Singleton Leads Multnomah County Chair Race in Initial Returns

Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton is leading the race for county chair in early returns, according to initial results from the November 3 election. The race pits Singleton against fellow Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards and former commissioner Sharon Meieran.

Singleton previously led the homeless service nonprofit JOIN and advised former Gov. Kate Brown on housing policy. She joined the county board in 2024 and now represents District 2, which includes most North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods. Her campaign has focused on investing in permanent housing for the unhoused, reducing reliance on contract work, and creating a more transparent budgeting process.

The county chair role functions as the CEO of the state’s most populous county. The position oversees a billion-dollar budget and more than 6,000 staff members. It also directs critical government agencies, including the corrections department and public health programs. Previous chairs have used the office to advance major policies such as tuition-free preschool and regional homelessness initiatives.

Jessica Vega Pederson has held the chair position since 2022. All three candidates in this race are registered Democrats, although the position is nonpartisan. Brim-Edwards served as a former Nike lobbyist and Portland Public Schools board member. Meieran is an emergency physician and former county commissioner.

This election marks the first use of ranked-choice voting in Multnomah County since voters adopted the system in 2022. Under these rules, a candidate must receive over 50% of the vote to win. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their ballots are transferred to the next preferred choice. This process may take additional time to complete if the race is close.