Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Newport Mayor & City Council Election 2026

4 of 7 council seats are on the ballot, with 6 candidates running. Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to vote Check 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.

Mayor

1 seat

City Council

Vote for up to 3

All voters choose one mayor and up to three of the four council candidates; every position is elected at large.

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 4
State House of RepresentativesDistrict 10

Official voter lookup State voter guide Vote411 (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

01Infrastructure bond (Measure 21-244)4 sourced facts

Where it standsVoters will decide a $38,425,000 general obligation bond for water, wastewater, parks and road projects that is not projected to raise the existing bond tax rate.

What's on the tableThe council would oversee the bond projects and a citizen Bond Advisory Committee if voters approve it, and would need other funding if they do not.

The measure asks for $38,425,000 in general obligation bonds, and the ballot summary says it is not projected to increase the levy rate of existing bonds. Lincoln County Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026 General Election · Sep 24, 2026
Newport's 2027 rate is $1.63 per $1,000 of assessed value for two existing bonds, the Water Treatment Plant and the Aquatic Center. City of Newport
On July 20 the City Council unanimously approved a resolution to send the bond to the November ballot. City of Newport
Even if the bond passes it does not cover all intended projects, which were first estimated to cost $100 million; the city is also considering a public safety fee and a tax on prepared food. Lincoln Chronicle · Jun 16, 2026

02Council stipend3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council approved a $300 monthly stipend and recreation center membership for the mayor and six councilors starting Jan. 1, 2027, and kept the plan in July rather than refer it to voters.

What's on the tableThe council seated in January will decide whether to keep the stipend, change it or ask voters to decide it.

The council passed the resolution 6-1 in May 2026; the package is projected to cost $25,200 a year. Lincoln Chronicle · May 7, 2026
A compensation workgroup recommended a $100 monthly stipend that would be decided by voters. Lincoln Chronicle · Jul 23, 2026
Each councilor declared a conflict of interest before the council adopted the 2026-27 budget that includes the stipend. Lincoln Chronicle · Jun 16, 2026

03ICE detention facility lawsuit3 sourced facts

Where it standsNewport continues its federal lawsuit over a possible immigration detention facility at its airport, though federal officials have said they are no longer planning one.

What's on the tableThe council will decide whether to continue funding the litigation and how to pay for it.

The city's legal costs have reached nearly $500,000, and Benton County, Ashland and Yachats have contributed. KPTV · Aug 10, 2026
The city paid $356,647 to its law firm through March, and the council moved $350,000 from the general fund to cover legal fees. KLCC/Lincoln Chronicle · May 28, 2026
Newport continues to pursue its lawsuit to secure permanent restrictions on the property. KPTV · Aug 10, 2026

04City budget2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted a $134 million 2026-27 budget, 3.9 percent less than the prior year, with cuts across most departments.

What's on the tableThe next council will balance flat revenue against rising costs and decide whether to pursue new revenue such as a public safety fee or prepared food tax.

The city manager said it was the second year in a row that cuts were needed to balance the budget. Lincoln Chronicle · Jun 16, 2026
Staffing costs rose due to a 3 percent cost of living increase and a 15 percent increase in the cost of benefits, and the city will have $442,000 less in reserves. Lincoln Chronicle · Jun 16, 2026

2 notes on these statements

Jan Kaplan was appointed mayor in 2023. Lincoln Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026

The city's State of the City speakers, who included Jan Kaplan, Robert Emond, CM Hall, Angel Aparicio-Reyes and Sandy Roumagoux, are all candidates in the November election. KLCC/Lincoln Chronicle · Sep 24, 2026

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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. How should Newport pay for its aging water, sewer and road systems?
2. Should Newport's mayor and councilors be paid a stipend?
3. How should Newport respond to a possible federal detention facility at its airport?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.New · How Newport is runWho runs Newport, and what it costsThe city manager earns $170,000. See council pay, whether the city is in the red, and where your property tax goes.

Key dates

Voter registration deadlineLincoln Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026Oct 13, 2026
Ballots arrive in the mail (on or near)Lincoln County Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026 General Election · Sep 24, 2026Oct 16, 2026
Election DayLincoln County · Sep 4, 2026Nov 3, 2026

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Steven Hickman, Cynthia Jacobi4 on this ballot

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

Newport has a council/manager form of government, and the council appoints the city manager. City of Newport
The council consists of a mayor and six councilors, all elected at large. City of Newport
The mayor is a voting member of the council, presides over meetings and has no veto. Newport Charter
The mayor serves a two-year term and councilors serve four-year terms. City of Newport
The council elects a council president from its members at its first meeting each year. City of Newport
A vacancy in the mayor's or a councilor's office is filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining council members. Newport Charter
Mayor Kaplan and Councilors Emond, Aparicio-Reyes and Hall have terms expiring in January 2027; Councilors Jacobi, Hickman and Roumagoux have terms expiring in January 2029. City of Newport

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