PORTLAND, Ore. — Under Portland's new form of government, the mayor will be elected by a winner-take-all style of ranked-choice voting. The person who gets 50%-plus-1 will win and take office on Jan. 1.
Unlike the current system, the mayor is not part of the city council. They will only cast a vote to break ties when the city council is deadlocked on something.
But the mayor can introduce new laws, and they will hire the city administrator, with council approval, who will run the city government with the mayor's guidance. So, the mayor will have a fair amount of power.
Shoshana Oppenheim, the manager in charge of Portland's move to the new government, has studied the duties of the mayor.
"The first mayor elected by ranked-choice voting is going to come into the city with an agenda. So, advancing that agenda is going to be top of mind for the mayor," she said. "So, whether or not that's an agenda that includes revitalizing the downtown, economic future of the city, climate change, any of those initiatives — moving those initiatives both through the administration and advancing policy at the city council.
"Remember the mayor, while not a member of city council, can introduce legislation through the city council process, so they have initiatives. They're going to be working with their colleagues to not only advance their own policies but also to be sure they have support for their first budget."
Thus, the council will have a lot on their plate.
The mayor will also hire the police chief and the city attorney, although the council has to approve both choices. The mayor can fire them, as well.
Other duties include drawing up a yearly budget for the city, along with a statement about the condition of the city and the goals of the administration, as well as laws that could help reach those goals.
The mayor must also appear before the city council to deliver a yearly talk on the state of the city.
Portland's current mayor, Ted Wheeler, is not running for reelection. He said that the next mayor will be weaker because they will not have a veto over laws the council passes. However, Oppenheim disagrees.
"I think what the charter commission did was really devise a system that really asks the elected officials and our city administrator to work together to address the policy priorities of Portlanders," she said. "So, while they may not have a veto, that doesn't mean that they can't influence policy during the policymaking process.
"So, as things are moving through committee, as things are being advanced and developed by either their council colleagues or by their organization, they have the opportunity to influence that policy and make sure its policy that is implementable and achievable and addressing the concerns of Portlanders."