Where to File a Candidate Statement
To publish a Candidate Statement in the Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, or Yamhill County Voters’ Pamphlet, submit a Joint County Voters’ Pamphlet Candidate Statement (JCVP-01) filing and fee to the county’s elections office by 5 pm on the deadline day.
If the office’s jurisdiction or district is located in more than one county: Each County produces its own Voters’ Pamphlet. Submit a separate JCVP-01 filing and fee to the county elections office in each county where the statement is to be printed.
Filing Fees & Payment Options
- Special District & Metro candidates; City or County candidates at a special election:
- $25 - If the office has no salary or compensation beyond expenses
- $100 - If the office has a salary or compensation beyond expenses
- City & County candidates at a Primary or General Election:
- $25 - For offices with fewer than 1,000 eligible voters within the county
- $50 - For offices with 1,000 - 9,999 eligible voters within the county
- $100 - For offices with 10,000 - 49,999 eligible voters within the county
- $300 - For offices with 50,000 or more eligible voters within the county
Contact the county’s elections office or visit its website to determine a specific office’s Candidate Statement filing fee.
Payment Options: Credit/debit card, cash, and check are accepted.
How to File a Candidate Statement
JCVP forms can be filed in person, by mail, or electronically.
- A complete filing includes: a signed JCVP-01 form (required), the typewritten statement (required), portrait photo (optional), JCVP-02 Endorsement forms (when applicable), and the filing fee (required).
- The complete filing, including fee payment, must be received by the county elections office by 5 pm on the filing deadline day. Postmarks on mailed filings do not count.
- Filings without a signature or received after 5 pm on the filing deadline will be rejected.
- No changes can be made to the Candidate Statement, portrait, or Endorsements after 5 pm on the filing deadline.
Electronic Filers:
- Clackamas/Yamhill: Submit all materials as email attachments. Cloud-hosted documents (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox links) are not accepted.
- Multnomah: File online with Multnomah County
- Washington: File online with Washington County
In-person Filers:
Please provide electronic copies of 1) statement text to offer elections staff maximum time to review and identify any word count issues, and 2) portrait photo for better print quality.
- Clackamas/Washington/Yamhill: Email portrait and statement text (.doc or .txt format, or copy text into email body).
- Multnomah: Upload portrait and statement text (.doc or .txt format) using the link emailed to you after filing.
- If print and electronic copies differ, the original print version will be published unless an amendment is filed.
Note: Filing early offers Elections staff more time to notify you about issues with the word count, Endorsement forms, or portrait photo. Issues can be corrected until the 5 pm filing deadline.
Signature Requirements
The JCVP-01 form must be signed by the candidate or their authorized agent.
- Electronic signatures are accepted if they represent a true/”wet” signature.
- Digital signatures (digital certificates, typed fonts, etc.) are not accepted on printed, emailed, or uploaded forms.
Content & Formatting Requirements
- The statement’s combined Required and Optional Information text must not exceed 325 words/numbers. It must be typewritten and only include words/numbers.
- If the statement is over the limit, words exceeding the limit will be cut from the end.
- All statements must include information under these required headings: “Occupation”, “Occupational Background”, “Educational Background”, and “Prior Governmental Experience.” The rest of the statement is “Optional Information”.
- If you have no relevant experience, type the word “none” after the required heading.
- Required headings must be part of the statement, but do not count toward the word limit. Any words typed after the heading (including “none”) do count.
- Generally, anything with white space around it counts as a word.
- Bullet points and numbers in a numbered list do not count as words.
- Hyphenated words count as more than one word unless there is a dictionary-accepted spelling as a single word (e.g. re-elected and reelected).
- Ampersand (&) counts as one word.
- Website URL counts as one word.
- Hand-count the statement to ensure it meets the 325-word limit; word processors’ word counts vary.
- Proof the statement before filing. Elections staff will not correct errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar or syntax. No corrections are allowed after the filing deadline.
- If material in the statement violates ORS 251.415, the violating material will be removed from publication. You will be notified about the removal when possible.
Required Information Formatting
Required Information should be submitted and will be published in a standard format:
- Each required section is a run-on list, with items separated by commas, colons, or semicolons.
- Information is in plain text (no boldface, all caps, centering, underlining, bulleted list, etc.).
If you submit required information in a different format, it will be standardized for publication.
Optional Information Formatting
- “Optional Information” may use basic formatting (boldface, all caps, centering, underlining, bulleted/numbered lists).
- Italics may only be used when citing the source of a published quote; other uses will be changed to plain text.
- Custom formatting may be adjusted to fit text to available print space.
Endorsements
If a person or organization is named as an endorser or supporter in the statement, you must file a JCVP-02 Endorsement form signed by the endorser by 5 pm on the filing deadline or the name will be removed.
- Endorsement text should be included as part of the typewritten statement and does count toward the 325-word limit.
See the JCVP-02 forms for detailed instructions.
DocumentEndorsement Form, JCVP-02A (Determined by Filer) (212.02 KB)Document
Publicly Published Quotes
Material published publicly before the filing deadline may be quoted without an Endorsement form if the source and publication date are cited. The quote, source, and date count towards the 325-word limit. Use italics when citing the source and date.
Example: “The candidate would do great things in this position.” -Joe Smith, The Oregonian, 4/15/25.
Portrait Photo Requirements (ORS 251.075)
An optional portrait photo must meet these criteria:
- Headshot (shoulders to top of head) with a plain background.
- Recent (no more than 4 years old).
- Does not include hands, hat, sunglasses, or apparel/objects associated with any organization or affiliation.
- Electronic submissions must be a .jpg, .png, or .tif format.
Portraits will be reduced to 1.5” x 1.75” and printed on newsprint. The portrait must be filed with a JCVP-01 form and received by 5 pm on the filing deadline. The portrait will only be published if it meets requirements.
Changes & Amendments
Changes to the Candidate Statement, endorsements, or portrait photo may be made until 5 pm on the filing deadline. Submit an updated filing with a new, signed JCVP-01 form that has the “amended” box marked. No additional fee is required. No changes are permitted after the 5 pm filing deadline.
Contact Information
Clackamas County Elections
1710 Red Soils Ct., Suite 100, Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: 503-655-8510
Email: elections@clackamas.us
Multnomah County Elections
1040 SE Morrison St., Portland, OR 97214
Phone: 503-988-8683
Email: filings@multco.us
Washington County Elections
2925 NE Aloclek Dr., Suite 170, Hillsboro, OR 97124
Phone: 503-846-5800
Email: elections@washingtoncountyor.gov
Yamhill County Elections
414 NE Evans St., McMinnville, OR 97128
Phone: 503-434-7518
Email: elections@yamhillcounty.gov