Information About People’s Utility District (PUD) Elections
- People’s Utility District (PUD) elections are held at the General Election in November of even-numbered years
- PUD directors are typically elected to 4-year terms
- Office terms are staggered, with half a district’s offices scheduled to be on the ballot every two years
- If a vacancy occurs, the board may appoint someone to fill the position through the next General Election. If the next election falls only two years into the original officeholder's term, the position will appear on the ballot as a 2-year unexpired term. The elected candidate will serve for the remainder of the original term, and then the position will be on the ballot again for a regular 4-year term.
- Elected terms begin the first Monday in January following November election
November 2026 General Election - Important Dates
- First day to file: July 16, 2026
- Deadline for elected incumbents to file candidacy: August 18, 2026, 5:00 pm
- Deadline for non-incumbents (new) and appointed incumbents to file candidacy: August 25, 2026, 5:00 pm
- Deadline to file Voters’ Pamphlet Candidate Statement: August 25, 2026, 5:00 pm
- Deadline to file candidate withdrawal (SEL 150): August 25, 2026
- Candidate Statement filings available for public inspection: August 31, 2026
- Election Day: November 3, 2026
Before Filing Your Candidacy for PUD Office:
- Confirm you meet the office’s legal qualifications
- To check whether you meet a residence qualification, search Multnomah County’s Voter Precincts map for your address and click on its surrounding precinct to see the list of districts in which it is located.
- Check when your office is scheduled to be on the ballot
- The schedule below shows regular election cycles. In July of even-numbered years, the Elections Division publishes a notice with all of the positions that will be on the November ballot, including any 2-year unexpired terms due to vacancies.
- Review the election’s filing deadlines
People’s Utility Districts (PUD)
Interlachen Water People’s Utility District Board
November 2026: Sub-Districts 2, 3
November 2028: Sub-Districts 1, 4, 5
Qualifications:
- Elector who resides in the sub-district
- Resident in the district continuously for two years immediately preceding the date of election
Positions are elected by voters registered in the sub-district.
Rockwood Water People’s Utility District Board
November 2026: Sub-Districts 2, 5
November 2028: Sub-Districts 1, 3, 4
Qualifications:
- Elector who resides in the sub-district
- Resident in the district continuously for two years immediately preceding the date of election
Positions are elected by voters registered in the sub-district.
Candidate Filing Process
The Elections Division is the candidate filing office for districts with their administrative offices located in Multnomah County. If you are filing for an office in a district that is located in more than one county, only file your candidacy with the district's candidate filing office.
- The Candidate Filing Guide provides more detailed information about filing processes and is updated prior to the opening of the filing period
- Schedule an appointment with the District and Candidate Specialist to discuss questions about the filing process
Filing Fee or Signature Petition
Candidate Filing Fee: $10
The filing fee can be paid with a credit/debit card, cash, or check payable to Multnomah County Elections. The Elections Division must receive the fee (or signature petition) by the applicable deadline for the filing to be accepted.
To file by signature petition instead of paying a filing fee:
- Original signature petition sheets with the required number of valid signatures must be received by the Elections Division by 5:00 pm on your candidate filing deadline
- Rockwood Water People’s Utility District: At least 25 signatures from electors residing in the office’s sub-district
Interlachen Water People’s Utility District: Signatures from at least 10% of electors residing in the office’s sub-district (Contact the Elections Division for voter registration numbers)
File Candidacy Online
The Multnomah County Elections Online Filing Portal is coming soon and will be available when the 2026 filing period opens.
Before filing candidacy online:
- Only file online if you are the candidate
- Prepare to provide information for required fields: contact information, occupation, occupational background, educational background, and prior government experience
- Have a credit or debit card ready (American Express is not accepted)
If you are filing by signature petition, your candidate filing form may be submitted online, but the original petition sheets must be filed in person or by mail
File Candidacy in Person or by Mail
Deliver the filing to Multnomah County Elections, 1040 SE Morrison St, Portland OR 97214.
- Candidate Filing Form (SEL 190)
- Ensure that all required fields are completed
- Verify that you have included both the district's name and the office's sub-district number
Mailed filings must be received by your filing deadline; postmarks do not count.
Voters’ Pamphlet Filing Process: Candidate Statement
Voters’ Pamphlet Candidate Statement Filing Fee: $25
Voters’ Pamphlet Filing Information (forms and instructions)
Each county produces its own Voters' Pamphlet. If an office is elected by voters in more than one county, a separate Voters’ Pamphlet filing and fee must be submitted to each county where the statement is to be printed.
Additional Candidate Resources & Information
Campaign Finance
Candidates and campaigns must comply with campaign finance regulations. State-level campaign finance reporting requirements may apply before you file to be listed as a candidate on the ballot. Review the State of Oregon Elections Division’s campaign finance resources as early as possible to understand your legal obligations.
- Campaign Finance Transparency & Education hub
- Register a candidate committee
- State Elections Division Manuals & Quick Guides
Candidate Order on the Ballot
Pursuant to state law (OAR 165-010-0090), the State of Oregon Elections Division produces a directive which provides the random alphabetic order in which candidate names will appear on the ballot. This directive is issued and delivered to counties no later than the 68th day before the date of any election. Once received, Multnomah County Elections places the directive on our website.
Candidate Withdrawal
If you have already filed your candidacy and would like your name removed from the ballot, you must file a Candidate Withdrawal Form (SEL 150) by the candidate withdrawal deadline.
If you are changing the position for which you are running, you must file a Candidate Withdrawal form before filing your candidacy for the new position.
Shared Districts that File with Other Counties
Filing Office: Columbia County Elections
- A portion of Columbia People’s Utility District, Sub-District 1 is located in Multnomah County. Check with the filing office for more information.