Where to File
Multnomah County Elections is the filing office for:
- Multnomah County measures or petitions
- Metro measures or petitions
- Local district (e.g. school, water, fire) measures or petitions
- Voters’ Pamphlet arguments for or against County, Metro, city or local district measures
If a district is located in more than one county:
- Measure and petition forms are only filed with the county where the district’s administrative office is located
- Voters’ Pamphlet measure arguments must be filed in each county where the argument is to be printed
City Elections Offices are the filing offices for city measures or petitions.
- For a measure to appear on the ballot, the city elections official must file a Measure of Notice Election with the County Elections Division by the applicable election filing deadline
The State Elections Division is the filing office for statewide measures or petitions and for Voters’ Pamphlet arguments for or against state measures.
Voters’ Pamphlet Measure Arguments
Every residential address in the County receives a Voters’ Pamphlet. Individuals and groups can file arguments to support or oppose local measures with Multnomah County Elections.
Voters’ Pamphlet Filing Information (forms and instructions)
Measure Referral by a Local Governing Body
Measure referral is a method a county, city, or district governing body can use to place a local law on the ballot for voters of the jurisdiction to decide.
Filing process overview:
- File the Ballot Title: The governing body files the ballot title with the Request for Ballot Title Publication Form (SEL 805), or referral text and request to draft a ballot title, with its filing office.
- Notify TSCC (if applicable): If the filing jurisdiction is a member of the Tax Supervising & Conservation Commission (TSCC) and the measure is a property tax measure, the governing body must notify TSCC 30 days before the measure filing deadline.
- Publish Receipt of Ballot Title: The filing office publishes a public notice that a ballot title has been received in a newspaper of general circulation. The ballot title text is also typically published on the filing office's website.
- Within seven business days of a ballot title being filed, any registered voter who is dissatisfied with it has the right to petition the circuit court for a review.
- File Notice of Measure Election: The governing body (or city elections official) must file a Notice of Measure Election containing the final ballot title and explanatory statement with the County Elections Division (using SEL 801 for County, SEL 802 for City, or SEL 803 for District).
Review the County, City, and District Referral Manual for deadlines, resources, and detailed process information. Requirements may be modified by the jurisdiction's Code or Charter.
Resource for property tax ballot titles: Tax Election Ballot Measures: A Guide to Writing Ballot Measures for Property Taxing Authority.
Initiative, Referendum, & Recall Petitions
Petition processes allow people to place a measure or recall election on the ballot.
Petitioners must gather enough qualified signatures from eligible voters for the issue to be placed on the ballot. The number of required signatures is a percentage of voters in the jurisdiction who cast ballots for Governor at the last election a candidate was elected to a full term.
Initiative Petition Process: Voters petition for a proposed law or local Charter amendment to be placed on the ballot.
Referendum Petition Process: Voters petition for a measure adopting or rejecting an ordinance or other legislative act recently passed by a local governing body to be placed on the ballot.
Recall Petition Process: Voters petition for the option to remove an individual from local public office prior to the expiration of their term to be placed on the ballot.
Initiative & Referendum Processes
The State Elections Division’s County, City, and District Initiative and Referendum Manual provides a general overview of these processes. The legal requirements for these processes may be modified by local law, which should be researched before beginning a petition process.
Multnomah County Initiatives and Referendums
Multnomah County Charter and Code modify the processes detailed in the State manual. Review the County’s Initiative Petition Procedures and Referendum Petition Procedures.
Signature requirements are based on 366,043 votes for Governor in Multnomah County at the November 2022 General Election.
Signatures required:
- Charter amendment initiative: 29,284 (8%)
- Ordinance initiative: 21,963 (6%)
Referendum: 14,642 (4%)
Metro Initiatives and Referendums
Metro Charter and Code modify the processes detailed in the State Manual.
Signature requirements are based on 746,463 votes for Governor in Metro (across Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties) at the November 2022 General Election.
Signatures required:
- Charter amendment initiative: 59,717 (8%)
- Ordinance initiative: 44,788 (6%)
Referendum: 29,859 (4%)
Other Local Districts
- Contact the county elections office where the district’s administrative office is located for the number of required signatures on a local district petition.
Contact the city elections official for the city’s petition requirements and the number of signatures required for a city petition.
Recall Process
A prospective petition to recall an official in elected office may be filed if they have served at least six months of their current term of office.
The State Election Division’s Recall Manual provides instruction for this process.
Signatures required:
- 15% of the total number of ballots cast for Governor in the official’s electoral district at the last election a gubernatorial candidate was elected to a full term.
- Multnomah County Chair, Sheriff or Auditor: 54,907
- Multnomah County Commissioner Dist. 1: 15,936
- Multnomah County Commissioner Dist. 2: 15,746
- Multnomah County Commissioner Dist. 3: 12,764
- Multnomah County Commissioner Dist. 4: 10,462
- City offices: contact the city’s elections official
Other local offices: contact Multnomah County Elections Division
Petition Log
MultCoCon-01
January 21, 2026
View records from previous petitions online through the Multnomah County Archives.