An image of Portland's new district map approved by the Independent District Commission on August 16, 2023
Courtesy of the City of Portland
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In November, Portland voters will be electing city council members to represent them by district, instead of through a citywide vote. This voter-approved restructuring, which creates four new districts, was established to improve representation in parts of the city that have been long ignored in City Hall. That isn’t the case for District 4.
District 4, which encompasses all of Portland west of the Willamette River, has historically been overrepresented on the council. Candidates from these neighborhoods — the city’s wealthiest — have been far more successful at bankrolling citywide campaigns, meaning there’s been a consistent advocate for this district since Portland’s government formed. Under this new system, district residents will be able to elect three people to represent them on council — same as the three other districts east of the river.
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The district isn’t limited to westside neighborhoods. To ensure each district’s population was about the same size (around 163,000), the committee that mapped the city’s new districts was forced to include some eastside residents. Which means that, along with Downtown, Multnomah, the Pearl District and Linnton neighborhoods, District 4 will include the Southeast Portland neighborhoods of Reed, Eastmoreland, Sellwood-Moreland, and Ardenwald.
The sprawling district is home to Portland landmarks like Forest Park, the Oregon Zoo, the Keller Auditorium, Pioneer Courthouse Square, and Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. District 4 is represented by two school districts: Portland Public Schools and Riverdale.
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Along with being the wealthiest district — residents make a median annual income of $94,000 — it’s also the whitest. Nearly 80% of the district identifies as white, with 4% identifying as Black, 7% identifying as Latino, and 9% identifying as Asian. It’s also the oldest district. Out of the four districts, District 4 is home to the fewest households with children, bumping its median age to 40.
District 4 also has the most new Portlanders out of the four districts. According to recent U.S. Census data, 13% of its residents moved to Portland within the past year. That number is 7% for the three other districts.
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The 30 candidates running to represent District 4 reflect its demographic makeup, with only five candidates who identify as a person of color. Those running bring varied backgrounds to the race, including a chess coach, a water bureau engineer, a police officer, an architect, and a model.
Read how Portland’s District 4 candidates answered our candidate questionnaire:
Patrick Cashman: Cashman did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
Raquel Coyote: Coyote did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
Mike DiNapoli: DiNapoli did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
Kelly Doyle: Doyle did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
Brandon Farley: Farley did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
John J Goldsmith: Goldsmith did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
Kevin Goldsmith: Goldsmith did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
Lee Odell: Odell did not submit answers to the questionnaire.
L Christopher Regis: Regis did not submit answers to the questionnaire.