Run for City office

The basic steps of running for City office are below (items 1 through 6). Candidates are strongly encouraged to read through the information on this page and review more detailed instructions and requirements in the following two Portland City Elections guides: 

Portland City Elections - Candidate Guide 2026 (PDF)

Portland City Elections - Campaign Finance Guide 2026 (PDF)

Also available for review are two candidate learning sessions Portland City Elections provided for the 2026 candidate filing season:

View 2026 Campaign Finance Webinar recording

View 2026 Candidate Filing Webinar recording

Candidates ready to file can do so online or use one of the other methods listed in Step 6.

Online Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) 

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.
   • See the Districts:  District Boundaries Map (Visual Map Outlining Districts)
   • Find Your City District: Portland Interactive Map (Address Search Tool)
4. Registered voter in the district sought for 1 year immediately preceding the election. For Councilors, this requirement is specific to the city council district sought. 
5. For Auditor candidates only, you must also be one of the following:
   • Certified Public Accountant
   • Certified Internal Auditor
   • Certified Management Accountant

• State laws and regulations: 
  • Oregon Secretary of State Campaign Finance Manual
  • State Campaign Finance Transparency & Education
  • State campaign finance laws and regulations
• City laws and regulations: 
  • 2026 City Campaign Finance Guide
  • City's campaign finance laws and regulations
• Optional City public campaign financing program: 
  • Small Donor Elections

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

• Current Occupation
• Occupational Background
• Educational Background
• Prior Government Experience
• For those filing by Declaration of Candidacy: A payment method (credit/debit cards and electronic checks are accepted online) or a Candidate Fee Waiver Application.
• For those filing by Nominating Petition: A proposed Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form). 

The City's Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) is a public document that includes the candidate's residential address for ballot qualification purposes. The Candidate Filing Application is posted publicly for all candidates that are approved to the ballot. To request their residence address not be disclosed as a public record candidates can used one of the methods listed below.

Residence Address Exemption Request

Candidates may file a request to exempt their residence address with the Secretary of State's Office. This exemption is available to current candidates, and it only restricts a candidate's residence address from being posted publicly by Portland City Elections. The exemption results in a redaction of the candidate's residence address on candidate filing forms, such as the Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form). An Address Exemption Request must be filed within five (5) business days of filing a Candidate Filing Application to avoid potential public posting of a residence address.

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

Residence Address Exemption Request (SEL 180)

Public Records Safety Exemption Request

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/or 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

All candidates are eligible to apply to participate in the Small Donor Elections program, regardless of filing method. 

Candidates have two available methods to file for candidacy: 

Filing by Declaration of Candidacy with Fee (or approved Fee Waiver)

This filing method has two options: 

Option 1: Filing with Fee

Requires submitting a Candidate Filing Application and paying the required filing fee. 

Candidate Filing Fee Payment Portal

For additional payment options, see the Submit candidate filing requirements by deadline section.

Option 2:  Filing with Fee Waiver

• Requires submitting a Candidate Filing Application with an approved fee waiver. 

• Fee Waiver Applications should be submitted and approved prior to filing the Candidate Filing Application. 

  Fee Waiver Application (AUD 130 Form)(PDF)

Filing by Nominating Petition (obtaining voter signatures) 

• Requires submitting a Candidate Filing Application

• Submitting a proposed signature for approval prior to collecting signatures using the following form:  

  Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121) Form

• Collecting 500 valid signatures of registered voters from the applicable electoral district

• Submitting the collected signatures to Portland City Elections for verification with the following petition submission form:

  Petition Submission Form (SEL 338 Form)

Detailed information on how to file a nominating petition can be found in the Portland City Elections - Candidate Guide 2026 (PDF)

Candidate Filing Application (Online and Fillable PDF)

Online Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) 

Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) (PDF)

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
• 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

Ways to submit filing payment:

• Pay online
• Submit payment in person (contact Portland City Elections to make an appointment)
  • Cash (exact change only)
  • Check (made out to "City of Portland Elections")
• Mail payment (check made out to "City of Portland Elections")
  Portland City Elections
  1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 130 
  Portland, OR 97204

This section includes information about additional candidate processes, including running as a certified write-in candidate and filing voters' pamphlet statements. 

To withdraw from candidacy, a candidate must file a Withdrawal of Candidacy or Nomination (SEL 150 Form). On the form, the candidate provides a reason for their withdrawal and must sign the form attesting that the information is accurate, as required by ORS 249.830.

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 seven (7) days in advance of the election date, or by October 27, 2026.
• To become certified as a write-in candidate, an individual must submit a Write-In Certification (AUD 141 Form) to Portland City Elections.
• Write-in candidates are still subject to the City's campaign finance laws and regulations and are encouraged to review the 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.

The City of Portland does not produce a voters' pamphlet. However, candidates may file a statement that will be printed in the voters' pamphlets distributed to Portland voters by Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties.

Candidates for Mayor and Auditor may choose to file to appear in all three County voters' pamphlets because those candidates run city-wide. Candidates for City Councilor, however, will only be eligible to appear in a County voters' pamphlet if their district falls within that County.

As each County prints its own voters' pamphlet, candidates must submit forms and pay filing fees directly to each relevant County's elections office. Candidates are encouraged to verify the process on the relevant County's website prior to filing.

Clackamas County

Multnomah County

Washington County

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's Office Informational Memo: 

 Prohibition on Elected Officials and Profit-Making Positions (City Attorney's Office)(PDF)