Early returns in Multnomah County show Commissioner Shannon Singleton leading the race for county chair, while Bri Williams is ahead in the contest for Singleton's District 2 commission seat, in the county's first election using ranked-choice voting.
Early returns show Singleton, who represents District 2 on the county board, leading fellow Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards and former commissioner Sharon Meieran in the nonpartisan race for county chair. Before joining the board in 2024, Singleton led the homeless service nonprofit JOIN and advised former Governor Kate Brown on housing policy. The county chair oversees a billion-dollar budget, more than 6,000 staff, and agencies including corrections and public health.
In the District 2 race, Bri Williams, a culturally specific mental health consultant for Albina Head Start, leads a field of seven candidates. The seat covers most North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods. Williams previously worked with the county's Preschool for All program. Other candidates include former county commissioner Serena Cruz, county social services program director Nabil Zaghloul, pastor and former Portland Public Schools board member Herman Greene, and hazardous waste technician Nathan Ong Norris.
This is the first election under ranked-choice voting in Multnomah County after voters approved the system in 2022. A candidate must receive over 50% of votes to win; if not, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes reallocated to voters' next-ranked choices. Close races could take longer to tally votes and declare a winner.
Singleton’s campaign has focused on investing in programs that get unhoused people into permanent housing, reducing the county’s reliance on contract work, and establishing a more transparent budgeting process. Brim-Edwards is a former Nike lobbyist and Portland Public Schools board member. Meieran is an emergency physician and former county commissioner. All three are registered Democrats.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The county chair oversees a $1 billion budget and critical services including corrections and public health, making the outcome central to local governance.
- The race will shape the county's approach to homelessness, a top issue for Portland voters, with Singleton emphasizing permanent housing solutions.
- The debut of ranked-choice voting could influence future local elections and might set a precedent for other Oregon counties considering the system.
Background
Multnomah County, Oregon's most populous county, elects a chair every four years to serve as its chief executive. Incumbent Chair Jessica Vega Pederson has held the role since 2022. In 2022, voters approved replacing primary elections with ranked-choice voting, and the 2026 election is the first to use the system. Under ranked-choice, if no candidate secures a majority, additional rounds of vote reallocation determine the winner.
Key Perspectives
- Shannon Singleton: Her campaign centers on investing in programs that get unhoused people into permanent housing, reducing reliance on contract work, and establishing a more transparent budgeting process.
- Julia Brim-Edwards: A former Nike lobbyist and Portland Public Schools board member; the sources provide no further detail on her campaign positions.
- Sharon Meieran: An emergency physician and former county commissioner; the sources provide no further detail on her campaign positions.
- Bri Williams: A culturally specific mental health consultant for Albina Head Start and former Preschool for All program worker; the sources provide no further detail on her campaign positions.
What to Watch
- Final vote tallies, which may take longer due to ranked-choice reallocation if no candidate reaches 50% initially.
- Whether any races require multiple rounds of vote reallocation to determine a winner.
- How the new voting system affects voter turnout and confidence in election results.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedEarly returns show Shannon Singleton leading the Multnomah County chair race.OPB: “Early returns show Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton leading the race for county chair over fellow Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards and former commissioner Sharon Meieran.”
- SupportedEarly returns show Bri Williams ahead in the District 2 commission race.OPB: “Early returns show Bri Williams leading the race for the District 2 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners.”
- SupportedThis is the first ranked-choice election in Oregon’s most populous county.OPB: “The county chair is essentially the CEO of the state’s most populous county, overseeing a billion-dollar budget, more than 6,000 staff, and critical government agencies — ranging from the county’s corrections department to its public health programs. While the job is largely administrative, previous chairs have used the commanding position to advance major policies, like tuition-free preschool or an overhauled regional approach to address homelessness. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson has held the role since 2022. This is a year of firsts for Multnomah County’s election system: In 2022, voters deci”
- SupportedSingleton represents District 2 on the county board.OPB: “As commissioner, she represents District 2, an area which includes most North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods.”
- SupportedBefore joining the board in 2024, Singleton led the homeless service nonprofit JOIN.OPB: “Before joining the county board in 2024, Singleton led the homeless service nonprofit JOIN, advised former Gov. Kate Brown on housing policy and briefly oversaw the county’s homeless services department.”
- SupportedBefore joining the board in 2024, Singleton advised former Governor Kate Brown on housing policy.OPB: “Before joining the county board in 2024, Singleton led the homeless service nonprofit JOIN, advised former Gov. Kate Brown on housing policy and briefly oversaw the county’s homeless services department.”
- SupportedThe county chair oversees a billion-dollar budget, more than 6,000 staff, and agencies including corrections and public health.OPB: “The county chair is essentially the CEO of the state’s most populous county, overseeing a billion-dollar budget, more than 6,000 staff, and critical government agencies — ranging from the county’s corrections department to its public health programs.”
- SupportedWilliams is a culturally specific mental health consultant for Albina Head Start.OPB: “Williams is a culturally specific mental health consultant for Albina Head Start, a role she also held working for the county’s Preschool for All program.”
- SupportedWilliams previously worked with the county’s Preschool for All program.OPB: “Williams is a culturally specific mental health consultant for Albina Head Start, a role she also held working for the county’s Preschool for All program.”
- SupportedWilliams is one of seven candidates for District 2.OPB: “Williams is one of seven candidates vying to represent District 2, which includes most North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods.”
- SupportedA candidate must receive over 50% of the vote to win under ranked-choice voting; if no one does, the lowest-polling candidate is eliminated and their votes transfer to voters’ next-ranked choice.OPB: “Under this system, a candidate must receive over 50% of the vote to win. If no one does, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are transferred to their voters’ next highest ranked candidate.”
- SupportedSingleton’s campaign focuses on permanent housing programs for unhoused people, reducing reliance on contract work, and more transparent budgeting.OPB: “Singleton’s campaign has centered on investing in programs that get unhoused people into permanent housing, reducing the county’s reliance on contract work and establishing a more transparent budgeting process.”