When leaves change in the fall, so will the city of Portland. On Nov. 5, Portland will host its mayoral election. This election will also be the first since House Bill 2004, which allowed for ranked choice voting, meaning that Portland voters will rank candidates in order of preferences instead of selecting only one candidate.
Additionally, there will be a slight change to the Portland city council as the numbers of staff members per district will increase. Kezia Wanner, a business administrator and compliance director who is running for city council in the Southeast district, says, “The expanded number of Councilors by district will mean the public has greater access to elected officials to share priorities and concerns.” Wanner is currently running on the platform of restoring downtown Portland as well as helping lower income families with housing.
“We need to do everything we can to make sure that the neighborhoods and schools are safe and really taken care of,” says Carmen Rubio, a Portland commissioner and mayoral candidate. “Part of the city’s work is to make sure that’s happening.”
Rubio’s aim is to continue investing in gun violence prevention programs, such as the Safer Portland Grant Program; advocate for stricter gun laws; build 120,000 new housing units over 20 years; and address climate change by changing our energy sources. As commissioner, Rubio has also been working with Multnomah County to establish treatment centers and transitional housing to those who are in need and to make sure there’s someone qualified to assist them when needed.
Of the many candidates registered for the mayoral election, three candidates have emerged as leaders: Rubio, Rene Gonzalez, and Keith Wilson.
Gonzalez, who currently works as a city commissioner and oversees the city’s administration, is prioritizing making Portland a safe place to live, and is working to address any problems that Portland residents might currently have.
Wilson grew up in Portland and worked for his father’s trucking business. He is the founder of Shelter Portland, which is a non profit organization that is working to end homelessness. As mayor, Wilson intends to end unsheltered homelessness, and enact stricter drug laws.
Also new this election, the mayor will no longer have any vote in the city council except to break ties. As usual, the mayor, with the council’s approval, will also be tasked with appointing a city administrator, who will be in charge of day-to-day operations of all the city’s departments, as well as a city attorney and police chief.
Rubio advises young voters not to vote based on the name of the candidates, but to research so they really understand who the candidates are and what they stand for. Voter registration ends on Oct. 21, at 11:59 p.m. New voters can access registration information at the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles or the Multnomah County website. Portland has many eager candidates who are ready to lead Portland into a better tomorrow.
