Notable Entrants to Portland's 2024 City Hall Election
Politicians are lining up to run in next year’s local election. Plus, there’s an update on a voter-passed measure.
Local politicians are lining up to run in next year’s election. Plus, there’s an update on a voter-passed measure:
First Former City Council Member Enters the Race
Former Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick has entered the 2024 race for Portland City Council. He’s the first candidate to have previously served on council. Novick was on the left-wing side of things during his one term from 2013 to 2017. But he’s entering the race emphasizing a centrist policy position of spending the city’s money wisely. He’s running in Southeast’s District 3. [Willamette Week]
City Commissioners Face Off in Mayoral Campaign
City Commissioners Rene Gonzalez and Mingus Mapps are the highest-profile candidates to enter the 2024 race for mayor — so far. In interviews with Willamette Week, both weren’t shy about criticizing each other: Gonzalez called Mapps an academic “not particularly capable of garnering three votes by himself.” Mapps described Gonzalez as “skeptical of racial equity initiatives” and took issue with Gonzalez’s “very colorblind approach to city policy.” [Willamette Week]
Legal Challenges to Voter-Passed State Measure
- Republican senators were in the Oregon Supreme Court last week to argue their case for being allowed to run for reelection, even after having more than 10 unexcused absences during last year’s walkout. The case is centered on whether Measure 113, which is supposed to limit unexcused absences (and prevent lawmaker walkouts), is correctly worded. [Willamette Week]
- In a ruling on a preliminary injunction for a separate court case, a federal judge decided against the three Republican senators’ argument that walkouts are constitutionally protected free speech. That case will proceed, but the judge didn’t step in to put them on the ballot now. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]
More about Local Civics
$106M in Unspent Funds at the Portland Housing Bureau
The Portland Housing Bureau has $106 million in unspent funds, the city administrator disclosed late last week. Some of it may be spoken for, but it leaves open the question of how City Council will spend the funds. When the pot of unspent funds was believed to be only $21 million, City Council was divided over whether to spend it on rent assistance or a Prosper Portland housing project. Maybe all of the above are possible now. [Portland Mercury]
City Cast Portland staffFeb 10, 2026
The Gas Tax and Oregon's Legislative Session
State lawmakers convene in Salem next week after a chaotic few weeks for Democratic state leaders as they scramble to address the issue of transportation funding. They have a key problem: Voters appear to oppose the gas tax passed last fall.
City Cast Portland staffJan 28, 2026
US Sen. Wyden Explains His Votes To Arm Israel
Oregon’s U.S. senators usually vote the same way (like for continuing the government shutdown until healthcare costs are addressed). But a key exception in recent months was Sen. Ron Wyden’s support for continued arms sales to Israel while Sen. Jeff Merkley voted to oppose them. Wyden’s support came up again last weekend — at a Portland Book Festival event featuring Omar Al Ekkad, author of “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This” (a title you may recognize as “the one book every Portlander should read right now”).
City Cast Portland staffNov 12, 2025