Portland City Council (Maine)

The legislative branch of Portland, Maine, is a city council. It is a nine seat council, composed of representatives from the city's five districts, three councilors elected citywide and the full-time elected Mayor of Portland. The eight councilors are elected for three-year terms, while the Mayor is elected for a four-year term.

The council is officially non-partisan, though councilors are often known for their political party affiliation.

In 1923, the city transitioned from a Mayor–council government to a Council–manager government. This was in alignment with national trends in metropolitan governments, and also partially motivated by the influence of the Maine Ku Klux Klan, which resented what was perceived as the growing power of ethnic and religious minorities.^[1] In 2011 the city charter was changed to allow an election for mayor again in 2011. Subsequent elections were held in 2015, 2019 and 2023.

In 2020, voters approved a proposal to switch elections for City Council and school board to ranked-choice elections.

In 2022, voters approved a proposal to switch elections for City Council to Proportional Rank Choice Voting.

The Portland City Council meets at Portland City Hall, an historic 1909 building on Congress Street.