Amend Council Organization and Procedure Code to include Council rule on tie-breaking (amend Code Section 3.02.030)
Ordinance Enacted 192093
Amend Council Organization and Procedure Code to include Council rule on tie-breaking (amend Code Section 3.02.030)
Derived from official scheduling fields
5 Council session appearances; latest Sep 3, 2025.
Decision standard · Rules v1
Ready With CaveatsDecision readiness
This measures whether decision-relevant information is visible. It does not measure whether the proposal deserves approval.
Decision definition
UnknownThe requested action could not be determined.
Legal instrument
CompleteOfficial text was found in the reviewed record.
Financial impact
CompleteThe official impact statement includes financial information.
Funding source
CompleteFunding information appears in the impact statement; inspect the source for precision.
Supporting documents
UnknownNo linked attachments were found on the official page.
Implementation
CompleteImplementation language appears in the official text.
Document stability
UnknownStability requires at least two observed snapshots; the system will update this after another ingestion.
Not found in the reviewed official text.
Not found in the reviewed official text.
Not found in the reviewed official text.
Not found in the reviewed official text.
Not found in the reviewed official text.
Not found in the reviewed official text.
Not found in the reviewed official text.
Official material
0 linked filesDocuments
Official page textRead
The City of Portland ordains.Section 1. The Council finds:Portland City Code does not address Council vote tie-breaking by the Mayor; andPortland City Charter Section 2-401(e) provides that the Mayor has the responsibility to “[v]ote on matters before the Council in case of a tie, when the Mayor casts the deciding vote;” andSome matters before Council resulting in a tie vote should be left to the Council to resolve without initiating Charter Section 2-401(e); andThe Mayor cannot anticipate when they may be needed to break a tie causing Council action to be deferred; andPortland City Charter Section 2-111 authorizes Council to determine its own rules of procedure, which would include procedures relating to the Mayor's tie-breaking vote; andThe City Code must be amended to explicitly detail voting procedures as they relate to tie-breaking.NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:Amend City Code Section 3.02.030 as shown in Exhibit A.
Meeting-specific record
9 vote recordsMotions, amendments & votes
Agenda item 9Passed as amendedAgenda item 17Passed to second reading as amendedAgenda item 22Passed to second reading as amendedAgenda item 6RescheduledAgenda item 3Referred to City Council as amended
Motion to amend Exhibit A as shown in Kanal 1: Moved by Kanal and seconded by Novick. (Aye (11): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Dunphy, Smith, Kanal, Ryan, Pirtle-Guiney; Nay (1): Clark) Passed to second reading as amended September 3, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Motion to amend Exhibit A as shown in Avalos 1: Moved by Avalos and seconded by Kanal. (Aye (6): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Green, Avalos, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney; Nay (Novick, Zimmerman, Smith, Ryan); Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy). Motion failed to pass.
Motion to amend Exhibit A, to replace Subsection J.2 with "If the Mayor is unavailable either in person or virtually to cast the tiebreaking vote on final passage during the meeting, the result of the tied vote is deemed inconclusive. If the vote on final passage remains inconclusive at the end of the meeting, the matter will be automatically postponed and rescheduled to the next Council meeting for the sole purpose of the Mayor casting their vote. If the Mayor is not present, it would be considered a no vote as in J.3.": Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Novick. (Aye (7): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Avalos, Kanal, Ryan; Nay (3): Zimmerman, Smith, Pirtle-Guiney); Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy)
Motion to amend Exhibit A to restore "resolutions, reports" to Subsection J.1: Moved by Kanal and seconded by Koyama Lane. (Aye (6): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Avalos, Kanal; Nay (4): Zimmerman, Smith, Ryan, Pirtle-Guiney; Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy). Motion failed to pass. Passed to second reading as amended August 6, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Motion to amend Exhibit A, Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.1. to strike resolutions and reports: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Pirtle-Guiney. (Aye (4): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy, Koyama Lane; Nay (1): Clark)
Motion to amend Exhibit A, Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.2. to strike everything after the first sentence and amend first sentence to strike “result of the tied vote is deemed inconclusive” and add “vote fails”: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Dunphy. (Aye (4): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy; Nay (1): Koyama Lane)
Motion to define a tie vote as receiving specifically six affirmative votes on final passage: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Dunphy. Motion withdrawn.
