Adoption of Administrative Rule 16.01 - Election of Candidates – Candidate Filing and Procedures December 2025

Public Notice

The City Auditor’s Office adopted updates to the administrative rule about elections of candidates to City office, which is effective on December 1, 2025.

Published

December 1, 2025 1:00 pm

The City Auditor has adopted the following new administrative rule, which was available to the public for comment for thirty days:

ARA-16.01 - Election of Candidates- Candidate Filing and Procedures

Summary of changes to ARA 16.01

This rule change covers the filing procedure for people running for City office in Portland. The primary change is to increase the fees to file for the offices of City Councilor, Mayor, and Auditor. Fees will increase beginning in the 2026 election. Other changes include:

simplifying a waiver to remove the fee for candidates who qualify as low-income;
creating a process to periodically increase candidate filing fees based on inflation;
removing outdated information specific to the 2024 election;
removing reference to an Auditor's Office records safety exemption, which is now overseen by the City Attorney's Office and is citywide (information will be provided in candidate trainings and guides ahead of the 2026 candidate filing period).

Candidates will continue to have two alternatives to paying the candidate filing fee: a low-income fee waiver is available for anyone who qualifies, or any person can collect 500 signatures of Portland voters instead of paying a fee.

See the changes to ARA 16.01

ARA 16.01 Election of Candidates - Clean 216.62 KB

ARA 16.01 Election of Candidates - Clean 4.79 MB

ARA 16.01 Election of Candidates - Redlined 307.69 KB

ARA 16.01 Election of Candidates - Redlined 766.89 KB

Adoption Memo

Read the adoption memo from City Auditor Simone Rede:

ARA 16.01 Election of Candidates - Adoption Memo 247.29 KB

Authority

Portland City Charter Section 2-506(a) authorizes the City Auditor to establish rules for the Office of the Auditor. City Charter Section 2-506(d) requires the City Auditor to establish procurement rules and policies for the Office of the Auditor that are consistent with City procurement rules and policies, except where the Auditor determines in writing that a City procurement rule or policy impairs the Auditor’s independence or duties.