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Government

City Charter

    • Current Charter
    • Charter History
    Current Charter

    City Charter

    The City’s Charter establishes the framework for how the City government operates.  Gresham’s City Charter was adopted on May 2, 1978. 

    Charter History

    History of Charter changes

    Pursuant to Section 45A of the Charter, any measure which proposes to amend, repeal or replace the Charter shall take effect only if it is approved by at least 60% of the electors casting votes for or against such measure.

    The City Charter has been revised ten times since its adoption in 1978.  

  • Charter Review Committee

    Pursuant to Section 45B of the City Charter, Gresham City Council appointed a Charter Review Committee (CRC) composed of Gresham residents to review the current language of the City's Charter. The City requires review of the Charter every eight years. 

    The Charter Review Committee delivered a final report with six recommended Gresham City Charter amendments to the Gresham City Council in April 2023.

    Read the CRC’s final report.

    The City Council decided to place one or more of the CRC’s recommended changes on the ballot. With the final report, Council dissolved the 2021-2023 CRC.

    November election

    Read the ballot measure 

    City Charter amendment: majority voting

    The committee determined the current City Charter denies the will of the majority of voters approving a Charter change. The Charter requires voter approval to change any word, phrase, grammar, or punctuation in the document. The current Gresham Charter requires that amendments must receive 60% or more of the votes in favor of the change.

    If this ballot measure is approved, any amendment of the City Charter would still require voter approval. Charter Section 45A would be amended to change the voter approval requirement to “A majority of votes cast on the proposed measure."  

    Contact

    For more information, email CAOmail@GreshamOregon.gov.