Where SR stands on amendments to the state constitution, city and county charter reforms
Charter reform measure (Measure 26-228)
This measure promises to bring Portland’s city government into the modern era, improve representation on City Council, rein in the powers afforded to the mayor and make city management more effective and efficient. It’s for these reasons Street Roots endorses Measure 26-228.
Portland has the largest percentage of white residents of any major city, according to the latest census — 75%. Yet, it’s to everyone’s detriment if we allow that majority to drown out the vibrant diversity in our city.
Dividing the city into smaller voting regions will not address the glaring issue of ideological hegemony on Portland City Council if those races still have only one winner — the repeated tumult of aggressive gentrification makes it so more affluent, white voters will outnumber Portlanders of color and working-class Portlanders in almost any district. Yet, this inadequate substitute is at the heart of the “alternative” plan Commissioner Mingus Mapp’s Ulysses PAC pushed out.
By allowing each district to elect three people to City Council via proportional ranked-choice voting, — also called single transferable vote —the chance that Portland City Council represents more Portlanders increases.
Proportional ranked choice voting deepens democracy. A 2021 study concluded proportional ranked choice voting was far more effective in creating representative municipal governments than single-member districts, as described in Mapps’ alternative proposal.
Yes, it takes some learning to understand the nuts and bolts of the system, but it’s growing in popularity, and there are existing examples in big cities, including Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The process is nowhere near as “unproven” as the opposition argues, though it is on the cutting edge of a more representative government.
For offices with only one winner, such as the mayor, voters will use the style of single-winner ranked choice voting in New York City. According to exit polls of New Yorkers, 77% of voters supported the continued use of ranked-choice voting, and a whopping 95% said the ballot was simple to complete.
Detractors will correctly note the form of government proposed by the Charter Review Commission isn’t exactly duplicated by other cities in the United States. However, it’s more similar to other cities than Portland’s current form. The form of government proposed by the commission isn’t singular because it’s antiquated and obviously dysfunctional like the current form of government — it’s singular because it’s innovative and implements evidence-based approaches to improving efficacy, efficiency and representation
Lost somewhere in the fracas surrounding the charter reform measure is how comically small Portland City Council is. Las Vegas, Memphis, Detroit and Baltimore each have smaller populations than Portland, yet they each have at least six city councilors. Corvallis — which has a population of around 60,000 people — has nine people on its City Council. Portland is the only city in the United States with a population of 600,000 or more people that has fewer than six elected city councilors, and the reasoning is simple: four (or five) people can’t adequately represent 650,000 people with varied experiences and needs. Electing 12 people to City Council is a step in the right direction.
Portland technically has a five-person City Council because the mayor is also a voting member. The mayor also appoints councilors — including himself — to run city bureaus. Much like how few people are on Portland City Council, this commission style of government is alone in the ranks of major U.S. cities.
The commission style of government is far less accountable and transparent than what is proposed by the reform commission — a legislative body (City Council) that directs a professional city manager to carry out legislative directives. For instance, the mayor can currently keep commissioners distanced from decision-making processes for things like homelessness, housing and police by appointing commissioners he aligns with to run those bureaus.
Under the reformed charter, the mayor would lose their vote on City Council but still be tasked with ensuring the city manager is doing their job, voting in the event of a tie and preparing proposed budgets.
The current status quo of siloed decision-making and political favoritism would almost certainly be reduced. Instead, each commissioner would have an equal seat at the table, and someone with actual professional qualifications would make sure business is running as it should.
Portlanders deserve a city where tasks are carried out effectively and efficiently while each councilor has equal ability to represent their constituents. The Charter Commission crafted a measure that has a much higher possibility of creating that change.
The current measure benefits from an immense amount of public engagement, whereas Mapps’ proposed alternative is void of public engagement and is fervently supported by wealthy special interests that benefit from Portland City Council’s currently unacceptable levels of function and inequity.
Street Roots had a rare front-row seat to the Charter Commission process because the 2021 cohort of Street Roots ambassadors participated in workgroups led by the Coalition of Communities of Color to involve Portlanders historically left out of City Hall. They leaned into lively discussions about an inclusive government and, strikingly, pushed for the multi-member districts, ranked-choice voting, and a city council that focuses on legislating, not managing, bureaus — shifting that work to a city manager.
A deep level of civic engagement got us to this point. Portlanders deserve this change toward a more inclusive democracy. Vote “yes” on Measure 26-228.
Measure 26-231
Multnomah County Measure 26-231 alters the county commission to direct the county to extend the right to vote to as many people as it is legally allowed. While this measure doesn’t result in any immediate changes to county voting rights, it’s an important step in doing so.
If someone lives, works and pays taxes in Multnomah County, it follows they should have the same rights as anyone else in Multnomah County. However, Multnomah County currently only extends the right to vote based on state qualifications, which means only adults who are U.S. citizens. Street Roots stands for the most inclusive democracy possible, and taking steps to create more equitable elections is important.