Motion to amend Exhibit A, to add Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.3. In determining if a vote is a tie, absences, abstentions and vacancies will be counted as no votes: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy, Koyama Lane)
Motion to send Ordinance as amended, Document Number 2025-186, to the full Council with the recommendation that it be passed: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Dunphy. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy, Koyama Lane)
Motion to amend Exhibit A as shown in Kanal 1: Moved by Kanal and seconded by Novick. (Aye (11): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Dunphy, Smith, Kanal, Ryan, Pirtle-Guiney; Nay (1): Clark) Passed to second reading as amended September 3, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Motion to amend Exhibit A, to replace Subsection J.2 with "If the Mayor is unavailable either in person or virtually to cast the tiebreaking vote on final passage during the meeting, the result of the tied vote is deemed inconclusive. If the vote on final passage remains inconclusive at the end of the meeting, the matter will be automatically postponed and rescheduled to the next Council meeting for the sole purpose of the Mayor casting their vote. If the Mayor is not present, it would be consid
Motion to amend Exhibit A to restore "resolutions, reports" to Subsection J.1: Moved by Kanal and seconded by Koyama Lane. (Aye (6): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Avalos, Kanal; Nay (4): Zimmerman, Smith, Ryan, Pirtle-Guiney; Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy). Motion failed to pass. Passed to second reading as amended August 6, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Motion to amend Exhibit A as shown in Avalos 1: Moved by Avalos and seconded by Kanal. (Aye (6): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Green, Avalos, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney; Nay (Novick, Zimmerman, Smith, Ryan); Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy). Motion failed to pass.
Motion to send Ordinance as amended, Document Number 2025-186, to the full Council with the recommendation that it be passed: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Dunphy. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy, Koyama Lane)
Motion to amend Exhibit A, to add Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.3. In determining if a vote is a tie, absences, abstentions and vacancies will be counted as no votes: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy, Koyama Lane)
Motion to amend Exhibit A, Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.2. to strike everything after the first sentence and amend first sentence to strike “result of the tied vote is deemed inconclusive” and add “vote fails”: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Dunphy. (Aye (4): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy; Nay (1): Koyama Lane)
Motion to amend Exhibit A, Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.1. to strike resolutions and reports: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Pirtle-Guiney. (Aye (4): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy, Koyama Lane; Nay (1): Clark)
Official Vote Index
Final action on 2025-186: Amend Council Organization and Procedure Code to include Council rule on tie-breaking (amend Code Section 3.02.030)
Official impact statement
Money & effects
Update City Code rules for City Council in 2025.
Not applicable.
These changes will facilitate City Council rules.
These City Code changes do not implement changes to current FTE or budgets and do not result in new financial obligations.
This legislation does not have an impact on the City’s renewable energy goals.
Follow-through
Implementation & accountability
Responsible organization
The reviewed source does not identify a responsible City organization.
The Council finds:Portland City Code does not address Council vote tie-breaking by the Mayor; andPortland City Charter Section 2-401(e) provides that the Mayor has the responsibility to “[v]ote on matters before the Council in case of a tie, when the Mayor casts the deciding vote;” andSome matters before Council resulting in a tie vote should be left to the Council to resolve without initiating Charter Section 2-401(e); andThe Mayor cannot anticipate when they may be needed to break a tie causing Council action to be deferred; andPortland City Charter Section 2-111 authorizes Council to determine its own rules of procedure, which would include procedures relating to the Mayor's tie-breaking vote; andThe City Code must be amended to explicitly detail voting procedures as they relate to tie-breaking.NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:Amend City Code Section 3.02.030 as shown in Exhibit A.
Append-only history
Timeline
- DOCUMENT PUBLISHED
Observed in the official source.
- Council Action
Passed as amended
- Council Action
Passed to second reading as amended
- Council Action
Passed to second reading as amended
- Council Action
Rescheduled
- Council Action
Referred to City Council as amended