Information on Initiative, Referendum and Recall Petitions
Petition Process | Petition Log | Recall | Manuals & References
Initiative & Referendum Process and Information
Multnomah County Initiative and Referendum Petition Information - please note that the petition process is based on Multnomah Co. Charter and Code and differs from the process in the State's manual. Please contact Multnomah County Elections if you have any questions at elections@multco.us Multnomah County petitions are filed with Multnomah County Elections.
- Multnomah County Initiative procedures
- Multnomah County Referendum procedures
- Multnomah County petition signature requirements - Numbers based on total votes for Governor in Multnomah County: 289,670 (Nov 2014)
- Charter amendments initiative: 23,174 (8%)
- Ordinance initiative: 17,381 (6%)
- Referendum: 11,587 (4%)
- Initiative and Referendum Manual (PDF) - County, City & District (produced by the Oregon Secretary of State's office)
- Multnomah County Home Rule Charter (PDF)
- Multnomah County Code - Chapter 5: Elections
Petition Information for other Districts
- Metro petition signature requirements - Numbers based on total votes for Governor in Metro District (portions of Multnomah, Clackamas & Washington county): 569,396 (Nov. 2014) Metro petitions are filed with Multnomah County Elections
- Charter amendment by initiative: 45,552 (8%)
- Ordinance by initiative: 34,124 (6%)
- Petition by Referendum: 22,776 (4%)
- Special Districts (Community College, School, Water and Fire) - Petitions for Special Districts are filed with the county where the District administrative Headquarters are located.
- For special district initiative and referendum petition numbers, please contact Multnomah County Elections
- State of Oregon - for State of Oregon petitions please contact the Elections Division Oregon Secretary of State's office
- City initiative and referendum petition numbers, please contact the city elections clerk. City petitions are filed with the City Elections/Recorder for each city.
- Link to petition filings City of Portland and State of Oregon
Initiative & Referendum Petition Log
- Active Petition Information
- MultCoInit-07
- 01/08/2018 - Prospective Petition MultCoInit-07 (44.9 KB)
- 01/09/2018 - Notice of Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement - MultCoInit-07
- 01/24/2018 - Approval letter for Circulation - MultCoInit-07 (68.5 KB)
- MultCoInit-07
- Historical Petition information
- MultCoinit-06
- 11/30/2017 -
Prospective Petition MultCoInit-06 (80.05 KB)
- 12/12/2017 - Notice of Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement - MultCoInit-06
- 12/12/2017 -
Amended SEL 370 - MultCoInit-06 (73.5 KB)
- 3/5/2018 - Withdrawal form - MultCoInit-06 (56.46 KB)
- 11/30/2017 -
- MultCoInit-05
- Prospective Petition MultCoInit-05 (143.09 KB)
- Withdrawal form - MultnCoInit-05 (37.19 KB)
- MultCoInit-04
- 4/3/2017 - Prospective Petition MultCoInit-04 (331.81 KB)
- 4/13/2017 - MultCoInit-04 Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement (106.77 KB) - Ballot title and explanatory statement received from County Attorney's Office.
- Notice of Multnomah Co Initiative Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement - MultCoInit-04
- 04/25/2017 - Challenge #1 to ballot title & explanatory statement - MultCoInit-04 (512.81 KB)
- 05/04/2017 - Response to ballot title challenge - MultCoInit-04 (321.77 KB)
- 6/08/2017 - SEL 307 and amended SEL 370 - MultCoInit-04 (65.19 KB)
- 6/13/2017 - Amended SEL 370 MultCoInit-04 2017-06-13 (38.42 KB)
- 6/15/2017 - Order denying petitioners challenge to the ballot title & explanatory statement for initiative MultCoInit-04 (209.13 KB)
- 6/20/2017 - Approval letter for Circulation - MultCoInit-04 (69.67 KB)
- MultCoInit-03
- 6/7/2016 - Prospective Petition MultCoInit-03 (302.68 KB)
- Amended Prospective Petition MultCoInit-03 (433.1 KB)
- 6/17/2016 - Notice of Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement for MultCoInit-03
- 6/29/2016 - Challenge #1 to ballot title & explanatory statement - MultCoInit-03 (346.75 KB)
- 6/29/2016 - Challenge #2 to ballot title & explanatory statement - MultCoInit-03 (789.7 KB)
- 8/1/2016 - Initiative Ballot Title Decision by Judge Nelson (804.23 KB)
- 3/1/2017 - Withdrawal form SEL 375 - MultCoInit-03 (53.04 KB)
- 6/7/2016 - Prospective Petition MultCoInit-03 (302.68 KB)
- MultCoInit-02
- 5/10/2016 - Prospective Petition MultCoInit-02 (448.24 KB)
- 5/20/2016 - Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement - MultCoInit-02 (21.64 KB)
- 6/03/2016 - Approval letter for Circulation with forms - MultCoInit-02 (196.18 KB)
- MultCoInit-01
- 04/23/2015 - Prospective Initiative Petition Filing (145.77 KB)
- 05/06/2015 - Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement for Initiative Petition MultCoInit-01 (101.59 KB)
- 06/02/2015 - Approval Letter for Circulation MultCoInit-01 (71.67 KB)
- Circulation Forms MultCoInit-01 (163.04 KB)
- Amended Circulation Forms - MultCoInit-01 (170.81 KB)
- MultCoInit-01 Withdrawal (27.69 KB)
- MultCoRef-01 (Multnomah County Referendum)
- 12/23/2013 - Prospective Referendum Petition Filing (1.72 MB) filed.
