Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards announces bid for county chair

Brim-Edwards will run against fellow Commissioner Shannon Singleton for the county's top position

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards has announced her campaign for the county chair position in the November election. Brim-Edwards was elected to the commission in May 2023 to serve out the remainder of Jessica Vega Pederson's term after she was elected county chair. Brim-Edwards said she is running to be a "proven, effective and collegial leader" to rebuild trust and get the county "on the right track." She will be running against fellow Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton, who announced her campaign for the county chair position last week.

Why it matters

The Multnomah County chair is the top elected official in the county, responsible for leading the county commission and overseeing the county's operations and budget. The race will determine the county's leadership and priorities for the next several years.

The details

Brim-Edwards was first elected to the Multnomah County Commission in May 2023 to serve out the remainder of Jessica Vega Pederson's term after she was elected county chair. In her campaign announcement, Brim-Edwards said she is running to be a "proven, effective and collegial leader" to rebuild trust and get the county "on the right track." She will be running against fellow Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton, who announced her campaign for the county chair position last Monday.

  • Brim-Edwards was elected to the Multnomah County Commission in May 2023.
  • Singleton announced her campaign for county chair last Monday.

The players

Julia Brim-Edwards

Multnomah County Commissioner who is running for county chair.

Shannon Singleton

Multnomah County Commissioner who is also running for county chair.

Jessica Vega Pederson

Former Multnomah County Commissioner who was elected county chair.

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What they’re saying

“I'm running because the County needs a proven, effective and collegial leader to rebuild trust and get the County on the right track”

— Julia Brim-Edwards, Multnomah County Commissioner (kgw.com)

What’s next

The election for Multnomah County chair will be held in November 2026.

The takeaway

The race for Multnomah County chair will be a closely watched contest, as the winner will be tasked with leading the county through a critical period and addressing key issues facing the region.