NOTICE OF BALLOT TITLE AND EXPLANATORY STATEMENT FOR MULTNOMAH COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT – APPOINTED SHERIFF
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a ballot title and explanatory statement for a Multnomah County Charter Amendment has been filed with the Multnomah County Director of Elections to be referred to voters in Multnomah County, at the November 8, 2016 General Election. Any registered voter dissatisfied with the Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement may file a petition with the Multnomah County Circuit Court for review on or before 5:00 PM, August 16, 2016. Any person filing a challenge must also file a copy of the challenge with the Director of Elections, 1040 SE Morrison St., Portland, by the end of the next business day after the petition is filed with the Circuit Court.
Ballot Title:
Caption: Amends Charter, changes elected sheriff position to appointed department head.
Question: Shall the Charter be amended to change from an elected to an appointed sheriff, effective January 1, 2019?
Summary: The office of sheriff is currently an elected position. This measure proposes to change the office to an appointed position effective January 1, 2019. The sheriff would be appointed in the same manner as other county department heads, and serve as the head of the sheriff’s department. Currently the charter provides that the county chair has sole authority to appoint, order, direct and discharge administrative officers of the county, including department heads. Appointment of department heads is subject to consent of a majority of the board of county commissioners. The sheriff would continue to perform all functions of a county sheriff as prescribed by state law and continue to have sole administration of all county jails and correctional institutions. Because the sheriff would no longer be an elected official, the sheriff would not: (1) be required to be an elector of Multnomah County; (2) be subject to term limits or other requirements unique to elected officials; (3) have a salary set by the salary commission.
Explanatory Statement:
The office of sheriff is currently an elected position. This measure proposes to change the office from an elected position to an appointed position effective January 1, 2019. The position of sheriff would be appointed in the same manner as all other county department heads within the county. Currently the charter provides that the county chair has sole authority to appoint, order, direct and discharge administrative officers of the county, including department heads. Appointment of department heads is subject to the consent of a majority of the board of commissioners. The sheriff would serve as the head of the sheriff’s department. An appointed sheriff would continue to perform all functions of a county sheriff as prescribed by state law and continue to have sole administration of all county jails and correctional institutions.
This amendment also requires an amendment to Charter section 4.30 relating to compensation of elected county officials. As an elected official, the compensation of the sheriff is set by the Salary Commission. As an appointed official, the salary of the sheriff would be set in the same manner as all department heads of the county.
The sheriff would no longer be subject to the qualifications required of elected officials, meaning the sheriff would not have to be an elector of the county and would not be required to be eligible to be bonded.
Tim Scott, Multnomah County Director of Elections