How many candidates can I rank on my ballot?
Ballots will have space for voters to rank up to six candidates, including any write-in candidate(s).
What will my ranked-choice voting ballot look like?
Here are the sample ballots for the November 2024 general election. You can find them on Multnomah County's website listed by precinct and with style (split), if applicable. City of Portland Ranked Choice (RCV) ballot listed below each ballot, for those precincts and splits in City of Portland.
District 1 sample ballot | District 2 sample ballot | District 3 sample ballot | District 4 sample ballot
Is there a limit to the number of candidates appearing on the ballot?
No. There is no limit to the number of qualifying candidates appearing on the ballot under each position. However, voters will be limited to ranking up to six total candidates, including any write-in candidate(s). For example, if 10 candidates are listed for a position, a voter would be able to choose their top six candidates and rank those candidates by preference. The remaining four candidates would be unable to be ranked by the voter.
What happens if I skipped one or more rankings on my ballot?
When filling out your ballot, if you skip any ranking, your next highest ranking will be elevated to take its place in the counting process. In this example, if you rank Candidate A as your first choice, Candidate C as your third choice, Candidate B as your sixth choice, and then skip all other rankings, Candidate C will be counted as your second choice and Candidate B will be counted as your third choice.
Here's an example of what that might look like:
What happens if I rank multiple candidates in a single ranking?
If you choose multiple candidates in the same ranking—for example, rank two candidates as your first choice—this is called an overvote. Your overvote is ignored and your next highest ranking is elevated to take the place of the overvote. In this example, if you rank Candidates A, B, G and H all as your first choice, the votes for candidates A, B, G and H become invalid and Candidate C is elevated to your first choice.
Here's an example of what that might look like:
What happens if I rank the same candidate in multiple rankings?
If you rank a single candidate multiple times, the highest ranking is accepted and each lower ranking for the same candidate is ignored as if you had skipped that ranking. In this example, if you rank Candidate A as your first, second, and third choices, and then rank Candidate F as your fourth choice, Candidate F is elevated to the position of your second choice.
Here's an example of what that might look like:
Where can I learn how to register to vote, update my voter registration, and where to return my ballot after voting?
The Multnomah County Elections Division conducts all local, city, county, state and federal elections for the citizens of Multnomah County. Visit Multnomah County Elections Division to learn more about registering to vote, updating voter registration, voting by mail, election results and more.
There are also resources available for Portland voters who live in Washington and Clackamas county:
When will we know the results of the election?
Multnomah County will serve as the central tabulator and will report results for City candidate contests. The County will begin to release unofficial results after 8pm on election night and provide regular updates in the days following as additional ballots are tallied.
With ranked choice voting, the eventual winners after final round-by-round tabulation may not be the candidates who receive the most 1st choice rankings. As with all elections, results are unofficial until certified. In 2024, certification by the County will happen by December 2. The City will report official results to city council by December 18. Candidates can find all unofficial results before certification on Multnomah County’s website.