Portland, Oregon, Measure 26-252, Remove Language Considered Vague, Archaic, or Inconsistent in City Charter Amendment (November 2024)

Portland Measure 26-252
Election date November 5, 2024
Topic Local charter amendments
Status Approved
Type Referral

Portland Measure 26-252 was on the ballot as a referral in Portland on November 5, 2024. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending the Portland City Charter to remove or replace words that the Charter Commission determined were vague, archaic, or inconsistent.

A "no" vote opposed amending the Portland City Charter to remove or replace words that the Charter Commission determined were vague, archaic, or inconsistent.

A simple majority was required for the approval of Measure 26-252.

Election results

Portland Measure 26-252
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		262,703	87.04%
No		39,103	12.96%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Measure 26-252 was as follows:

“

Shall Charter be amended to delete vague, archaic language and use a consistent definition of “protected classes”?

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

The Charter Commission proposed a measure to delete vague, archaic and inconsistent language in the Charter. If the measure passes, the following language in the Charter would be amended: • Delete Charter Section 2-105(a)(50) to remove vague, archaic language to “prohibit persons from roaming the streets at unseasonable hours”. Deleting this section of the City’s specific powers would not impair the City’s general powers and authority to protect and support public health and safety. • Delete vague, archaic language to regulate “offensive” businesses in Charter Section 2-105(a)(36). City would retain authority to regulate businesses that create or constitute a nuisance. • Use consistent language to define “protected classes” as those classes protected “under local ordinance, or state or federal law” in Charter Chapters 2, 4 and 12. • Replace “disability” with “incapacity” in Charter Chapter 2 to reflect the fact that disabled residents may serve as City officials. The City Budget Office determined the measure has no direct financial impact.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Oregon

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing body of Portland.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Oregon

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Oregon.

How to vote in Oregon

Poll times

Oregon is an all-mail voting state. Each county provides privacy booths that voters can use to mark their ballot. County clerks' offices are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time on Election Day. Oregon is divided between the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Oregon, one must be a resident of Oregon, a United States citizen, and at least 16 years old. Voters must be at least 18 years old by the day of the election to receive a ballot. Potential voters can register online or by mailing in a voter registration form to your county election office. The deadline to register is 11:59 p.m., 21 days before the election.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Oregon implemented automatic voter registration in 2016. Eligible residents who apply for, renew, or replace an Oregon driver's license, ID card, or permit at a DMV location are registered to vote. Voters are mailed a card afterwards to choose a political party to affiliate with or opt out of registering to vote. For more information, click here.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Oregon has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Oregon does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Oregon, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Oregon does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who knowingly falsely registers "can be fined up to $125,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 5 years."

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Eight states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Three states, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting the My Vote website.

Voter ID requirements

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote. Oregon is an all-mail voting state. When registering to vote, voters must provide their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

If voters are unable to provide this information, they can provide a copy of another form of acceptable identification that shows their name and current address. The following list of accepted IDs was current as of March 2026. Click here for the Oregon Secretary of State's voter registration card to ensure you have the most current information.

“

If you do not have valid Oregon ID or Social Security number, provide a copy of one of the following that shows your name and current address. valid photo identification a paycheck stub a utility bill a bank statement a government document proof of eligibility under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) or the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (VAEH).

”

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2024
• Local charter amendments ballot measures

• Multnomah County measures

Oregon

• Oregon 2024 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Oregon
• Portland, Oregon

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

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