Portland’s new voting districts, near approval, could reshape power

The future of Portland’s political landscape is beginning to materialize.

A City Council-appointed commission all but approved a final plan Wednesday night to divide Portland into four geographic voting districts. A final vote Monday is expected to kick off a particularly unique election season.

The resulting map illustrates how Portland’s coming government makeover may truly weaken the long-held political influence certain wealthier neighborhoods have enjoyed for decades — while empowering people in other parts of Portland that have historically held little sway over City Hall.

Portlanders voted a year ago to overhaul their form of government, which elects commissioners citywide and gives them the power to be legislators — crafting policy — and to run city agencies — executing those policies. The new plan expands the City Council to 12 members and divides Portland into four political districts. Under the new structure, voters will elect three council members to represent each district. These council members, who must live in their district, will solely serve as legislators and will no longer be responsible for overseeing city departments.

A 13-person Independent District Commission has worked on drafting the new political maps since January. After months of research and public hearings, the group settled on final district lines Wednesday. The group will hold its official vote on Monday, and doesn’t need City Council’s approval.

Independent District Commission member Josh Laurente called the decision “historic,” in an interview with OPB.