IndependenceNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Independence Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 6 council seats are on the ballot, with 8 candidates running. Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 5 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
Election Day (Nov 3): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

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

Voters elect the mayor and one councilor for each of Positions 1, 2 and 4; each candidate runs for a numbered position and may live anywhere in the city.

Election Day · Nov 3

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

  • Governor
    • Brett Smith · Pacific Green
    • Tina Kotek · Democrat, Working Families
    • Christine Drazan · Republican, Libertarian
    Official candidate list, in its order
  • U.S. Senate
    • David Brock Smith · Republican
    • Jeff Merkley · Democrat, Working Families
    • Gary Lyndon Dye · Libertarian
    • Chris Henry · Progressive, Pacific Green
    Official candidate list, in its order
  • U.S. HouseDistrict 6
  • State SenateDistrict 10
  • State House of RepresentativesDistrict 20
Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

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

What the next council decides

01Community Services and Parks Fee4 sourced facts

Where it standsVoters decide Measure 27-151 in November on the fee the council adopted in June 2026 to fund the library, museum and parks.

What's on the tableThe next council will carry out the result: collect the fee if voters keep it, or look for other funding for the library, museum and parks if they do not.

02Park, museum and library closures4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city closed parks and the Heritage Museum after the referendum qualified, and has begun the legal process for the library.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to keep the closures, reopen facilities, or finish the library closure process, depending on the vote and the budget.

03General Fund deficit and interfund loans3 sourced facts

Where it standsCity staff describe a structural General Fund deficit; reserves are low and the fee revenue was built into the 2026-27 budget.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how to fund city services over the long term and whether to use transfers or loans between funds.

04Housing code changes3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted Ordinance 1638 in July 2026 to allow more housing types and smaller minimum lots.

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee how the new code works and consider further housing production steps.

3 notes on these statements

Marilyn Morton holds Independence City Council Position 2, which is on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election. Polk County Itemizer-Observer

Councilors Dawn Roden, Bill Boisvert and Kathy Martin-Willis hold Positions 3, 5 and 6 with terms ending December 31, 2028. City of Independence

Greg Ellis, a candidate for Position 1, led the referendum petition on the Community Services and Parks Fee. Polk County Itemizer-Observer

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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. 1. The council adopted a utility-bill fee for the library, museum and parks, and voters will decide it in November. What should the city do?

  2. 2. The council adopted that fee without a public vote. Should fees like it go to voters first?

  3. 3. Parks are fenced off while the fee is on hold. What should the city do about parks?

  4. 4. Should the city cover General Fund shortfalls with transfers or loans from its utility and street funds?

  5. 5. The council now allows smaller lots and more housing types in most residential zones. What should it do next?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted7 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.New · How Independence is runWho runs Independence, and what it costsWho the city manager is, council pay, whether the city is in the red, and where your property tax goes.

Key dates

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Bill Boisvert, Kathy Martin-Willis, Dawn Roden3 on this ballot

6 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

  • Independence City Charter states the council will be comprised of six council positions, all elected at-large for 4-year terms. City of Independence
  • The Mayor is elected for a two-year term, while the City Councilors are elected for a four-year term. City of Independence
  • The mayor presides and votes only in the case of a tie vote of the members of the council present at a meeting. City of Independence Charter
  • Open positions on the November 3, 2026 ballot are Mayor and 3 Councilor positions; terms begin January 1, 2027. City of Independence

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