Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026
North Plains City Council Election 2026
3 of 7 council seats are on the ballot, with 6 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check
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How to vote · 11 days left
Election Day (Nov 3): the election office's noticeThese 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.
City Council
Vote for up to 3- Melody AxeDirect support specialist for people with mental illness and former NAMI Washington County programs manager.3sourced
- Matthew BlancasFederal administrator and U.S. Army veteran with an executive master's in public administration from Portland State.3sourced
- Lisa Ferrari-HarwoodDirector of community outreach with 18 years leading a food pantry in Beaverton.3sourced
- Tera VanDykeFiscal operations director at Northwest Regional Education Service District, in public finance 18+ years.3sourced
- Anna WarringtonIncumbentAppointed to the North Plains City Council in March 2026 after a 21-year career at Nike.7sourced
- Don WeberIncumbentAppointed to the North Plains City Council in December 2025; retired parish finance director.8sourced
Voters choose up to three of six council candidates citywide; the three with the most votes win.
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
- U.S. Senate
- David Brock Smith · Republican
- Jeff Merkley · Democrat, Working Families
- Gary Lyndon Dye · Libertarian
- Chris Henry · Progressive, Pacific Green
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.
What the next council decides
01Growth and the urban growth boundary4 sourced facts
Where it standsIn September 2026 the council let Ordinance 489, the Housing Needs Analysis, lapse; in October a vote to finish the TGM vision plan failed on a tie.
What's on the tableWhether and how to plan any boundary expansion, and what to do with the vision plan.
- The motion to adopt Ordinance 489 failed 4-2 on September 21, 2026, making the ordinance null and void. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 5, 2026 (draft minutes of Sept 21, 2026, pp. 5-9) · Sep 21, 2026
- If the city wants to expand its urban growth boundary later, it must first do a new Housing Capacity Analysis, estimated at more than $50,000. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 5, 2026 (draft minutes of Sept 21, 2026, pp. 5-9) · Sep 21, 2026
- Consultants said the TGM vision plan was about 75 percent complete under a $250,000 state grant. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 19, 2026 (draft minutes of Oct 5, 2026, pp. 3-9) · Oct 5, 2026
- North Plains voters rejected the city's proposed 855-acre urban growth boundary expansion in 2024. Hillsboro News-Times · Sep 29, 2026
02Data centers2 sourced facts
Where it standsCouncilors discussed a possible data center ban in September 2026 and sent the topic to staff and the Planning Commission.
What's on the tableWhether to restrict or ban data centers in city code.
- On September 21, 2026, all councilors expressed general agreement that data centers are not a desirable land use for North Plains. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 5, 2026 (draft minutes of Sept 21, 2026, pp. 5-9) · Sep 21, 2026
- No vote was taken; the interim city manager was to coordinate next steps with the Planning Commission. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 5, 2026 (draft minutes of Sept 21, 2026, pp. 5-9) · Sep 21, 2026
03Audits and city finances3 sourced facts
Where it standsThe city is behind on required audits and is catching up with outside help.
What's on the tableHow to finish overdue audits and manage the general fund budget.
- In January 2026 the city manager reported a schedule to complete the FY22 and FY23 audits in quick succession. North Plains City Council minutes, January 20, 2026 · Jan 20, 2026
- The city has not had a completed urban renewal agency audit since 2019. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 5, 2026 (draft minutes of Sept 21, 2026, pp. 5-9) · Sep 21, 2026
- The general fund was tracking at about 66% of the biennial budget after 13 months, against an expected 54%. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 5, 2026 (draft minutes of Sept 21, 2026, pp. 5-9) · Sep 21, 2026
04Hiring a city manager2 sourced facts
Where it standsThe city has an interim city manager and has hired a search firm to find a permanent one.
What's on the tableWho the next full-time city manager will be.
- On October 5, 2026, the council voted unanimously to contract with Prothman Executive Search for the city manager search. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 19, 2026 (draft minutes of Oct 5, 2026, pp. 3-9) · Oct 5, 2026
- Interim City Manager Paul Koch's engagement ends in February 2027. North Plains City Council agenda packet, Oct 19, 2026 (draft minutes of Oct 5, 2026, pp. 3-9) · Oct 5, 2026
2 notes on these statements
Councilor Trista Ugarte is not seeking reelection. Hillsboro News-Times · Sep 10, 2026
Anna Warrington, Melody Axe and Don Weber are running together as a slate. Warrington, Axe & Weber joint campaign site · Oct 20, 2026
No sign-in · answers stay on your phone
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 North Plains approach expanding its urban growth boundary?
2. Should the city have readopted its Housing Needs Analysis (Ordinance 489), which supports a boundary expansion?
3. Should the city finish the state-funded North Plains Vision Plan (TGM grant)?
4. Should North Plains ban data centers?
5. What should come first in the city's finances?
Key dates
- Last day to register to voteWashington County · Oct 20, 2026Oct 13, 2026
- Ballots mailed to votersWashington County · Oct 20, 2026Oct 14, 2026
- Election DayWashington County · Oct 20, 2026Nov 3, 2026
The seat math
3 stay (not up this year): Mark De Forge, Jason Ruston, Mike Shurts3 on this ballot
7 council seats. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.
- The city operates under the council-manager form of government, with a mayor and six city councilors elected by voters. City of North Plains · Oct 20, 2026
- Councilors are elected at large to four-year terms. Hillsboro News-Times · Sep 10, 2026
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