On Tuesday, May 17, 2016, an election was held in Portland, Oregon, to elect the mayor. Ted Wheeler was elected after garnering 54% of the primary vote. Incumbent mayor Charlie Hales did not seek a second term.

Portland uses a nonpartisan system for local elections, in which all voters are eligible to participate. All candidates are listed on the ballot without any political party affiliation.

Fifteen candidates competed in a blanket primary election on May 17, 2016. As Ted Wheeler garnered 54% of the vote, a scheduled November 8 runoff election, scheduled in case that no candidate received an absolute majority, did not take place. Jules Bailey was the first runner-up in the primary, receiving 16% of the vote.

Primary

Candidates

David C. "The Ack" Ackerman, dishwasher and photographer Jules Bailey, Multnomah County Commissioner and former state representative Bruce Broussard, business owner and host of Oregon Voter Digest Patricia Ann "Patty" Burkett", student Eric Alexander Calhoun, home care worker Philip "Sean" Davis, author, professor, and firefighter Bim Ditson, small business owner, community organizer, drummer Steven Entwisle, kayaktivist Deborah Harris, business employment specialist Lewis E. "Lew" Humble, retired mechanic Sarah Iannarone, restaurateur Trevor Manning, equity internCandidate – Trevor Manning (Office of City Auditor Mary Hull Caballero) David Schor, attorney Jessie Sponberg, community activist Ted Wheeler, state treasurer of Oregon

Declined to run Marissa Madrigal, Multnomah County commissioner Jennifer Williamson, state representative

Withdrawn The deadline for withdrawing from the race was March 11, 2016. Incumbent mayor Charlie Hales was widely seen as the frontrunner in the election, announcing his bid for re-election in March 2015. In an unexpected move in October 2015, however, Hales announced he would drop his re-election bid and focus on running the city during his final year in office. Charlie Hales, Mayor of Portland

Polling

Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Jules Bailey Charlie Hales Ted Wheeler Other UndecidedDHM ResearchDHM Research May 6 – 9, 2016 402 ±4.9% 9% – 33% 15%Among the other candidates, 4% of support went to Broussard, 2% to Iannarone, and 1% to Burkett, Calhoun, Ditson, Davis, Schor, Sponberg, Ackerman, Harris, and Entwisle. 0% went to Manning and Humble. 43%KATU/SurveyUSAKATU/SurveyUSA March 28 – April 1, 2016 576 ±4.2% 8% – 38% 22%Among the other candidates, 4% of support went to Ackerman and Burkett, 3% to Broussard, 2% to Davis, Harris, Humble, and Iannarone, and 1% to Calhoun, Ditson, and Schor. 0% went to Manning and Sponberg. 31%Patinkin Research StrategiesPatinkin Research Strategies December 9–13, 2015 400 ±4.9% 38% – 35% 1% 26%Lake Research PartnersLake Research Partners August 29 – September 2, 2015 400 ±4.9% – 21% 34% 1% 44%

Forum + 2016 Portland mayoral election candidate forum Date Host Moderator Link Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan NonpartisanKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Jules Bailey Bruce Broussard Sean Davis Sarah Iannarone David Schor Ted Wheeler1 Apr. 20, 2016 KOINThe Portland Tribune Jeff Gianola YouTube

Results

See also

2016 Portland, Oregon City Commission election

References