Proposed Amendments
The Charter Review Committee convenes every 6 years to review the County Charter and recommend amendments to the voters of Multnomah County. The below charts summarize the recommended amendments and whether or not they were approved by voters. For the full text of the amendments, please review the Charter, section 12.A “History of Multnomah County Home Rule Charter”
Amendments 1978-2022
2022 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
Make language in the County Charter gender neutral | Approved |
Change the Charter Review Committee’s membership requirements and selection process. Extend the Charter review timeline, address committee’s leadership structure, and add a public education and engagement process | Approved |
Establish ombudsperson function in the office of the Auditor | Approved |
Add language providing for the Auditor's timely, unrestricted access to information, records, and employees required to perform duties of Auditor. Add a requirement for “right-to-audit” clauses in contracts and subcontracts | Approved |
Require members of the Board of Commissioners to inspect county jail facilities at least once a year with the participation of constituents | Approved |
Adopt ranked choice voting in county elections for county offices by 2026 | Approved |
Extend voting rights in county elections, including to noncitizens, to the furthest extent allowed by law | Rejected |
2016 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
| Allow Commissioners to run for Chair without resigning | Approved |
| Campaign finance limits | Approved |
| New Charter Review Committee appointment process | Approved |
| Repeal County term limits and extend to three consecutive terms | Rejected |
| Change Sheriff from elected to appointed | Rejected |
2010 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
| Salary Commission sets Sheriff and DA salaries | Approved |
| Creates vacancy if commissioner ceases to reside in district | Approved |
| Limits vacancy elections to May or November elections | Approved |
| Form Library District | Approved |
| Repeal County term limits | Rejected |
| Repeal requirement that elected official running for another office midterm must resign | Rejected |
2004 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
| Resolve inconsistency & require county electeds to receive majority of votes | Approved |
| Require salary commission to set Chair & Commissioner salaries | Approved |
| Remove section barring county paid lobbyists | Approved |
| Amend County term limits from six to three years | Approved |
| Remove outdated reference regarding selection of replacement candidates | Approved |
| Repeal County term limits | Rejected |
| Repeal requirement that elected official running for another office midterm must resign | Rejected |
1998 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
| Repeal outdated sections of Charter | Approved |
| Repeal unneeded sections of Charter relating to county service districts | Approved |
| Amend section on Charter Review committee, appointed every six years | Approved |
| Reduce apportionment population differences of four Commissioner districts | Approved |
| Require designation of interim Commissioners, Chair, Sheriff & Auditor | Approved |
| Require Auditor to conduct performance audits | Approved |
| Repeal county term limits | Rejected |
| Repeal requirement that elected official running for another office midterm must resign | Rejected |
| Repeal bar on paid county lobbyist | Rejected |
| Permit different runoff election procedures | Rejected |
1990 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
| Require Board to fix Sheriff's salary not less than any member of Sheriff's Office | Approved |
| Change method of determining compensation of Chair & Commissioners - permits Board to establish salaries not exceeding recommendation of Salary Commissioner | Approved |
| Amend Charter Review Committee section to set deadline for appointments and committee report and election | Approved |
| Transfer county administrative functions from Chair to County Manager | Rejected |
| Repeal prohibition of hiring paid lobbyist | Rejected |
| Permit elected official to file for another office in last 18 months of term without resigning | Rejected |
| Repeal prohibition on serving more than two-consecutive terms in any 12-year period | Rejected |
1984 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
| Provide for a Board Chair elected at large and four commissioners, eliminated county executive | Approved |
| Change time requirements for apportionment by Auditor and deleted provision for ballot slogans | Approved |
| Permit County to obtain corporate surety bond for elected officials | Approved |
| Require auditor to appoint five-member salary commission | Approved |
| Amend procedures for filling vacancies in elected offices | Approved |
| Delete references to existing & past departments, clarified Board authority to create and alter administrative departments | Approved |
| Delete office of elected District Court Clerk | Approved |
| Delete office of elected County Clerk | Approved |
| Delete office of elected County assessor | Approved |
| Revise limitation on eligibility for elective office to two consecutive full four-year terms in any 12-year period | Approved |
| Revise duties of auditor - require internal audits, require response from electeds in writing | Approved |
| Delete requirement of voter authorization before Board could issue revenue bonds | Approved |
| Amend section related to primary elections | Approved |
| Amend Charter Review Committee membership and report deadline | Approved |
| Create Office of Citizen Involvement | Approved |
| Permit County to employ coordinator of governmental relations & repeal lobbyist prohibition | Rejected |
| Repeal prohibition against elected officials running for another office midterm | Rejected |
1978 Proposed Amendments
| Proposed Amendment Description | Vote Result |
|---|---|
| Create five districts, commisioners elected by districts for four year terms, Board action by majority present at meeting, presiding officer selected annually, commissioner residency, change county administrative authority from Board chair to elected county executive | Approved |
| Prevent refusal of employment or discrimination contrary to state law and Charter words in masculine gender also include the feminine | Approved |
| Amend Charter Review committee sections - membership, appointment timeline, scope of committee, report due date | Approved |
| Make all elective county offices non-partisan, with two or fewer candidates name on general election ballot, more than two candidates primary election ballot | Approved |
| Expand Board authority to authorize revenue bonds | Rejected |
Additional Information
To read the full text of the amendments, please review the Charter, section 12.A “History of Multnomah County Home Rule Charter.”
Additional materials from past Charter Review Committees, including notes, are available on the Past Charter Review Committee Archive page and through the Multnomah County Archives.