Bri Williams Leads District 2 Commission Race

Bri Williams currently leads the election for the District 2 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. Her lead expanded during a second round of vote tallying that occurred after midnight on Wednesday. At that point, she had received 53.4 percent of the votes.

This election marks the first time Multnomah County has used ranked-choice ballots. Under this voting system, a candidate must secure more than 50 percent of the vote to win outright. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the individual with the fewest votes is removed from the race. The votes for the eliminated candidate are then transferred to the voters' next highest ranked choice. This process can extend the time required to declare a winner if the margins are tight.

Seven candidates are competing to represent District 2. This district encompasses most neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland. The winner will succeed Commissioner Shannon Singleton, who is currently running for the position of county chair.

Williams works as a culturally specific mental health consultant for Albina Head Start. She previously held the same role while employed by the county’s Preschool for All program. Among her opponents is former county commissioner Serena Cruz, who received 46.7 percent of the votes after the second counting round.

The field also includes Nabil Zaghloul, the director of the county’s social services program. Other candidates are Herman Greene, a pastor and former member of the Portland Public Schools board, and Nathan Ong Norris, a hazardous waste technician. Election officials will continue to process the remaining ballots.