Portland Measure 26-228: Educational Information
This November, Portland voters will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed ballot measure regarding the structure of city government and process for electing city officials. If passed, proposed Portland Measure 26-228 would:
Allow voters to rank candidates in order of their preference, using ranked choice voting.
Create four new geographic districts with three members elected to represent each district, expanding the City Council to a total of 12 members.
Replace the commission form of government and create a system in which the City Council focuses on setting policy and a city administrator is hired to run the city's day-to-day operations with the mayor.
If the measure passes, the City Budget Office estimates the cost of implementing the measure is about $900,000 to $8.7 million annually, representing 0.1% to 1.4% of Portland's discretionary funding. Discretionary funds are approximately 10% of the overall city budget. The range of the cost estimate is dependent on policy decision-making outside of the charter scope. For example, the Salary Commission would set the salaries of elected officials. The current estimates do not include potential cost savings from the consolidation of bureau functions and streamlining of the city's structure and services. If the measure is not passed by voters, Portland would maintain its current form of government structure and process for electing city officials, and the additional cost of the proposed new government structure would not be incurred.
Now that Measure 26-228 is on the ballot, the City is committed to providing only neutral and factual information about the measure. Please go to the Charter Commission website for a multilingual fact sheet, educational presentation, and other materials that have been approved by the Oregon Secretary of State. You are welcome to distribute any of these materials to community members. Attached to this email is also an education toolkit with additional information.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8. Ballots may be mailed back on or before Election Day or returned to an Official Ballot Drop Site by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Multnomah County Official Ballot Drop Box Sites are listed at multco.us/dropsites