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Mayor of Portland, Oregon

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Mayor of Portland, Oregon
Seal of Portland, Oregon
Incumbent
Keith Wilson
since January 1, 2025
StyleMayor
Term lengthFour years
Inaugural holderHugh O'Bryant
Formation1851
Salary$143,666[1]

The mayor of Portland, Oregon is the official head of the city of Portland, Oregon, United States. The officeholder is elected for a four-year term and has no term limits. By law, all elections in Portland are nonpartisan.[2] The current mayor is Keith Wilson, who has served since January 1, 2025, and was first elected in the 2024 election.

The current term for mayor of Portland is four years, having been increased from two years in 1913.[3] Mayoral elections were previously held in May of US presidential election years (years divisible by four), during the Oregon primary election, with a runoff between the top two vote-getters held in November of the same year should no candidate garner a majority vote in the May election, however a new system taking effect in 2024[4] holds a single general election in November of Presidential election years using the Instant Runoff ranked choice voting method. The mayor-elect takes office the following January.

Duties and powers

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Portland uses a city commission government, the only major city to do so. The mayor and commissioners are responsible for legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that oversee the day-to-day operation of the city.[5] The mayor serves as chairman of the council, and is responsible for allocating department assignments to his fellow commissioners. His post is largely honorific; most powers exercised by mayors in cities of Portland's size are vested in the council as a whole. However, the mayor does have some powers, such as declaring an emergency and acting as police commissioner. Although, beginning with the 2025 mayoral term, Portland will switch to a Council-Mayor form of government.[4] The executive mayor will work with a professional city administrator to implement the laws enacted by council and administer the city’s bureaus, employees, facilities, and resources.[4] The executive mayor develops and proposes the city’s budget to council for review and approval, may introduce measures before the council, and breaks tie votes in the council.[4]

Elections

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Gallery of the mayors of Portland

The mayor is elected in citywide election. Elections utilize the instant runoff ranked choice voting method, beginning with the 2024 general election. The city charter also allows for write-in candidates. The mayor is elected to a four-year term with no term limits. The office of mayor is officially nonpartisan by state law, although most mayoral candidates identify a party preference. Mayoral elections happen in conjunction with the United States presidential election. Elections followed a two-round system prior to 2024 where the first round of the elections was a primary election. If a candidate received a majority of the vote in the primary they were elected outright, however, If no candidate received a majority the top two candidates advance to a runoff election, called the general election.

The most recent election was in 2024, when businessman Keith Wilson defeated 19 other candidates.[6]

List of mayors

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# Image Name

(Birth–Death)

Term Election Previous office/occupation
1 Hugh O'Bryant

(1813–1883)

1851–1852[7][8] Officer in the Oregon Riflemen[9]
2 A. C. Bonnell

(1801–1875)

April 1852 – November 1852
3 Simon B. Marye

(c. 1810–1868)

November 1852 – April 1853
4 Josiah Failing

(1806–1877)

1853–1854 Member of the Portland City Council

(1852)

5 William S. Ladd

(1826–1893)

1854–1855 Member of the Portland City Council

(1853)

6 George W. Vaughn

(1809–1877)

1855–1856
7 James O'Neill

(1824–1901)

1856–1857 Agent for Wells Fargo & Company
8 William S. Ladd

(1826–1893)

1857–1858 5th Mayor of Portland

(1854-1855)

9 A. M. Starr

(c. 1820–1891)

1858–1859 Member of the Portland City Council

(1854, 1856)

10 S. J. McCormick

(1828–1891)

1859–1860 Delegate to the Oregon Constitutional Convention from Multnomah County
11 G. Collier Robbins

(1823–19??)

1860–1861 Member of the Portland City Council

(1855, 1858)

12 John M. Breck

(1828–1900)

1861–1862 City Assessor of Portland[10]
13 William H. Farrar

(1826–1873)

1862–1863 Delegate to the Oregon Constitutional Convention from Multnomah County[11]

District Attorney for the Oregon Territory[12]

(1853-1859)

14 David Logan

(1824–1874)

1863–1864 Member of the Oregon Territorial Legislature from Washington County[13]
15 Henry Failing

(1834–1898)

1864 – November 16, 1866[14]
16 Thomas J. Holmes

(1819–1867)

1866–1867 Member of the Portland Public Schools Board of Education[15]
17 J. A. Chapman

(1821–1885)

1867–1868 Major/Surgeon in the United States Army[16]
18 Hamilton Boyd 1868–1869 Multnomah County Commissioner
19 Bernard Goldsmith

(1832–1901)

1869–1871 Director of the Library Association of Portland[17]
20 Philip Wasserman

(1828–1895)

1871–1873
21 Henry Failing

(1834–1898)

1873–1875 15th Mayor of Portland

(1864-1866)

22 J. A. Chapman

(1821–1885)

1875–1877 17th Mayor of Portland

(1867-1868)

23 William Spencer Newbury

(1834–1915)

1877–1879 Mayor of Iola, Kansas

(1870)

