City Charter

The City Charter establishes Portland's government system, determines how elections are run, roles and responsibilities of elected leaders, and how bureaus and services are managed. City Charter is amended by voter-approved measure. City Charter is organized into Chapters, Articles, and Sections. A Chapter generally encompasses one broad subject, such as Government or Finance. Major divisions within Chapters are called Articles, and divisions within Articles are called Sections. The Council Clerk's Office is responsible for maintaining Portland City Charter. Find previous City Charter updates.