Portland uses a nonpartisan system for local elections, in which all voters are eligible to participate. All candidates are listed on the ballot without any political party affiliation.
All candidates meeting the qualifications competed in a blanket primary election on Tuesday, May 15, 2012.[2] As no candidate received an absolute majority, the top two finishers advanced to a runoff in the November 6 general election.[3] In the general election, former city commissioner Charlie Hales defeated state representative Jefferson Smith with approximately 61% of the vote.[4]
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