PORTLAND, Ore. (Portland Tribune) — The New Year rang in with a new Multnomah County Commission and new Portland City Council.
Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson replaced Chair Deborah Kafoury on Jan. 1. Pederson defeated Commissioner Sharon Meieran in the Nov. 3, 2022, general election. Kafoury could not run for reelection because of the county’s term limits.
Meieran remains on the commission, along with Susheela Jayapal, who was reelected in the May 17 primary election, and Lori Stegmann, who also ran for chair but lost in the primary.
Multnomah County will hold a special election on May 16 to fill Vega Pederson’s former seat. Candidates have until March 7 to file for for the position. If no one receives more than 50% of the vote, a run off election will be held on Nov. 7.
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In the meantime, Vega Pederson’s position will be filled by former state legislator Diane Rosenbaum, her interim designee. Rosenbaum said she will not run for the seat.
A public swearing-in ceremony will be held for Vega Pederson at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at the Multnomah County Central Library. Rosenbaum will be publicly sworn in at the commission’s regular Wednesday meeting.
Businessman and lawyer Rene Gonzalez joined the City Council on Jan. 1. He defeated incumbent Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty at the Nov. 3 general election.
A public swearing in ceremony will be held for Gonzalez on Jan. 13 at a location yet to be announced.
Returning to the council is Commission Dan Ryan, who was reelected at the May 17 primary election. Mayor Ted Wheeler and commissioners Mingus Mapps and Carmen Rubio were not up for election.