FILE - Metro Councilor Juan Carlos González , a candidate for Metro Council president, in an undated photo provided by the candidate.
Courtesy of Juan Carlos González
Juan Carlos González appears to be leading in early election returns in his run for Metro Council president.
In partial returns, González has 65% of the vote as of 8 p.m. A win would put the two-term Metro Councilor in a position to shape the future of the regional government, which oversees transportation, homelessness, natural areas, waste management and land use decisions that span the state’s largest metropolitan area.
González, a registered Democrat, has represented Metro’s District 4 – which includes northern and western Washington County – since 2018. He also works as the director of development and communication for Centro Cultural, a Washington County social services nonprofit.
If elected, he would be the first Latino to serve as Council President.
He’d also be handed a weighty task: Determine how to tweak Metro’s sweeping – and contentious – homeless services tax before asking voters to renew the measure. That tax, which pays for programs that help people experiencing homelessness move into stable housing, expires in 2030. It initially raked in more money than anticipated, and has drawn criticism for its slow dispersal and not making a more visible, immediate impact on the region’s homeless crisis.
Last year, Metro Councilors chose not to ask voters to renew and extend that tax, after polling showed little public support. The future of that tax will be dropped in González’s lap. So will the oversight of a plan to set the course of the next 50 years of land management in the Metro area.
In other Metro Council races, Christine Lewis also seems set for an easy uncontested election in District 2, which represents Milwaukie, Lake Oswego and West Linn. Ashton Simpson is also leading in his reelection run for District 1, which represents East Portland, Gresham and Troutdale. As of 8 p.m., Simpson has 58% of the votes counted. His competitor, Radio Cab attorney Noah Ernst, has collected 40%.
Early returns in the race to replace González in District 4 place legislative staffer Miles Palacios in a very slight lead. As of 8 p.m., Palacios has 51% percent of the votes counted. His competitor, realtor Alex Phan, is trailing at 48% percent. Both men are registered Democrats who have both focused their campaigns on balancing economic growth with responsible environmental stewardship. Both favor renewing the homeless services tax.
If neither receives more than 50% plus one vote in the primary, they head to a runoff in November.
Metro Auditor Brian Evans is also poised to win reelection in an uncontested race, with 98% of early returns.
