Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Gresham Mayor & City Council Election 2026

4 of 7

council seats up

4 contests

10 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Mayor · 1 seat

Sue PiazzaBusiness coach and travel consultant who has served six years on the Gresham City Council. She is a past council president and past president of the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce.13sourced
Travis StovallIncumbentMayor of Gresham since 2021 and a business owner. He is a former executive director of the East Metro Economic Alliance and served on the TriMet board from 2012 to 2020.11sourced

City Council Position 2 · 1 seat

City Council Position 4 · 1 seat

City Council Position 6 · 1 seat

Each contest is citywide: every Gresham voter can vote for mayor and for Positions 2, 4 and 6, and the candidate with the most votes wins each one.

4 notes on these statements

Sue Piazza's current term in Council Position 5 runs from January 2025 to December 2028. City of Gresham

Incumbent Councilor Eddy Morales (Position 2) did not file for reelection. The Outlook · Oct 1, 2026

Incumbent Councilor Jerry Hinton (Position 4) did not file for reelection. The Outlook · Sep 28, 2026

Neither Janine Gladfelter nor Dan Miller attended the Sept. 17 Rockwood Neighborhood Association candidate forum; Janine Gladfelter submitted a statement read on her behalf. Joshua Al-Jaouni was the only Position 4 candidate who did not attend. The Outlook · Sep 18, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Kayla BrownCouncilor, Position 1; term ends December 20287sourced Cathy KeathleyCouncil President, Position 3; term ends December 20287sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz6 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesCity budget and fees, Groundwater switch and water rates, Police and fire levy Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Voter registration deadline

Tue, Oct 13, 2026

All key dates

What the next council decides

City budget and fees

Where it standsThe council adopted the 2026/27 city budget on June 9, 2026, by a 4-2 vote, and in February 2026 moved the Police, Fire and Parks fee into a council resolution.

What's on the tableThe new council will adopt each year's budget and set city fees, including the monthly Police, Fire and Parks fee.

The council adopted the 2026/27 budget 4-2; Councilors Keathley and Piazza voted no and Councilor Morales was absent. City of Gresham, City Council Action Summary, June 9, 2026 · Jun 9, 2026
Gresham's property tax rate is $3.61 per $1,000, and in 2024 voters approved a five-year levy at $1.35 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value. City of Gresham
The city updated its monthly Police, Fire and Parks fee to $15. City of Gresham
City staff said the Police, Fire and Parks fee will be proposed to be indexed so revenue keeps pace with rising staffing costs. City of Gresham, City Council meeting packet, Feb. 3, 2026 · Feb 3, 2026

Groundwater switch and water rates

Where it standsIn March 2026 Gresham finished moving from Portland's Bull Run water to a locally controlled groundwater system, and residents have complained about taste, smell and hardness.

What's on the tableThe council will oversee the new water system and set future water rates.

In March 2026, the city completed a six-year transition from the Portland Bull Run Reservoir water system to a locally sourced and controlled groundwater system. City of Gresham
The city estimates that by 2030 buying Bull Run water would have cost about $15 million a year, compared with about $7.5 million in groundwater-related costs. City of Gresham
The new groundwater is harder than Bull Run water, and the hardness is permanent. Your Oregon News (The Outlook) · Jul 24, 2026
The water rate package before the council in June 2026 includes 5.0% rate adjustments each January 1 from 2028 through 2032. City of Gresham, City Council meeting packet, June 2, 2026 · Jun 2, 2026

Police and fire levy

Where it standsVoters approved a five-year police and fire levy in May 2024; it pays for dozens of police and fire positions and ends June 30, 2029, unless voters renew it.

What's on the tableThe council will decide whether and when to ask voters to renew the levy, and how to fund police and fire.

Levy funding will sunset on June 30, 2029, unless it is renewed by voters; renewal can happen at any time before then. City of Gresham
The levy paid for 40 Gresham Police positions and 33 Gresham Fire positions in the 2024-2025 budget. City of Gresham
56% of Gresham voters approved the levy in May 2024, the first public safety funding levy in more than 30 years. City of Gresham

Homelessness

Where it standsGresham runs a city homeless services team, and in March 2026 the council adopted rules for temporary pod-style shelters.

What's on the tableThe council will set funding for the city's homeless services and decide how the city handles camping in public places.

The city's homeless services program aims to connect people experiencing homelessness to resources and to protect parks, trails and open spaces. City of Gresham
The council unanimously approved Council Bill 02-26, establishing Temporary Emergency Shelter code regulations, on March 3, 2026. City of Gresham, City Council Action Summary, March 3, 2026 · Mar 3, 2026
A February 2026 staff report said Gresham had eight permanent shelters and no pod-style temporary shelters. City of Gresham, City Council meeting packet, Feb. 3, 2026 · Feb 3, 2026

Housing and development rules

Where it standsIn April 2026 the council approved changes to the development code, including design review and accessory dwelling review processes.

What's on the tableThe council will set development rules, permit fees and urban renewal plans that shape where and how housing is built.

The council approved the Development Code Process Update, Phase 2, Part 2 (CPA-25-00460) 6-0 on April 7, 2026. City of Gresham, City Council Action Summary, April 7, 2026 · Apr 7, 2026
The update includes revised design district standards and changes to Design Review and Accessory Dwelling review processes. City of Gresham Planning Commission minutes, March 9, 2026 · Mar 9, 2026
In September 2025 the council adopted the Gresham Downtown/Civic Urban Renewal Area. City of Gresham, City Council Action Summary, Sept. 2, 2025 · Sep 2, 2025

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. Should Gresham keep groundwater as its main water source?
2. How should the city balance its budget?
3. Should the city cut permit and development fees?
4. What should come first for public safety?
5. How should Gresham respond to homeless camps?
6. What kind of housing should Gresham encourage most?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Voter registration deadlineMultnomah County ElectionsOct 13, 2026
Ballots mailed to votersMultnomah County ElectionsOct 14, 2026
Election DayMultnomah County ElectionsNov 3, 2026
Final results certifiedMultnomah County ElectionsNov 30, 2026

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Kayla Brown, Cathy Keathley4 on this ballot

7 council seats. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

The council consists of a mayor and six councilors elected from the city at large; city elections are nonpartisan. Charter of the City of Gresham, Oregon
Councilors are elected by plurality to four-year terms; Positions 2, 4 and 6 are elected at the November gubernatorial election. Charter of the City of Gresham, Oregon
The mayor chairs the council, presides over its meetings and has a vote on all questions before the council. Charter of the City of Gresham, Oregon
The council chooses the city manager, who is the administrative head of city government. Charter of the City of Gresham, Oregon
Those elected in November will serve four-year terms beginning January 1, 2027, and ending December 31, 2030. City of Gresham

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.