- 12/31/2013 - Determination Letter 12-31-2013 (30.5 KB) sent to petitioner.
- 01/07/2014 - Stipulated order - MultCoRef-01 (32.99 KB) signed.
- 01/08/2014 - Circulation Approval Letter MultCoRef-01 (38.18 KB) sent to petitioner for prospective referendum MultCoRef-01
- 03/03/2014 - Referendum decision MultCoRef-01 by Judge Bloch (982.09 KB)
- 7/29/2015 - Appeal dismissed by Court of Appeals
- Metro Init-01 (Metro Initiative)
- Prospective Petition - The Local College Affordability Measure - received 1/29/2016
- Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement - submitted by Metro Attorney 2/12/2016
- Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement for Initiative Petition MetroInit-01 (25.33 KB)
- Notice of Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement
- Ballot Challenge #1 - Ballot Title (1.71 MB) / Ballot Challenge #1 - Explanatory Statement (1.77 MB)- filed with Multnomah County Circuit Court on 2/24/2016 related to ballot language.
- Ballot Challenge #2 (271.16 KB) - filed with Multnomah County Circuit Court on 2/24/2016 related to single subject determination.
- Notice of Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement
- Circulation approval letter for Metro Init-01 (22.48 KB)
- Related documents for Metro Init-01 (412.99 KB)
- Ballot Title & Explanatory Statement for Initiative Petition MetroInit-01 (25.33 KB)
- MultCoinit-06
Recall Petition Process and Information
A public officer in an elective office may be recalled, whether elected or appointed. This is done by filing a prospective recall petition with the appropriate Elections official. City recall petitions are filed with the City Elections official. County, Metro and other Special District recall petitions located in Multnomah County are filed with Multnomah County Elections.
The prospective petition may be filed if the public office holder has served at least six months of the current term of office. The signature requirement is 15% of the total number of votes cast in the public officer’s electoral district for all candidates for Governor at the last election at which a candidate for Governor was elected to a full term. The Chief Petitioner has 90 days from filing the prospective to collect and turn in those signatures.
Review the Campaign Finance Manual for recall reporting requirements.
- Recall Steps and Timeline Recall Steps & Timeline (24.66 KB) (PDF)
Multnomah County Recall Petition Signature Requirements
- Chair: 43,451 (15% of 289,670 votes cast for Governor - Nov 2014)
- Commissioner Dist. 1 13,456 (15% of 89,705 votes cast for Governor - Nov 2014)
- Commissioner Dist. 2: 12,122 (15% of 80,814 votes cast for Governor - Nov 2014)
- Commissioner Dist. 3: 9,886 (15% of 65,902 votes cast for Governor - Nov 2014)
- Commissioner Dist. 4: 7,988 (15% of 53,249 votes cast for Governor - Nov 2014)
- Sheriff: 43,451 (15% of 289,670 votes cast for Governor - Nov 2014)
- Auditor: 43,451 (15% of 289,670 votes cast for Governor - Nov 2014)
Petition Signature Requirements for other Districts
- For special district recall petition numbers, please contact Multnomah County Elections.
- For city recall petition numbers, please contact the city elections clerk.
Manuals and References
Manuals
State Manuals - All of the manuals published by the Elections Division are available online.
Forms
Election forms - available from Oregon Secretary of State's office
References
- Multnomah County Charter
- Multnomah County Code - Elections
- ORS 255 - Special District Elections & Administrative Rules for Initiative, Referendum and Recall
- Oregon Constitution
- Metro Charter & Code
- Links to City charter/code: Fairview, Gresham, Lake Oswego, Maywood Park, Portland, Troutdale and Wood Village.