2026 Voters’ Pamphlet Filing Deadlines
May 2026 Primary Election:
- Candidate Statement: March 12, 2026, by 5:00 pm deadline
- Measure Argument: March 23, 2026, by 5:00 pm deadline
November 2026 General Election:
- Candidate Statement: August 25, 2026, by 5:00 pm deadline
Measure Argument: September 8, 2026, by 5:00 pm deadline
How to File
Local candidate statements and measure arguments are filed with county elections offices.
- Each county produces its own Voters' Pamphlet. If a district is located in more than one county, a separate filing and fee (or petition, if allowed) must be submitted to each county where the statement or argument is to be printed.
- Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Yamhill counties all accept the Joint County Voters' Pamphlet filing forms. Check with each county about submission processes.
- If your district has voters registered in any other county, contact that county's elections office for information about its Voters' Pamphlet.
- Federal and state offices, including Multnomah County District Attorney, and arguments about state ballot measures, are filed with the State Elections Division.
A complete filing must include:
- Signed filing form
- Statement or argument text (must be 325 or fewer words)
- Filing fee (or signature petition, when allowed)
Optional filing materials:
- Candidate photo
Endorsement forms
File Online
The Multnomah County Elections Online Filing Portal will be available by March 2, 2026. If you are filing before then, you may email a copy of Voters' Pamphlet filing with a signed JCVP form to filings@multco.us and pay your filing fee with a credit/debit card over the phone (503-988-VOTE). All filing materials and the fee must be received by the filing deadline.
Before you file online using the Filing Portal:
- Read the Joint County Voters’ Pamphlet instructions for Candidates or Measure Arguments carefully
- Only file online if you are legally responsible for the submission (the candidate, the candidate’s agent, or the argument furnisher)
- Prepare your statement or argument text in a word processor before you begin filling out the online form.
- You will be able to easily copy and paste text into the form, and keep your own copy of your material.
- If you have more than 10 Endorsement forms, put them in a ZIP file (preferred) or a single PDF
Have a credit or debit card ready (American Express is not accepted)
File In Person or By Mail
Submit a hard copy filing with a Joint County Voters’ Pamphlet Form (JCVP) in person or by mail at Multnomah County Elections, 1040 SE Morrison St., Portland, OR 97214.
Note: JCVP forms are subject to periodic changes and revisions. Previously published versions of the JCVP forms will still be honored and accepted for filing if properly completed.
Before you file in person or by mail:
- Read instructions attached to the JCVP forms carefully
- In person: Have cash, check, or credit/debit card (American Express not accepted) for your fee
- By mail: Include a check payable to Multnomah County Elections for your fee
- If filing endorsements, print forms and arrange them in the order listed in your statement
- Candidates: Provide a printed reference copy of your photo, even if you will be submitting an electronic copy
- All filers: For faster review, and higher-quality photo resolution (for candidates), upload electronic copies of your text and/or photo using the link in the confirmation email you receive after submitting the original filing
- If the print and electronic copies differ, the print version will be published unless an amendment is filed
Measure arguments: A contact person designated by the argument furnisher on the JCVP-03 form will receive a link to upload argument text or corrected/new endorsement forms, but only the furnisher can file an amendment to the argument text online
Endorsement Forms
If you name a person or organization as a supporter or endorser in your Candidate Statement or Measure Argument, you must file a JCVP-02 Endorsement form signed by the endorser. If the Elections Division doesn’t receive a signed form by the deadline, the name will be removed from your statement/argument.
Electronic signatures on JCVP-02 Endorsement forms are accepted if they represent a true/“wet” signature. Typewritten fonts, even those with a digital certificate, will not be accepted.
You do not need an Endorsement form to:
- Publish your name (if you are the candidate or furnisher)
- Cite a publicly available published quote
- Use a name for reasons other than support (e.g. referencing a historical figure)
Note: JCVP forms are subject to periodic changes and revisions. Previously published versions of the JCVP forms will still be honored and accepted for filing.
Filing Fees & Signature Petitions
Multnomah County Candidate Statement Fees*
| Candidate's District | Fee Amount |
|---|---|
| Multnomah County, City of Portland, City of Gresham | $300 |
| Metro, City of Troutdale | $100 |
| City of Fairview, City of Lake Oswego, City of Wood Village | $50 |
| City of Maywood Park | $25 |
| All other districts (community college, education service, school, fire, water, soil & water conservation, people's utility, and Urban Flood Safety & Water Quality) | $25 |
*Special election fees may vary
Measure Argument Fees
Measure argument fees are based on the number of district voters registered in the county. Contact the county elections office for voter registration numbers.
| Number of District Voters in Multnomah County | Fee Amount |
|---|---|
| 25,000 or more voters | $400 |
| 10,000 to 24,999 voters | $350 |
| 5,000 to 9,999 voters | $250 |
| 1,000 to 4,999 voters | $200 |
| Fewer than 1,000 voters | $100 |
Measure Argument Signature Petition
Measure arguments can be filed by signature petition (JCVP-04) instead of a fee. Contact the Elections Division for more information on signature petitions
How to Amend a Voters' Pamphlet Filing
Filings can be amended online or in person, regardless of how they were originally submitted. No changes can be made after 5:00 pm on the day of the filing deadline.
How to Amend Online
If you are amending your filing before the Filing Portal is available, you may email a signed copy of the JCVP-01 or JCVP-03 form along with the changes to your filing to filings@multco.us.
Online Filing Portal
If you file after the Filing Portal is available: After submitting the original filing, the candidate or measure argument furnisher will receive an email with a Reference ID specific to that filing and a link to the Multnomah County Elections’ Filing Portal.
In the Filing Portal, select the “amend” option for the filing type and enter the Reference ID and email address when prompted. Please note: Ensure the correct Reference ID is entered if you have submitted multiple filings.
- If the original was filed online: The candidate or measure argument furnisher can directly edit previously submitted text and upload new files (endorsements or candidate photo).
- Please note: Files uploaded and submitted as part of the original filing will not be viewable or accessible when filing an amendment. Do not reupload files that have been previously submitted.
If the original was filed in person or by mail: Some information from the print copy form will be entered online, and some text boxes will indicate in-person filing. To amend, delete the default text and type in (or copy and paste) the text as it should be printed in the Voters’ Pamphlet.
How to Amend In Person
Bring a hard copy of your amended filing to Multnomah County Elections.
- Amended statement/argument text or a new candidate photo must be accompanied by a signed JCVP form with the “amended” box checked
There is no need to resubmit endorsement forms or portrait photo that were filed with the original unless changes have been made to those documents
Filing Review and Notification of Issues
The filer is responsible for an error-free submission, but early filing offers elections staff more opportunity to review and notify the filer about issues with the filing.
If an issue is identified before the filing deadline, the filer can correct the issue until the 5:00 p.m. deadline. If an issue is identified after the 5:00 p.m. filing deadline, the filer will be informed, but unable to make changes or corrections.
We do not review filings for spelling, grammatical, or syntax errors.