24 David P. Thompson

(1834–1901)

1879–1882 6th Governor of the Idaho Territory[18]

(1875-1876)

25 J. A. Chapman

(1821–1885)

1882–1885 17th and 22nd Mayor of Portland

(1867-1868, 1875-1877)

26 John Gates

(1827–1888)

1885 – April 27, 1888

(died in office)[19]

President of the Portland National Bank[20]
27 Van B. DeLashmutt

(1842–1921)

May 2, 1888[21] – 1891
28 William S. Mason

(1832–1899)

1891–1894
29 George P. Frank

(1852–1896)

1894–1896
30 Sylvester Pennoyer

(1831–1902)

1896–1898 8th Governor of Oregon[22]

(1887-1895)

31 William S. Mason

(1832–1899)

July 1, 1898[23] – March 27, 1899

(died in office)[24]

28th Mayor of Portland

(1891-1894)

32 W. A. Storey

(1854–1917)

May 17, 1899[25] –1900 Member of the Portland City Council[26]

(1898-1899)

33 Henry S. Rowe

(1851–1914)

1900–1902 1900
34 George Henry Williams

(1823–1910)

1902–1905 32nd United States Attorney General

(1871-1875)

35 Harry Lane

(1855–1917)

1905–1909 Superintendent of the Oregon State Insane Asylum[27]

(1887--1891)

36 Joseph Simon

(1851–1935)

1909–1911 United States Senator from Oregon[28]

(1898-1903)

37 Allen G. Rushlight

(1874–1930)

1911–1913 Member of the Portland City Council[29]

(1905-1911)

38 H. Russell Albee

(1867–1950)

June 1913 – July 1917[30]
39 George L. Baker

(1868–1941)

July 1917 – July 1933[30] Member of the Portland City Commission[31]
40 Joseph K. Carson

(1891–1956)

July 1933 – December 31, 1940[30]
41 Earl Riley

(1890–1965)

January 1, 1941 – December 31, 1948[30] Member of the Portland City Commission

(1930-1940)

42 Dorothy McCullough Lee

(1901–1981)

January 1, 1949 – December 31, 1952[30] Member of the Portland City Commission[32]

(1943-1949)

43 Fred L. Peterson

(1896–1985)

January 1, 1953 – December 31, 1956 Member of the Portland City Commission[33]

(1941-1952)

44 Terry Schrunk

(1913–1975)

January 1, 1957 – January 1, 1973[30] 24th Sheriff of Multnomah County[34]

(1949-1956)

45 Neil Goldschmidt

(1940–2024)

January 2, 1973 – August 15, 1979[30][35] Member of the Portland City Commission[36]

(1970-1973)

46 Connie McCready

(1921–2000)

September 5, 1979[30][37] – November 23, 1980[30] Member of the Portland City Commission[38]

(1970-1979)

47 Frank Ivancie

(1924–2019)

November 24, 1980[30][39] – January 2, 1985[40] Member of the Portland City Commission[41]

(1967-1980)

48 Bud Clark

(1931–2022)

January 3, 1985 – January 2, 1993[30]
49 Vera Katz

(1933–2017)

January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2005[30] 1992
1996
2000 		57th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives[42]

(1985-1990)

50 Tom Potter

(born 1940)

January 3, 2005 – December 31, 2008[30] 2004 38th Chief of the Portland Police Bureau

(1990-1990)

51 Sam Adams

(born 1963)

January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2012[30] 2008 Member of the Portland City Commission[43]

(2005-2009)

52 Charlie Hales

(born 1956)

January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2016 2012 Member of the Portland City Commission[44]

(1993-2002)

53 Ted Wheeler

(born 1962)

January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2024 2016
2020 		28th Treasurer of Oregon[45]

(2010-2017)

54 Keith Wilson

1962 or 1963 (age 61–62)

January 1, 2025 – present 2024 CEO of Titan Freight Systems[46]

(2010-2017)

Note: The color shown in the number (#) column denotes registered political party (red for Republican, blue for Democratic, teal for the People's Party (Populist), gray for Independent). Officially, Mayors run and serve as nonpartisan.

The City of Portland mayor's office, in the City Hall, contains a collection of mounted portraits of all the mayors to date. As of February 2024, only two mayors are missing from the collection; William H. Farrar (1862–1863), and Hamilton Boyd (1868–1869).

