By Eileen Reavey
When voters in Portland, Oregon elected to change the structure of their city council in 2022, they were voting for better representation and a more accountable government. In January 2025, a new city council was sworn in after three councilors were elected from each of the four newly created districts using ranked choice voting, a system known as proportional ranked choice voting. This change led to a 12-member council made up of more women and people of color than ever, ensured geographic representation, and includes members across four generations – Gen Z to Baby Boomer.
The measure also changed what it means to be a city councilor. A councilor’s job is now to set policy and be accountable to constituents, rather than manage the day-to-day operations of various bureaus, as was true under the old system. It is clear this was the right move for the city, as the recently appointed Portland City Administrator announced that the city has found $106 million in unspent housing dollars. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson commented “Our transformation into a single, unified local government structure has brought budgetary concerns into sharp focus, and I look forward to collaborating with my Council on how to best serve Portland with these funds.” Council President Jamie Dunphy also credited the city’s new government structure for “unearthing these longstanding problems.”
As a Portlander who advocated for this new system of government, and as someone who worked to pass the 2018 Metro Housing bond to bring permanent affordable homes to 14,000 people across the Portland Metro area, I’m particularly proud of the new structure of city government today.
Eileen Reavey
Executive Director of Rank the Vote
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Rank the Vote, its members, supporters, funders, or affiliates.
