Run For City Office

Elected City Offices

The City currently has 6 nonpartisan elected offices:

Next City Election and Candidate Filing Dates

General Election: November 5, 2024

Candidate Filing Window: June 5, 2024 through August 27, 2024

Offices on the Ballot: 

• City Mayor
• City Auditor
• All City Council Seats

Terms, Voting, and Election Timing

All City elected officials serve 4-year terms. The Mayor and Auditor are elected at-large in a form of rank choice voting known as instant run-off. The 12 City Councilors are elected in 4 City districts in a proportional form of rank choice voting. 

• The Mayor and Councilors from Districts No. 1 and 2 are elected during presidential elections.
• The Auditor and Councilors from Districts No. 3 and 4 are elected during midterm elections.

City Districts

On August 21, 2023, the Independent District Commission adopted a final plan establishing 4 districts within the City of Portland for the very first time. Each district will be represented by 3 City Councilors chosen by each district's registered voters at the November 2024 General Election. 

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 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.
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.

2. Review Campaign Finance Requirements

• State regulations: Oregon Secretary of State Campaign Finance Manual
• City regulations: Campaign Finance in City Candidate Elections
• City Public Funding of Campaigns Program (optional): Small Donor Elections Program (formerly Open and Accountable Elections Program or OAE)

3. Gather Materials Needed for Filing

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

• 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 (formerly Open and Accountable Elections Program or OAE). 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 City Elections Office for verification along with a Petition Submission Form.

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

Select one:

• File application online
  • Enter your information, upload documents, and pay or submit fee waiver all online.
• Fill out 2022 paper application (PDF) [updated form coming soon]
  • Paper applications may be submitted by email, mail, or in person. For more information, see the Submit Filing Forms by Deadline Section.

Filing fee (update coming soon):

• Mayor and Auditor Candidates
• City Councilor Candidates

Payment options:

• Pay the Filing Fee Online 
  • (link also included in the Online Candidate Filing Application)
• Make an appointment to pay the fee In person
• Make out a check to "City of Portland" and mail to:
  City Elections Office
  1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 130 
  Portland, OR 97204

→ Option Two: Nominating Petition (No Fee)

Select one:

• File application online
  • Enter your information, upload your Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form) for approval, and upload additional documents all online.
• Fill out 2022 paper application (PDF) [updated form coming soon]
  • 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):

1. Leave the "Petition ID" space blank. The City Elections Office will provide a Petition ID for you.
2. DO NOT circulate sheets for signature until your submitted Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form) has been approved in writing by the City Elections Office.  
3. 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.
4. If you are submitting your Candidate Filing Application using a paper application, be sure to attach your signature sheet form for approval.
5. 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). Please be sure to notify the City Elections Officeof when you plan to submit your signature sheets.
6. For more information on qualifying signature sheets and deadlines, see the City of Portland Candidate Guide for the November 2024 Municipal General Election. 

5. Check to See If You Need Any Additional Forms

Check the City of Portland Candidate Guide for the November 2024 Municipal General Election to see which additional forms you may need. Some commonly used forms:

• Signature Sheet for Nominating Petition Form (SEL 121 Form)
• Petition Submission Form (SEL 338 Form)
• Candidate Withdrawal Form (SEL 150 Form)
• Joint County Voters' Pamphlet Candidate Statement Form (JCVP-01 Form)
  Each county issues its own voters' pamphlet. Candidates must file this form with each county's elections office if they wish 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
• Personal Safety Exemption Request Form
  Additional Information About the Personal Safety Exemption: 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 disclosure. Under ORS 192.368 and OAR 137-004-0800, candidates may request home address(es), personal telephone number(s), and personal email address(es) be exempt from public disclosure because personal safety is endangered. To request this exemption, email a request form to elections@portlandoregon.gov. 
  • Personal Safety Exemption Request Form

6. Submit Candidate Filing Forms by Deadline

Candidate filing window opens: June 5, 2024
Candidate filing window closes: August 27, 2024

Ways to Submit Filing Forms:

• File online usingthe Online Candidate Filing Portal
• Email application to elections@portlandoregon.gov
• Submit application in person (contact our office to make an appointment)
• Mail application to:
  City Elections Office
  1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 130 
  Portland, OR 97204

City of Portland Candidate Guide for the November 2024 Municipal General Election

Candidate Filing Applications

PDF 2022 Candidate Filing Application (AUD 120 Form) [updated form coming soon]

Online Candidate Filing Application

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 be elected. Certification forms must be submitted at least 7 days in advance of the election date. [certification form coming soon]
• Write-in candidates are still subject to the City's campaign finance regulations.
• Write-in candidates may be required to establish a Principal Campaign Committee with the Oregon Secretary of State.