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "City of Portland, Oregon: FY 2019-2020 Requested Budget". The City of Portland Oregon. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  2. ^ "City elections in Portland, Oregon (2020)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-06-20.
  3. ^ "Albee is Mayor ... 4-Year Term Begins July 1". The Morning Oregonian. June 4, 1913. p. 1.
  4. ^ a b c d "Changing Roles for the Mayor and City Council | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  5. ^ "City Government Structure | About Council | The City of Portland, Oregon". www.portlandoregon.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-20.
  6. ^ Anthony Macuk (November 6, 2024). "Portland mayoral race called for Keith Wilson; Carmen Rubio concedes". KGW.
  7. ^ Lansing, Jewel. (2003). Portland: People, Politics, and Power, 1851–2001, p. 26–49.
  8. ^ "Directory of Current and Past Elected Officials: Mayors of Portland". Auditor's Office, City of Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  9. ^ Scott, Harvey (1890). History of Portland, Oregon with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent citizens and pioneers. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co.
  10. ^ "Historical Sketch of Portland".
  11. ^ "Biographical Sketch of William H. Farrar". Oregon State Archives. 2009. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  12. ^ "Biographical Sketch of William H. Farrar". Oregon State Archives. 2009. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  13. ^ Williams, George H. (1901). "Political History of Oregon from 1853 to 1865". Oregon Historical Quarterly. 2. Salem, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society: 9.
  14. ^ Chet Orloff. "Henry Failing (1834-1898)". The Oregon Encyclopedia.
  15. ^ Portland Public Schools Board Members 1851 to Present
  16. ^ "Death of Dr. J. A. Chapman". Morning Oregonian. December 13, 1885. p. 5.
  17. ^ Cheryl Gunselman. "Library Association of Portland". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Accessed May 17, 2014.
  18. ^ "D.P. Thompson Dies; Leading Citizen and Pioneer Passes Away". The Morning Oregonian. December 14, 1901. pp. 1, 10. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  19. ^ "Death of Mayor Gates". The Morning Oregonian. April 28, 1888. p. 8.
  20. ^ "Mayor William Mason's Magnificent Manse" (PDF). News & Notes. Portland, Oregon: Architectural Heritage Center. Fall 2005. p. 8. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  21. ^ "Mayor Van B. De Lashmutt; The Council Chooses a Head to the City Government". The Morning Oregonian. May 3, 1888. p. 8.
  22. ^ "Oregon governor to United States president: Drop dead", By Finn J.D. John, (August 1, 2010).
  23. ^ "Mason at the Helm". The Morning Oregonian, July 2, 1898, p. 8.
  24. ^ "William A. Storey Dies; Life in Portland For Many Years Was Prominent". The Morning Oregonian. July 31, 1917. p. 11.
  25. ^ "Took Oath of Office: Auditor Gambell Declined, So Storey Went Before a Notary". The Morning Oregonian. May 18, 1899. p. 12.
  26. ^ "William A. Storey Dies; Life in Portland For Many Years Was Prominent". The Morning Oregonian. July 31, 1917. p. 11.
  27. ^ Johnston, The Radical Middle Class, pg. 31.
  28. ^ "Joseph Simon". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  29. ^ "Allen G. Rushlight, ex-mayor, is dead". The Morning Oregonian. January 7, 1930. p. 1.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "City Elected Officials Since 1913". Office of Auditor Mary Hull Caballero. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  31. ^ "George L. Baker is out for Mayor" Archived 2017-06-14 at the Wayback Machine. The Morning Oregonian, March 20, 1917, p. 20.
  32. ^ "Dorothy McCullough Lee (1902-1981)". www.oregonencyclopedia.org. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  33. ^ "Fred Peterson, Portland's 'Elephant Mayor', Dead of Cancer at Age 89". The Oregonian. October 18, 1985. p. C7.
  34. ^ Cogswell, Philip (2008). "Terry Schrunk (1913–1975)". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  35. ^ Jennings, Steve (August 23, 1979). "Schwab says Portland needs 'budgetary diet'". The Oregonian. p. C1.
  36. ^ "Biography of Oregon political icon Neil Goldschmidt". KGW News. May 6, 2004. Archived from the original on February 27, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
  37. ^ Jenning, Steve (September 6, 1979). "Mayor McCready takes office". The Oregonian. p. 1.
  38. ^ "McCready Gets Official Nod". The Oregonian. March 12, 1970. Section 2, p. 17.
  39. ^ Williams, Linda (November 25, 1980). "Beaming Ivancie sworn in as Portland mayor". The Oregonian. p. 1.
  40. ^ Painter Jr., John (January 3, 1985). "Mayor Clark takes oath; new era begins". The Oregonian. p. 1.
  41. ^ "Frank Ivancie, last conservative mayor of Portland, dies at 94". May 2, 2019.
  42. ^ Santen, David (December 10, 2004). "News: Mayor Vera Katz to Join PSU" (Press release). PSU Office of Marketing and Communications. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017.
  43. ^ "Former Mayor Sam Adams Prepares to Run for Multnomah County Commissioner". Willamette Week. February 19, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  44. ^ Schmidt, Brad (May 23, 2011). "Portland's competitive 2012 mayoral race under way with Charlie Hales' announcement". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on December 10, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  45. ^ "Treasurer Wheeler Announces Steps to Increase Oregon's Investments in Renewable Energy". Oregon Treasury. July 9, 2015. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2020 – via Cascade Business News.
  46. ^ "Mayoral Candidate Keith Wilson Is Indefatigable. But His Ambition Could Be His Downfall". Willamette Week. August 21, 2024. Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
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