Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton is officially gunning for the county's top job, announcing Wednesday that she is running for county chair in the November 2026 election. In rolling out her bid to replace Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Singleton cast her campaign as a push to sharpen how county government delivers services, focusing on housing, addiction, and behavioral health. Her entry instantly shakes up an open contest in a county still locked in arguments over homelessness and public safety.
According to KGW, Singleton formally launched her campaign Wednesday morning and said she would bring, "And right now, that’s bringing my extensive executive experience to the Multnomah County Chair’s Office to ensure better service delivery in housing, addiction and behavioral health and public safety" to improve how housing, addiction, behavioral health, and public safety services are delivered. The outlet reports she has already lined up endorsements from several Portland city council members, State Sen. Kayse Jama, former state Sen. Avel Gordly, school board officials, Metro council members, and small business owners. Singleton told the station she wants county systems to move more quickly from planning to on-the-ground results.
Experience on the issues
As outlined by Multnomah County, Singleton represents District 2, which covers much of north and northeast Portland, and was sworn in after winning the November 2024 election. Her resume includes leadership work at the Portland Housing Bureau, a stint advising Gov. Kate Brown on housing policy, and executive experience running street-outreach and housing programs at the nonprofit JOIN. Singleton points to that background as preparation for stepping into the chair's office, and swearing-in recap coverage has already highlighted how those ties support her housing-first pitch.
Open seat, high stakes
KGW previously reported that Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announced in mid-December that she would not seek reelection, creating an open chair seat for the 2026 vote. That decision has already stirred up interest across the county, and Singleton's early move, backed by a wave of institutional endorsements, immediately makes her one of the most prominent names in the race. Political watchers say the contest will test whether a promise to focus on execution and cross-agency coordination can turn into broad support at the ballot box.
What's next
Multnomah County's candidate calendar shows the chair will be chosen in the Nov. 3, 2026, election, with winners set to take office at the start of the following year, in line with the county's election-cycle guidance. Prospective candidates will need to follow county and state filing rules as the campaign season heats up, and fundraising and endorsements are expected to shape the early stretch. This story will be updated as Singleton completes formal paperwork, rolls out a more detailed platform, and other contenders officially jump into the race.