It’s for these reasons Street Roots supports Multnomah County Measure 26-231. Vote “yes” on Measure 26-231.
Measure 26-232
Multnomah County Measure 26-232 would institute single-winner ranked-choice voting at the county level for the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners and other county offices in 2026.
Ranked-choice voting allows voters to cast a first-choice vote for their true candidate of choice, and second-choice, third-choice, etc. votes for candidates they would be fine with. This voting system helps reduce considerations that voting for a preferred candidate over a more viable candidate could result in “splitting” the vote and allowing an even less-popular candidate to win. People can express their support without concern that they are wasting a vote.
It’s for these reasons Street Roots supports Multnomah County Measure 26-232. Vote “yes” on Measure 26-232.
Measure 26-233
Multnomah County Measure 26-233 amends the county charter to increase the number of times a commissioner is required to visit local jails from once per term, or every other year, to twice per term, meaning once per year. Volunteers who are selected by commissioners to accompany them on inspections would then issue public reports with findings and recommendations.
This measure is an obvious improvement for transparency regarding local jails.
It’s for these reasons Street Roots supports Multnomah County Measure 26-233. Vote “yes” on Measure 26-233.
Measure 26-235
Measure 26-235 amends the county charter to “provide county auditor timely, unrestricted access to employees, information, records and require(s) ‘right-to-audit’ clause in county contracts.”
The current charter requires the county auditor to conduct all performance audits for county operations and financial affairs. These findings are reported to the board of county commissioners, and auditors are granted full autonomy over the subject of audits — including those studies intended to improve county functions. As written, the charter does not specify the other duties of the auditor, or how audits are conducted. In particular, the charter does not provide explicit mention of the auditor’s ability to access employees, information or records.
This amendment, recommended by the current county Charter Review Committee, would amend the charter to explicitly state that the auditor be allowed unrestricted, timely access to county employees, information, and records required to perform duties of the auditor. This proposed change is an obvious win for transparency and accountability.
It’s for these reasons Street Roots supports Multnomah County Measure 26-235. Vote “yes” on Measure 26-235.
Oregon Measure 111: Healthcare as a right in Oregon Constitution
Healthcare absolutely should be a right in Oregon. We endorse this measure understanding that it’s not fixing the systems themselves.
But it is a north star, providing clarity on what legislators need to aim for – and that they need to fix the systems in order to get there. After all, the Oregon Constitution does declare education as a right, and this, in turn, has ensured universal access to public schools.
While State Measure 112 doesn’t result in any immediate material changes to health care access in Oregon, it’s a step in the right direction.
It’s for that reason Street Roots supports Measure 111. Vote “yes” on Measure 111.
Oregon Measure 112: Removing legal slavery from Oregon Constitution
Oregon Measure 112 “repeals language allowing slavery or involuntary servitude as criminal punishments and authorizes an Oregon court or a probation or parole agency to order alternatives to incarceration for a convicted individual.”
This is an obvious one. It’s shameful this language was ever in the Oregon Constitution, let alone still in it to this day. Oregon Department of Corrections officials are concerned about this measure, which is a good sign it might be the beginning of the end for forced prison labor in Oregon.
It’s for these reasons Street Roots supports Measure 112. Vote “yes” on Measure 112.
Oregon Measure 113: Excluding legislators from re-election for unexcused absences
Oregon Measure 113 prohibits state lawmakers from reelection if they have 10 or more unexcused absences from legislative floor sessions.
It only makes sense Democrats would eventually try to find an effective deterrent for Republicans who like to take their ball and go home when things don’t go their way.
In any other profession, deciding to throw a fit and skip town when you get mad is grounds for dismissal. It’s rather absurd public employees tasked with doing the peoples’ business in Salem aren’t held to a higher standard — regardless of party.
It’s for this reason Street Roots supports Measure 113. Vote “yes” on Measure 113.
Oregon Measure 114: Permit-to-purchase firearms, magazine capacity limits
Mass shootings are a public health tragedy. Measure 114 bolsters the permit process and bans the sale of ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds.
This is all common sense. Right now, a person can get their permit without actually being approved. That’s because, under federal law, at the three-day point a person can buy a gun, whether or not a background check is completed.
That’s absurd and needs to be fixed.
If this passes, Oregon would complete a west-coast ban of ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds, joining Washington and California.
Despite Street Roots supporting Measure 114, it’s important to note the often-racist and uneven enforcement of gun control laws in the United States. If it passes, time will tell how this measure plays out, but it’s worth keeping an eye on who faces the most enforcement.
Still, it’s better than Oregon’s current gun purchasing laws that are in desperate need of an overhaul. Data shows gun control measures like Measure 114 reduce gun violence and the risk of mass shootings.
It’s for these reasons Street Roots supports Measure 114. Vote “yes” on Measure 114.
Street Roots' endorsement board is composed of DeVon Pouncey, Raven Drake, Kaia Sand, and K. Rambo
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