City

All Four Multnomah County Commissioners May Run for County Chair Next Year

The incumbent, Deborah Kafoury, is term limited.

By Rachel Monahan
St. Johns Village Opening Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal at the St. Johns Village opening. (Wesley Lapointe) (Wesley Lapointe)

The race to succeed Deborah Kafoury as Multnomah County chair may include all four of her colleagues on the county board of commissioners, she tells WW.

Kafoury won’t run again because of term limits.

None of the four commissioners—Susheela Jayapal, Sharon Meieran, Jessica Vega Pederson and Lori Stegmann—has officially entered the race. But those who responded to WW’s requests for comment weren’t ready to rule it out, either.

“I haven’t ruled anything out, but I am considering my options, and that does include running for chair,” says Stegmann.

WW reported last month that Shannon Singleton, a policy adviser to Gov. Kate Brown, is also expected to run.

Explore more on:

Multnomah CountyDeborah KafourySharon MeieranJessica Vega PedersonLori StegmannSusheela Jayapal

Rachel Monahan

Rachel Monahan

Rachel Monahan joined Willamette Week in 2016. She covers housing and City Hall.

Willamette Week’s Monthly Donor Drive is on! When you support WW, you help keep Portland's leaders accountable. Our journalism costs money and as a small, locally owned, free publication, we rely on reader support rather than corporate dollars.

Become a Monthly Donor!

Support Us