Contact

City Recorder

Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1 p.m.–5 p.m.

555 Liberty ST SE RM 225
Salem OR 97301

Email: cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net
Phone: 503-588-6097
Fax: 503-361-2202

Elections-Run for Elected City Office

MAY 21, 2024 Primary Election Information

Qualifying Candidates for the 2024 May 21^st Primary Election

FOR MAYOR - 2-year Term

Chris Hoy
Julie Hoy

FOR COUNCILOR - WARD 1 - 4-year Term

Celine Coleman
Paul Tigan

FOR COUNCILOR – WARD 3 - 4-year Term

Nathan Soltz
Shane Matthews

FOR COUNCILOR - WARD 5 - 4-year Term

Michael Hoselton
Irvin M Brown Ed.D.

FOR COUNCILOR - WARD 7 - 4-year Term

Vanessa Nordyke

Current Candidate Filings for Mayor and City Councilor

Last day to file a Candidate's Statement for inclusion in the Voter's Pamphlet with Marion County Elections: March 25, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.

Elected City positions

The elected officials of the City are the Mayor, eight City Councilors, and the Municipal Judge. The Mayor and City Councilors develop and make decisions on policies that direct the operation of the City, which are implemented by the City Manager. The Municipal Judge presides over the Municipal Court which has authority over all offenses punishable by City of Salem ordinances, all violations, and all traffic offenses excluding felony traffic crimes.

Candidate requirements include:

Elected office	Term	Residence requirements	Additional qualifications
Mayor (unpaid volunteer position)	2 years	Live within the city limits 12 months prior to election	Registered voter Not a current employee
City Councilor (unpaid volunteer position)	4 years	Live within the city ward candidate seeks to represent 12 months prior to election	Registered voter Not a current employee
Municipal Judge	4 years	United States citizen and a resident of Salem for 12 months prior to election	At least 21 years of age and an active member in good standing with the Oregon State Bar

Find a Ward (Map)

The City Charter contains more details about the elected positions. More information is available in the Salem Revised Code about Elections and Ethics for Public Officials.

Become a candidate

The Salem City Recorder serves as the City’s Elections Official and administers elections of City candidates and measures.

The Secretary of State’s Election Division oversees statewide elections and administers state requirements for local elections. Their website contains information regarding running for office, and forms and filing deadlines for candidates and City measures. Helpful resources include:

Step 1: Candidate filing

Make an appointment to meet with the City Recorder for a candidate briefing.
The following items must be completed for submission at the candidate briefing:

Form SEL 101: Candidate Filing - Major Political Party or Nonpartisan (pertinent deadlines are included on this form)
Form SEL 121: Candidate Signature Sheet

If approved, the City Recorder will provide a letter granting permission to circulate signature sheets.

Step 2: Collect and verify signatures

Begin circulating petitions to collect signatures from qualified voters. You should try to get 15% more than the required signatures to ensure enough valid signatures are collected.
Do not sign and date the petition sheets until all signatures have been gathered.
Submit the signature sheets to the city Recorder, along with Form SEL 338: Petition Submission allowing suffucient time for the process to be complete before the filing deadline.
The City Recorder will review the signature sheets for sufficient circulator certification.
The City Recorder will submit the signature sheets to the County Elections Official for signature verification.

Prior to gathering any signatures, signature sheets must be approved by the City Recorder. Failure to do so will result in the rejection of those signature sheets.

Step 3: Establish a campaign account

Establish a campaign account and file a Statement of Organization, no later than 3 business days from first receiving a contribution or by the deadline unless the candidate meets all of the following:

Candidate is the treasurer for their own campaign.
Candidate does not have an existing candidate committee.
Candidate does not expect to receive or spend more than $750 during a calendar year on the campaign (including personal funds).

Please review the Campaign Finance Manual for instructions and a schedule of filing deadlines.

Oregon law requires that campaign finance activities be filed electronically (with State Elections). Candidates can use ORESTAR free of charge to file forms.

Step 4: Submit a candidate statement

It is optional to provide a candidate statement to the Marion County Elections Office or to the Polk County Clerk for inclusion in the respective County Voters’ Pamphlet.

Candidate Statements must be filed directly with the county no later than March 25, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. for the May 21, 2024 primary election.

Additional information concerning cost, requirements, and filing deadlines are available from either Marion County or Polk County elections offices.

Withdraw from an election

To withdraw as a candidate, complete and file Form SEL 150: Candidacy Filing Withdrawal with the City Recorder no later than the date prescribed on the form.

Candidate signs

Before displaying signs or distributing handbills for an upcoming election, review the City’s regulations regarding signs . Political signs are considered "temporary signs" in the Salem Sign Code. Such signs must meet the standards specified in Salem Revised Code Chapter 900.

Obtain permission from the property owner or resident prior to placing political advertisement signs on private property.

Adhering to the sign code will make your campaign more effective, lessen criticism of your signs, and maintain the neat and attractive appearance of our community. For more information about the sign code, contact Planning Services.

Information regarding temporary sign regulations for candidate signs in 2024

Additional information

What is a city ward?
A city ward is a designated district of the city used for political purposes.

What ward do I live in?
Residents can use this interactive ward map to determine the ward in which they live.

Am I a registered voter?
Voter registration is managed by the county. Please search the Marion County voter register or contact the Polk County Clerk’s Office to obtain further information.