and west of 82nd Avenue. Neighborhoods: 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.
3	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: 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.
4	All of Portland west of the Willamette River (Northwest, Southwest, and South sextants) as well as a small area on the east side including three neighborhoods. Neighborhoods: 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).

History

The Portland Charter was the subject of much debate circa 1911–1912. Rival charters were drafted by four different groups. One of these proposed charters was unusual in that it would have used Bucklin voting to elect the mayor and implemented interactive representation of the people through the commissioner system; each commissioner's vote would have been weighted according to the number of votes he received in the election. eventually, the city council submitted an entirely different charter to the people, which was accepted.^[4] The city commission government form then came into use in 1913, with H. Russell Albee being the first mayor under the new system.^[5]

Between 1913 and 2024, Portland ran on this commission form of government, the largest city in the United States to do so. The council was composed of five members, referred to as Commissioners, which included the Mayor, each elected at-large for a term of four years. One of the Commissioners was elected to be the ceremonial President of the Council.

Commissioners were each assigned to run and oversee various city Bureaus (eg. Police, Fire, Environmental Services, Water). These assignments were occasionally switched around with the exception of the Police Bureau of which the Mayor had always been Commissioner of based on tradition.

2022 Charter Reform

Ballot Measure 26-228 in the November 2022 election was an amendment to the city charter that moved the city away from a commission system of government. It removes the five-person board that includes the mayor to a twelve-person board plus a separate mayor. The new city councilors will be elected using proportional multi-winner ranked-choice voting, with three members being elected each from four districts, instead of the standard first-past-the-post method. It also removes responsibility for direct management of city bureaus from commissioners to a city manager overseen by the mayor and confirmed by the council.^[6] Previous attempts to reform the city charter had been defeated seven times since 1913,^[7] including as recently as 2007. Portland is set to become the most-populated city to adopt the single transferable vote to elect city council members.

The first city council elections under the new districts occured in 2024.^[8] In preparation for transitioning management of city bureaus to a city manager, Mayor Ted Wheeler grouped city bureaus into five related service areas.^[9]

On January 2, 2025, at the first meeting of the new council, Elana Pirtle-Guiney was elected council president in a 7 to 5 vote after 10 rounds. Tiffany Koyama Lane was elected vice president unanimously.^[10]

Presidents


No.	Portrait	Officeholder	Tenure start	Tenure end	Vice President	Mayor
1		Elana Pirtle-Guiney (2nd–Vernon)	January 2, 2025	Incumbent	Tiffany Koyama Lane	Keith Wilson

Related Research Articles

Thomas Jay Potter is a former American politician and law enforcement officer in the U.S. state of Oregon. He served as Mayor of Portland from 2005 to 2009, and had been the chief of the Portland Police Bureau. As mayor he continued his advocacy of community policing and expressed interest in other reforms of the Portland police department. He marched against the Iraq War on the first anniversary of American involvement in March 2004 and was dismayed at the black uniforms and the militarized appearance of the Portland police he saw. He made it part of his campaign to rid the police of such a militarized appearance.

City commission government is a form of local government in the United States. In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a plurality-at-large voting basis.

The mayor of Portland, Oregon is the official head of the city of Portland, Oregon, United States. The officeholder is elected for a four-year term and has no term limits. By law, all elections in Portland are nonpartisan. The current mayor is Keith Wilson, who has served since January 1, 2025, and was first elected in the 2024 election.

The government of Portland, Oregon is based on a mayor–council government system. Elected officials include the mayor, a 12-member city council, and a city auditor. The city council is responsible for legislative policy, while the mayor appoints a professional city manager who oversees the various bureaus and day-to-day operations of the city. The mayor is elected at-large, while the council is elected in four geographic districts using single transferable vote, with 3 winning candidates per district. Portland's current form of government was approved by voters in a 2022 ballot measure, with the first elections under the new system held in 2024.

Steven Novick is an American politician, attorney, and activist from the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2008, he was a candidate for U.S. Senate for the seat then held by Republican Gordon Smith, but narrowly lost the primary to Jeff Merkley. He served as a Portland City Commissioner from 2013 to 2017. On the city council, he was in charge of the city's transportation department, among other responsibilities.

Francis James Ivancie was an American businessman and politician who served as mayor of Portland, Oregon, from 1980 to 1985. Prior to his term as mayor, Ivancie served for fourteen years on the Portland City Council. After his retirement from elected office, Ivancie remained active in community affairs, occasionally lending his support to political causes. During his political career, Ivancie was a conservative Democrat.

Charles Andrew Hales is a former American politician who served as the 52nd mayor of Portland, Oregon, from 2013 to 2017. He previously served on the Portland City Council from 1993 to 2002.

Portland Fire and Rescue, also known as the Portland Fire Bureau, and sometimes unofficially as the Portland Fire Department, is the principle fire suppression, prevention, and rescue agency of the City of Portland, Oregon, United States. The department is the largest fire protection and emergency medical services provider in the state of Oregon, responsible for an area of 151 square miles (390 km²), serving a population of over 635,000. Oversight of Portland's bureaus shifts among the five City Commissioners. As of 2023, Mayor Ted Wheeler has assigned the Fire Bureau to Commissioner Rene Gonzalez. The current fire chief is Ryan Gillespie, who replaced former chief Sara Boone after she retired in 2023.

