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Juan Carlos González, a Metro councilor who’s been the clear front-runner in the race to become the next Metro Council president, appears in a strong position to secure his bid to helm the regional government.
Early returns show that González so far has secured 64% of the vote.
González’s two top challengers—Chris Christensen and Ken Ross—trail with just 15.6% and 10.5% of the vote, respectively.
González secured the endorsements of most of his Metro Council colleagues and a host of local elected officials and community leaders, including former Metro President Lynn Peterson, who left her elected position this spring—nine months before the end of her term—to become Lake Oswego’s city manager.
Metro handles regional land use planning, but it also oversees trash collection and recycling, manages nearly 20,000 acres of parks and cemeteries, and owns and manages the Oregon Zoo and the Expo Center.
The regional government’s portfolio has risen in recent years because it collects and disburses revenues collected from the 2020 Supportive Housing Services tax, which brings in about $300 million a year to fund homeless services in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. The SHS tax is set to expire in 2030, but there’s been ample discussion about extending the tax.
González, 33, has represented Washington County on the Metro Council since 2018; when he won that office, he became the youngest candidate elected to the regional government in the two decades Metro had kept track of such figures.
All Metro races are nonpartisan.
For Metro Council in District 1, which covers the easternmost portion of Metro’s boundaries, incumbent Ashton Simpson is leading with 58% of the vote.
Challenger Noah Ernst, a superintendent and in-house lawyer for Radio Cab, trails Simpson with 40% of the vote.
Early results for District 4 Metro councilor, which covers northern and western Washington County, including Hillsboro, Cornelis, Forest Grove, Beaverton and Aloha, have not yet appeared on the secretary of state’s results page. Real estate agent Alex Phan is running against longtime politico Miles Palacios.
For Metro Council in District 2, incumbent Christine Lewis is running opposed. Early returns show she’s secured 98% of votes counted so far.
