On a rainy Sunday afternoon in March at Friendly House in the Northwest District neighborhood, Lory Hefele and Leah Benson, members of Portland’s Government Transition Advisory Committee (GTAC), spoke to neighbors in District 4 about the city’s historic transition to a new form of government and elections system.
Attendees posed questions about the role of the city council, the mayor, and the city administrator, wondering how they work together and their primary responsibilities. Questions also touched on the logistics of implementing ranked-choice voting, campaign funding, and how district boundaries might evolve over time as Portland’s population changes.
The discussion included the administrative efforts of Multnomah County Elections Division, the State of Oregon, and a contracted software vendor to prepare for the Portland's first election using the ranked-choice voting method in November. It also highlighted the global reach of ranked-choice voting, which is used as an election method in governments in New Zealand, Scotland, and Ireland. Lory and Leah volunteered to come back to the group after the May primary to share more details about ranked-choice voting.
How to request a presentation
GTAC members are ready to share information about the Charter Transition. It’s quick and easy to book a presentation by using the form on the Transition website.