Portland’s newly elected City Council convened for the first time last week, marking the official launch of the city’s revamped government structure. Councilors selected Elana Pirtle-Guiney as council president and Tiffany Koyama Lane as council vice president, a historic first for the 12-member legislative body.
Pirtle-Guiney emerged as council president after nine rounds of voting, breaking a stalemate between Councilors Candace Avalos and Olivia Clark. Her election highlighted the collaborative dynamics of the new council. “Thank you to my colleagues Councilors Clark and Avalos,” said Pirtle-Guiney, who represents District 2. “Stepping forward in a role like this is never something someone undertakes lightly. I look forward to working with both of you; you bring invaluable experience to the council.”
Koyama Lane, representing District 3, was chosen as council vice president. “I want to thank my colleagues for putting their faith in me,” she said. “I view this position as someone who spends time organizing this group and thinking about the health of us as a body of 12. My role is to help us remember why we’re here and how we move forward.”
Portland’s new government system separates legislative and administrative powers, addressing long-standing issues of representation and efficiency. While the City Council focuses on lawmaking and budget approval, Mayor Keith Wilson, working alongside the city administrator, oversees implementation and bureau management. The mayor, who is not a council member, can introduce legislation and break tie votes on non-emergency ordinances.
The change follows years of criticism of Portland’s previous government model, which allowed commissioners to simultaneously act as legislators and bureau administrators. This approach left sections of the city underrepresented as the population grew to over 600,000.
In 2022, an independent charter commission proposed significant reforms to the City Charter, which Portlanders approved in November of that year. Key changes included expanding the City Council from four to 12 members, introducing ranked-choice voting, and creating geographic districts.
November 2023 marked the first election under the new system, with voters selecting councilors for four districts, a mayor, and a city auditor.
“This is a big day, not just for Portland City Council and our new Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney and Vice President Tiffany Koyama Lane, but for all of Portland,” Mayor Wilson said during the meeting. “Together, we’ll face no shortage of decisions in the coming days, and I’m grateful for the people and potential this room represents. I’ve never been more optimistic about Portland’s council leadership and our ability to repair, restore, and revitalize the city we all love.”
