Run for City office

Elected City Offices

The 14 nonpartisan elected offices are as follows:

Next City Election and Candidate Filing Dates

General Election: November 3, 2026

Candidate Filing Window: 

• For incumbents (individuals currently in office and seeking reelection):
  • June 3, 2026 through August 18, 2026
• For non-incumbents (individuals not currently holding the office they are seeking):
  • June 3, 2026 through August 25, 2026

Offices on the Ballot: 

• City Auditor
• City Council District 3
• City Council District 4

Portland City Elections Candidate Guide 

City of Portland Candidate Guide 2024 (old guide, updated version coming soon!)

Terms, Voting, and Election Timing

All City elected officials serve 4-year terms. The Mayor and Auditor are elected at-large through single-winner ranked-choice voting. The 12 City Councilors are elected in 4 City districts through multi-winner ranked-choice voting. 

• The Mayor and Councilors from Districts No. 1 and 2 are elected during presidential elections (2028, 2032 etc.).
• The Auditor and Councilors from Districts No. 3 and 4 are elected during midterm elections (2026, 2030, etc.) after the initial election for all seats in 2024.

Prohibitions for Elected City Officials

Elected City officials are subject to prohibitions on outside offices and profit-making positions. For more information about these prohibitions, please see the City Attorney Office's Informational Memo. 

City Attorney Office Information Memo - City Charter Prohibition on Elected Officials and Profit-Making Positions (PDF)

City Districts

On August 21, 2023, the Independent District Commission adopted a final plan establishing four districts within the City of Portland for the very first time. Each district is represented by three City Councilors chosen by each district's registered voters.  

See the Districts:  District Boundaries Map (Visual Map Outlining Districts)

Find Your City District: Portland Interactive Map (Address Search Tool)

How to File to Run for City Office

1. Review Qualifications to Run for Office

To run for office, you must be all of the following:

1. U.S. citizen
2. Oregon resident
3. Resident of Portland (or reside in an area that has been incorporated by the City) for at least 1 year prior to the General Election. Candidates for a Councilor position must also reside in the district they will represent for at least 1 year prior to the General Election.
4. Registered voter
5. For Auditor candidates only, you must also be one of the following:
   • Certified Public Accountant
   • Certified Internal Auditor
   • Certified Management Accountant

For important and detailed information on the steps and requirements to run as a candidate for City office, please be sure to read the City of Portland Candidate Guide for the November 2024 Municipal General Election (old guide, updated version coming soon!).

2. Review Campaign Finance Requirements

• State laws and regulations: Oregon Secretary of State Campaign Finance Manual

• City laws and regulations: Campaign Finance in City Candidate Elections, see also

  Portland City Elections - Campaign Finance Guide 2026 (PDF)

• City Public Funding of Campaigns Program (optional): Small Donor Elections Program

3. Gather Materials Needed for Filing

For the Candidate Filing Application, you will need to provide specific information, including the following:

• Current Occupation
• Occupational Background
• Educational Background
• Prior Government Experience
• Online Payment Method for those filing by Declaration of Candidacy (credit/debit cards and electronic checks are accepted online)

4. Choose Your Filing Option

Candidates have two available options to file for candidacy. As of December 10, 2021, candidates filing under either option are eligible to apply to participate in the Small Donor Elections Program. The filing options are:

1. Filing by Declaration of Candidacy (filing by fee or fee waiver) requires submitting a Candidate Filing Application along with either the required filing fee or a fee waiver form.
2. Filing by Nominating Petition (filing by obtaining voter signatures) requires submitting a Candidate Filing Application, submitting a Signature Sheet for approval, collecting 500 valid signatures of registered voters from the applicable electoral district, and submitting the collected signatures to the Portland City Elections for verification along with a Petition Submission Form. 

→ Option One: Declaration of Candidacy (Fee or Fee Waiver)

Select one:

• File Candidate Filing Application online (available once filing window opens)
• Enter your information, upload documents, and pay or submit a Fee Waiver Application (AUD 130 Form) (PDF) all online.
• Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) (PDF)
  • Paper applications may be submitted by email, mail, or in person. For more information, see the Submit Filing Forms by Deadline section. 

Filing fee:

• Mayor: $500
• Auditor: $500
• City Councilor: $250

Payment options

1. Pay the filing fee online using the online payment portal: 
   • Pay the filing fee online (available once filing window opens)
2. Pay the filing fee in person
   • Make an appointment to pay the fee in person
3. Pay the filing fee by mail

   • Make out a check to "City of Portland" and mail to:

     City Elections Office
     1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 130 
     Portland, OR 97204

4. Apply for a fee waiver
   • Fee Waiver Application (AUD 130 Form) (PDF) 
   • Submit in person, by email, or mail

→ Option Two: Nominating Petition (Collect Signatures, No Fee)

Select one:

• File Candidate Filing Application online (available once filing window opens)
  • Enter your information, upload your Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form) for approval, and upload additional documents all online.
• Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) (PDF)
  • Download and fill out the Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form).
  • Paper applications may be submitted by email, mail, or in person. For more information, see the Submit Filing Forms by Deadline section.

