Three council seats in Portland’s District 4 are on the ballot in November.

That district includes all Portland neighborhoods west of the Willamette River along with the Southeast Portland neighborhoods of Reed, Eastmoreland, Sellwood-Moreland, and Ardenwald.

This will be the first city election following Portland’s first election under its brand new form of government, where all 12 council seats were up for grabs — and nearly 100 people were in the running. That was also the city’s first election that used ranked choice voting, where the winners are the three top-ranked candidates in each district.

This time, there are only six seats available: three council seats each in District 3 and District 4.

District 4 is the most affluent district in Portland and arguably the city’s most politically moderate. All three of its current city councilors are Democrats. One, Councilor Mitch Green, is a member of Portland’s Democratic Socialists of America branch, and is one of the most left-leaning councilors. The other two representatives — Councilors Olivia Clark and Eric Zimmerman — have some of the most moderate politics on council. All three are hoping to keep their seats.

Under Portland’s ranked choice voting system, it only takes a little over 25% of voters’ support to win a council seat, compared to more than 50% under the old system. According to political analysts, that lower bar could make it easier for incumbents — with name recognition and a base of support — to keep their seats.

Portlanders are feeling iffy about their new form of government. According to recent polling by the nonpartisan Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, 36% of people don’t feel represented by their city councilor, while 31% do. And 39% say Portland’s government is ineffective compared to the 22% who say it’s working. That poll found that District 4 voters care most about councilors improving emergency medical and fire services, homeless shelters, affordable housing and roads. If given a choice, they’d prioritize cutting spending on public art and cultural events.

In the 2024 election, District 3 saw above-average voter turnout in the city, at 76%. Citywide, only 71% of voters participated.

City council seats are nonpartisan. But most of the top District 4 candidates are registered Democrats. Twelve people will appear on the ballot.

OPB sifted through each candidate’s campaign website, voter pamphlet statement and for some, record on City Council, to help understand their history, support and goals.

The candidates

Clark has been council vice president since January, a position that gives her unique strategic oversight of the body. In her two-year term, she focused on improving safety at the city’s risky fuel storage hub and creating a strategic plan for maintaining the city’s crumbling — and costly — infrastructure. Her campaign priorities are improving police response and making the city more climate resilient. She’s notched endorsements from Mayor Keith Wilson and former Gov. John Kitzahaber, along with many top Democrats in the state Legislature. She’s been endorsed by both the police and fire unions, and a number of trade and public unions.

Zimmerman is one of Clark’s closest allies on council. As a councilor, he’s pushed for a more expedited permitting system for new construction and joined up with Wilson to lower taxes for small businesses. He’s also earned the endorsement of Wilson, Kitzhazber, and top Democrats in Salem — along with the support of police, fire and trade unions and some public labor groups. If elected a second term, Zimmerman promises to prioritize funding public safety, cutting taxes and fixing potholes.

Green has spent his time on city council lobbying for novel and, at times, controversial policies. That includes a plan to fund a new public affordable housing model called “social housing,” a ban on foie gras and fines for detention center landlords. He has proposed new taxes and jobs cuts to balance the city’s budget and led investigations into the city’s housing bureau budget and the city’s relationships with Zenith Energy, a company that operates a fuel terminal in Northwest Portland. Green has made headlines in recent months for starting a fire in his backyard while a burn ban was in place, not paying his property taxes last year and tweeting critically about Portland police before he was an elected official — which has added fuel to a well-funded campaign opposing his reelection. Yet Green has his supporters: his five progressive allies on City Council, a number of progressive members of the Legislature, public labor unions, and the Portland DSA.

The three incumbents have qualified for the city’s Small Donor Election program. Under that program, any candidates who commit to only accepting individual donations under $350 can have their donations matched by the city, up to a certain amount. To qualify, a candidate must raise donations from at least 250 people.

Along with the incumbents, four other candidates qualified for the program.

That includes Eli Arnold, a Portland police officer who narrowly lost a District 4 seat in the 2024 election. As a bike cop in downtown Portland, Arnold has spent much of his time focused on cracking down on high-volume fentanyl dealers and navigating ever-changing drug laws. Arnold is running to strengthen the city’s various public safety systems, improve and expedite the housing construction pipeline and make public transit free. Arnold has the support of former Portland Mayor Charlie Hales, the firefighters’ union and a moderate, business-led political advocacy group called Go Portland Go.

Jeremy Beausoleil Smith, who also qualified for the small donor program, is a construction manager at Portland State University. He’s running to protect renters’ rights, place the local power grid under public control, expand the city’s mental health crisis first response teams and turn Ross Island into a public ecological park. Beausoleil Smith has the support of environmental groups and PSU’s faculty union.

Jamey Evenstar, another small-donation program user, is running on her long record inside City Hall. Evenstar previously worked as chief of staff for District 1 Councilor Candace Avalos, and was a policy advisor for former city Commissioner Chloe Eudaly. She also worked as a city strategist in the years leading up to the city’s switch to a new form of government, helping make sure the transition went as voters intended. If elected, she wants to strengthen the government system she helped set in motion, improve renter protections, and reduce public transit costs. She’s been endorsed by Council President Jamie Dunphy and District 3 Councilor Angelita Morillo, public labor unions, environmental and racial justice groups, and other progressive political advocacy groups.

Jayne Cronlund also is relying on the city’s public-matching donation program. Cronlund is a nonprofit consultant who spent more than a decade leading a land conservancy nonprofit. She wants to bolster the city’s job market, stabilize the city’s strained parks systems and rebuild public trust in government. Cronlund has been endorsed by a number of community leaders, including former city Commissioner Amanda Fritz.

Four other candidates are in the running for District 4.

TJ Anderson is a university student and disability rights advocate. He’s running with a focus on reducing police call response times, addressing homelessness and supporting economic growth.

Josh Leake is the founder and executive director of the Portland Film Festival. He wants to tap federal funding to address the city’s substance abuse crisis, crack down on car break-ins and invest in the city’s arts economy. Leake ran for mayor in 2024.

TriMet technician John McDonald is running to make sure Portland’s biggest projects — the Moda Center renovation, the Interstate bridge replacement, updates to the public transit system — stay on track.

Musician and filmmaker Matt Schulte wants to turn vacant buildings downtown into energy infrastructure and overhaul the region’s response to homelessness.

John Goldsmith did not submit any information to the county voter guide.

Election Day is Nov. 3.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/07/portland-city-council-race-district-4/