Multnomah County, Oregon, Measure 26-232, Ranked-Choice Voting for County Elections Amendment (November 2022)

Multnomah County Measure 26-232
Election date November 8, 2022
Topic Local charter amendments and Local electoral systems
Status Approved
Type Referral

Multnomah County Measure 26-232 was on the ballot as a referral in Multnomah County on November 8, 2022. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending the county charter to implement ranked-choice voting for county offices.

A "no" vote opposed amending the county charter to implement ranked-choice voting for county offices.

A simple majority was required for the approval of Measure 26-232.

Election results

Multnomah County Measure 26-232
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		235,774	69.09%
No		105,505	30.91%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

Measure 26-232 enacted ranked-choice voting (RCV) for countywide offices, including chair, commissioners, audit, and sheriff.

Prior to Measure 26-232, candidates for county offices appeared on the ballot during the May primary election and electors voted for one candidate per office. Under that system, a candidate that received a simple majority (50% + 1) of the votes was elected. If no candidate received a majority, the top two candidates competed in a runoff election at the November general election.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Measure 26-232 was as follows:

“

Should elections for county offices give voters option of ranking candidates in preferred order, with instant-runoff vote-counting process determining results?

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

Currently, candidates for county offices appear on the May primary election ballot. Voters may vote for one candidate per office; any candidate receiving a majority (more than fifty percent) of votes is elected. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two candidates compete in a runoff election in the November general election. Vacancies during a term of office are filled at the next regular election or a special election. Under the Charter Review Committee's recommended amendment, county officials (Chair, Commissioners, Auditor, Sheriff) would be elected in one election using an 'instant runoff ranked choice voting' process. This process gives voters the option of ranking multiple candidates in order of preference instead of casting a single vote for each office. Votes are counted in rounds, starting with all voters' highest ranked candidate. If no candidate receives a majority in the first round, the candidate receiving the fewest votes is eliminated, and that candidate's votes are reassigned to those voter's next-highest ranked candidate. The process continues until there is a majority winner. Runoff elections are eliminated.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Support

Supporters

• Coalition of Communities of Color

Arguments

• Coalition of Communities of Color said, "With RCV, Multnomah County voters get: More Voices. Young or old, renter or homeowner, Black, white, or brown, every voter in Multnomah County has the right to vote for leaders who represent our communities. RCV tends to attract more diverse candidates, giving voters more opportunity to cast a vote for someone who represents their community. More Choices. By ranking candidates, voters no longer have to worry about wasted votes or feeling pressure to choose between a candidate you like and a candidate that “can win.” RCV reduces barriers to new candidates and brings new voices by allowing people to run without being “spoilers.” This means voters have more meaningful choices and more reasons to vote. Better Representation. Every voter’s voice matters. RCV elects candidates that represent the whole county, and not just a few powerful neighborhoods. Positive, Issue-Driven Campaigns. Voters want to support candidates who align with their values. RCV reduces incentives for candidates to attack their opponents and instead focus on civil, issue-oriented platforms that more fully represent the views and experiences of their constituents."

• Richard Clucas, a politics professor at Portland State University, said, "No election system is a panacea, problems can occur in any type of system, but ranked choice voting is a much better system than what we have to both improve and provide representation. It does a much better job ensuring that all votes count."

Opposition

Opponents

• Oregon Live

Arguments

• Oregon Live wrote, "Proponents of ranked choice note that it offers voters greater representation. And the method is an interesting one that deserves more attention and public education. But our current system actually works well in terms of ensuring that the candidate with the broadest support wins. Voters can decide among multiple candidates in the May primary and if no one garners more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters advance to the November runoff election. So if voters’ preferred candidate fails to advance, they can still mark their choice for one of the two other candidates. But we also like our current system because it gives the public more time to vet the top candidates and watch how candidates’ campaigns evolve between May and November. Ranked-choice may be a system worth adopting in the future, but voters deserve to hear a lot more about it first."

Background

Ranked-choice voting (RCV)

See also: Ranked-choice voting (RCV)

The ballot measure has played a role in shaping electoral systems in the U.S., including ranked-choice voting (RCV) for state and local elections.

Since 1915, there have been more than 150 ballot measures to adopt or repeal ranked-choice voting systems. Ashtabula, Ohio, was the first jurisdiction to approve a ranked-choice voting measure in 1915.

RCV is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates on their ballots. RCV can be used for single-winner elections or multi-winner elections; when used for multi-winner elections, the system has also been called single-transferable vote or proportional representation. These terms were often used to describe multi-winner RCV before the 1970s. You can learn more about ranked-choice voting systems and policies here.

Local RCV ballot measures

See also: History of ranked-choice voting (RCV) ballot measures

Between 1965 and October 2025, 80 ranked-choice voting (RCV) local ballot measures were on the ballot in 59 jurisdictions in 19 states.

• Ballotpedia has located 72 local ballot measures to adopt RCV. Voters approved 57 (79.2%) and rejected 15 (20.8%).

• There were eight local ballot measures to repeal RCV. Voters approved four (50.0%) and rejected four (50.0%).

• The year with the most local RCV ballot measures was 2022, when nine were on the ballot in nine jurisdictions. Voters approved seven of them.

• The state with the most local ballot measures related to RCV is California, where there have been 13.

The following table shows the number of ranked-choice voting measures by policy direction.

Local ranked-choice vote measures by policy direction and outcome, 1965 - October 2025

Direction	Total	Approved	Approved (%)	Defeated	Defeated (%)
Adopt RCV	72	57	79.2%	15	20.8%
Repeal RCV	8	4	50.0%	4	50.0%
Total	80	61	76.3%	19	23.7%

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Oregon

This measure was recommended by the Multnomah County Charter Review Committee and placed on the ballot by a vote of the Multnomah County Board. The Multnomah County Home Rule Charter provides for a Charter Review Committee to meet every six years to study the charter and submit charter amendments to county voters. The review committee first met on September 28, 2021 and finished meeting on July 20, 2022. Its final report was presented on August 2, 2022.

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. Two states, 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 2022
• Local elections and campaigns ballot measures
• Local charter amendments ballot measures
• Multnomah County measures

Oregon

• Oregon 2022 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Oregon
• Multnomah County, Oregon

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

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