► Important Information About the Signature Sheet Form (SEL 121 Form):

• Candidates can begin collecting signatures for the November 2026 General Election starting June 3, 2026, if they have submitted a proposed signature sheet and received written approval to circulate.   
  • DO NOT circulate sheets for signature until your submitted Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form) has been approved in writing by Portland City Elections.
• Submitting proposed signature sheet for written approval: 
  • Leave the "Petition ID" space blank. Portland City Elections will provide a Petition ID for you.
  • If you are submitting your Candidate Filing Application through the online portal, the portal provides a place where you can upload the signature sheet form for approval.
  • If you are submitting your Candidate Filing Application using a paper application, be sure to attach your signature sheet form for approval.
• Submitting signature sheets for verification: 
  • Once you have collected sufficient signatures on your pre-approved signature sheet form, you must submit the completed signature sheets with original signatures in person for verification. 
  • Signature sheets must also be submitted with a Petition Submission Form (SEL 338 Form). 
  • Notify Portland City Elections of when you plan to submit your signature sheets.
• For more information on qualifying signature sheets and deadlines, see the Portland City Elections Candidate Guide for the November 2026 Municipal General Election (coming soon!). 

5. Check to See If You Need Any Additional Forms

Check the Portland City Elections Candidate Guide for the November 2026 Municipal General Election (coming soon!) to see which additional forms you may need. Some commonly used forms include:

• Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form)
• Residence Address Exemption Request (SEL 180)
• Petition Submission Form (SEL 338 Form)
• Candidate Withdrawal Form (SEL 150 Form)
• Candidate Filing Requirements, Forms & Fees: Cities | Multnomah County
• Candidate and Measure Filing Forms | Washington County
• Candidate Filing Information | Clackamas County
  Each county issues its own voters' pamphlet. Candidates must file this form with each county's elections office if they wish for a statement to appear in each county's voters' pamphlet. The boundaries of the City of Portland fall within Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties.
• Additional State Candidate Forms
• City of Portland Candidate Safety Exemption Request
  For more information about this personal safety exemption, please see Public Records Safety Exemption Request for Candidates at the bottom of this page. 

6. Submit Candidate Filing Forms by Deadline

Candidate filing window: 

• For incumbents (individuals currently in office and seeking reelection):
  • June 3, 2026 through August 18, 2026
• For non-incumbents (individuals not currently holding the office they are seeking):
  • June 3, 2026 through August 25, 2026

Ways to Submit Filing Forms:

• File online using the Online Candidate Filing Portal (available once filing window opens)
• Email application to elections@portlandoregon.gov
• Submit application in person (contact Portland City Elections to make an appointment)
• Mail application to:
  Portland City Elections
  1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 130 
  Portland, OR 97204

Candidate Learning Sessions

Starting in January of 2024,Portland City Elections began offering learning sessions for anyone interested in running for office. The learning sessions cover many of the things new or veteran candidates need to know, including:

• Campaign Finance
• Public Funding of Campaigns
• Filing for the Ballot
• Voter's Pamphlets
• Resources for Candidates
• and a lot more!

Learning sessions include guest speakers from Multnomah County, the Secretary of State's Office, Small Donor Elections, and the City's Transition Team, and have plenty of time for questions from participants.

New learning sessions

Portland City Elections will be providing new, updated trainings for the 2026 candidate filing season. Check back here for updates on dates and times. 

Past learning sessions

Two introductory sessions were held in early January 2024. 

Watch a recording of the virtual session created for the previous 2024 election 

Contact us about learning sessions

Reach out to us with any questions about these learning sessions by email at elections@portlandoregon.gov.

Candidate Filing Application

File Candidate Filing Application online (available once filing window opens)

Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) (PDF)

Write-in Candidates

Voters have the option to write in the name of a candidate instead of voting for a candidate whose name is printed on the ballot. For write-in candidates, the following applies:

• Write-in candidates must be certified to have their votes counted and to be elected. Certification forms must be submitted at least 7 days in advance of the election date, which is October 27, 2026.
• To become certified as a write-in candidate, an individual must submit a Write-In Certification Form (old form, updated version coming soon!) to Portland City Elections.
• Write-in candidates are still subject to the City's campaign finance laws and regulations, see also:     

Portland City Elections - Campaign Finance Guide 2026 (PDF)

• Write-in candidates may be required to establish a Principal Campaign Committee with the Oregon Secretary of State.

For more information on the write-in candidate certification process, review the Write-In Candidates FAQs.

Public Records Safety Exemption Request for Candidates

The City's Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) is a public document that includes personal identifying information for candidates that may be subject to public disclosure. Under ORS 192.368 (Nondisclosure on Request of Home Address, Home Telephone Number and Electronic Mail Address) and OAR 137-004-0800 (Personal Safety Public Records Exemption), an individual filing for candidacy may request that their home address, personal telephone number, and personal email address be exempt from disclosure on public documents in the City's possession (e.g., candidate filing documents) if they have personal safety concerns. This process may require written documentary evidence such as police reports, court records, or other evidence.

To submit a request, follow the instructions in the following link:  

City of Portland - Candidate Safety Exemption Request