Portland voters reject participatory budgeting measure in early count

67% of counted ballots voted no on Portland Measure 26-267 as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The preliminary figures, released by Multnomah County election officials, indicate that the proposal to create a citywide participatory budgeting program is on track to fail. At the time of the release, approximately 36% of total ballots had been counted. The remaining 64% of votes in the county were still being processed.

The initiative, named “Your 2 Cents,” sought to amend the city charter to require the City Council to set aside at least 2% of General Fund discretionary ongoing expenses for projects chosen by residents. City officials estimated this allocation would equal approximately $16.4 million for the 2027-28 fiscal year. The funding would have started in that same fiscal year if the measure had passed.

Under the proposed rules, residents could submit ideas for projects at the citywide or district level. A group of city staff and budget delegates representing all council districts would then evaluate these ideas and narrow them down to a select number of feasible options. Residents would cast a binding vote on those final projects.

The measure left several operational details to be determined by the City Council after implementation. Specifics regarding the selection of budget delegates, resident qualifications for voting, and voting integrity safeguards were not defined in the text. Opponents, including Mayor Keith Wilson, argued that the city faces ongoing budget pressures that make the new commitment difficult to afford. They also expressed concern that the measure could shift funds away from existing services before the program’s rules were fully established.

If the measure had passed, the City Council would have been responsible for developing the specific rules and overseeing the program’s execution. The preliminary results released Tuesday evening do not yet reflect all votes cast in Multnomah County.