Clover "Chloe" Delight Esther Eudaly (1969/1970) is an American politician from Oregon who served as Portland's City Commissioner from 2017 to 2021. Eudaly lost her November 2020 re-election bid to Mingus Mapps.

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Oregon on November 3, 2020. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2020.

Dan Ryan is an American non-profit executive and politician who is a member of the Portland City Council. Ryan was elected in a 2020 special election to succeed Nick Fish, who died of stomach cancer on January 2, 2020. Ryan was re-elected in 2022.

Rene Gonzalez is an American businessman, politician, and former lawyer. He held a seat on the Portland, Oregon City Council from January 2023 to December 2024. He challenged incumbent commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in the 2022 election, running on a platform that emphasized law and order and livability.

The 2024 Portland mayoral election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the mayor of Portland, Oregon. Businessman Keith Wilson was elected, defeating 3 city council members and 15 other candidates.

The 2024 Portland municipal elections were held on November 5, 2024, to elect the mayor, city auditor and city council of Portland, Oregon. This was the first Portland election to use ranked-choice voting following the implementation of charter reform approved by voters in a 2022 ballot measure.

The 2024 Portland City Council elections were held on November 5, 2024. It was the first election under Portland's new form of government, the first election to elect a city council instead of a city commission, the first without a primary, the first where every seat was 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. It was held concurrently with the 2024 Portland, Oregon mayoral election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candace Avalos</span> American nonprofit executive and politician

Candace Avalos is an American nonprofit executive and politician who is a member of Portland City Council from District 1 after being elected along with Loretta Smith and Jamie Dunphy in the 2024 election. Avalos is one of the twelve inaugural members of Portland's new expanded city council after switching from a city commission government to a mayor–council government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elana Pirtle-Guiney</span> American politician

Elana Pirtle-Guiney is an American politician and labor organizer who is currently serving as President of the Portland City Council. She represents District 2 on the City Council, along with Sameer Kanal and Dan Ryan, and was first elected in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany Koyama Lane</span> American politician

Tiffany Koyama Lane is a member of Portland City Council from District 3 after being elected along with Steve Novick and Angelita Morillo in the 2024 election. Koyama Lane is one of the twelve inaugural members of Portland's new expanded city council after switching from a city commission government to a mayor–council government.

Olivia Clark is a retired policy director who was elected to Portland City Council from District 4 in 2024, along with Mitch Green and Eric Zimmerman. Clark is one of the twelve inaugural members of Portland's new expanded city council after switching from a city commission government to a mayor–council government.

Sameer Kanal is an American politician who is currently member of the Portland City Council from District 2 after being elected along with Dan Ryan and Elana Pirtle-Guiney in the 2024 election. Kanal is one of the twelve inaugural members of Portland's new expanded city council after switching from a city commission government to a mayor–council government. He will be the first Asian American and first South Asian American to serve on Portland City Council.

References

↑ "Learn more about the City of Portland's transition | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
↑ "City Government | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
↑ "Commission unanimously votes for new Portland voting district map". KOIN.com. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
↑ McBain, Howard Lee. The Law and the Practice of Municipal Home Rule. pp. 598–599.
↑ MacColl, E. Kimbark (1976). "Chapter 14 – The Fruits of Progressivism, 1913–1915". The Shaping of a City: Business and Politics in Portland, Oregon, 1885 to 1915. Portland, Oregon: The Georgian Press Company. pp. 443–445. ISBN 0-89174-043-0.
↑ "Phase I: Proposed Ballot Measure Regarding the Structure of City Government | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
↑ "Ambitious Charter Reform Measure Appears Poised for Victory, Fundamentally Changing Portland City Hall". Willamette Week. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
↑ "Massive change coming to Portland city government". opb. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
↑ "Mayor Ted Wheeler Will Cluster and Reshuffle City Bureaus Come January in Effort to Ease Charter Transition". Willamette Week. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
↑ "Elana Pirtle-Guiney Elected as Portland City Council President at New Body's First Meeting". Willamette Week. 2025-01-02. Retrieved 2025-01-03.

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[1] "Learn more about the City of Portland's transition | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-10.

[2] "City Government | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.

[:12-3] "Commission unanimously votes for new Portland voting district map". KOIN.com. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2023-08-21.

[4] McBain, Howard Lee. The Law and the Practice of Municipal Home Rule. pp. 598–599.

[maccoll-shaping-443-5] MacColl, E. Kimbark (1976). "Chapter 14 – The Fruits of Progressivism, 1913–1915". The Shaping of a City: Business and Politics in Portland, Oregon, 1885 to 1915. Portland, Oregon: The Georgian Press Company. pp. 443–445. ISBN 0-89174-043-0.

[6] "Phase I: Proposed Ballot Measure Regarding the Structure of City Government | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2022-11-09.

[7] "Ambitious Charter Reform Measure Appears Poised for Victory, Fundamentally Changing Portland City Hall". Willamette Week. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-09.

[8] "Massive change coming to Portland city government". opb. Retrieved 2022-11-14.

[9] "Mayor Ted Wheeler Will Cluster and Reshuffle City Bureaus Come January in Effort to Ease Charter Transition". Willamette Week. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-14.

[10] "Elana Pirtle-Guiney Elected as Portland City Council President at New Body's First Meeting". Willamette Week. 2025-01-02. Retrieved 2025-01-03.

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