Portland voter guide to the 2024 election
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Mail-in ballots will be arriving soon, and we've put together a guide to help you stay informed ahead of Election Day.
Why it matters: Although the presidential race is pretty much locked in for left-leaning Oregon, there are plenty of hotly contested local races and statewide initiatives to watch.
The intrigue: Portland voters have more decisions to make than ever before on their November ballots as the city introduces ranked choice voting for elected offices for the first time.
- Voters can rank up to six candidates in order of preference.
Registering to vote
You can check whether you're registered to vote and your party affiliation here.
- If you're not registered to vote yet, you have until Oct. 15. Oregon requires new registrants to sign up 21 days before an election.
Returning your ballot
Oregon is a vote-by-mail state, and no stamp is required to send your ballot back to be counted.
- Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day or placed in an official dropbox by 8pm on Nov. 5 to be counted. Check out official ballot drop sites in Multnomah County here.
Here's a rundown of the races and measures we're watching.
Mayor
The mayoral race is expected to be the most closely watched here, as Portlanders will decide on a new leader to replace Mayor Ted Wheeler, who is not running for re-election, and to usher in our new form of government.
- Nineteen people are on the ballot, but only five have qualified for public matching funds, meaning they've received donations from at least 750 Portland residents.
- Get to know the candidates.
City Council
The Portland City Council will expand from four commissioners to 12 starting next year. Three council members will be selected from each of the city's four new districts to act as Portland's new legislative body.
Multnomah County Commission
Meghan Moyer and Vadim Mozyrsky will meet one another on the ballot for the second time this year in hopes of representing District 1, which includes all of west Portland and parts of southeast, on the Multnomah County Commission.
- In another runoff, former Portland Mayor Sam Adams faces off against Shannon Singleton, the former head of the Joint Office of Homeless Services, to represent Multnomah County Commission District 2.
Secretary of State
State Treasurer Tobias Read, a Democrat, will run against outgoing Republican state Sen. Dennis Linthicum, who is barred from reelection to the Senate after participating in last year's walkout.
- Gov. Tina Kotek assigned LaVonne Griffin-Valade to take over the office in 2023, after the last elected secretary of state, Shemia Fagan, resigned under pressure for taking outside cannabis consulting work.
Attorney General
Former Democratic Oregon House Speaker Dan Rayfield will compete against Republican prosecutor Will Lathrop. Republicans see this race as an opportunity for the party, which hasn't won a state office since 2016.
U.S. House of Representatives
Democratic state Rep. Maxine Dexter will face Republican Joanna Harbour to represent Oregon's 3rd congressional district in Washington, D.C. It's a solidly Democratic district that covers the eastside of Portland out to Hood River.
- Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer will try to defend her seat against Democratic challenger state Rep. Janelle Bynum in Oregon's 5th congressional district race — one that could decide the fate of the House.
Measures
There are five initiatives that could alter how the state governs its elections, businesses and elected officials' salaries are on the November ballot.
- For example, Measure 118 would give all Oregonians a $1,600 annual rebate through an increase in the corporate sales tax.
The bottom line: After you drop off your completed ballot, track it here.