2026 Municipal Election

Election Day is November 3, 2026

The 2026 general election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. All ballots are mailed to voters, and the City of Tangent will have three elected official positions and four ballot measures for voter approval. This page is for posting all election information, including candidate filing, ballot measure information, and frequently asked questions (FAQs). Please share this page with anyone who may have questions about the 2026 election and the municipal election.

City of Tangent Election

The City of Tangent (COT) holds elections on even numbered year on the same day as the Federal Government and State of Oregon elections. Ballots are prepared by Linn County and mailed out to all registered voters. Voters within the city limits will receive ballots with the COT positions and ballot measures.

In total, there are three elected official positions on the COT ballot:

Mayor: The Mayor serves a two-year term and is not term-limited. The Mayor is the primary head of state and the chairperson of the city council with limited executive authority. The mayor is subject to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) laws and is required to attend 12 regular city council meetings and at least one budget committee meeting. Meetings are all open to the public to attend in person or watch on Facebook or YouTube.

Councilor Seats 3 and 4: There are two council seats available in the election, and both are for four-year terms. When a majority of the council meets at a regular or special council meeting, they have the authority to make legislative decisions vested by the COT Charter. All councilors are subject to OGEC laws and required to attend 12 regular city council meetings and at least one budget meeting. Meetings are all open to the public to attend in person or watch on Facebook or YouTube.

Requirements

• Must be a resident of the COT for at least 12 months prior to the election (November 3, 2025)

• Must be a registered voter at the time of filing

• No person shall be eligible for election to the office of mayor or council member if that person has one or more of the following relationships with a mayor or council member at the time of taking office upon election:

• the spouse

  • brother

  • sister

  • child

  • parent

  • father-in-law, mother-in-law

Duties

• Attend 12 regular council meetings.

• Attend any special or emergency council meetings.

• Attend the annual Budget Review Committee meeting.

• Follow the OGEC laws and filing requirements.

• Follow the OGEC public meeting laws.

Training Opportunities

• The City Manager provides elected official training in November and December, after the election.

• League of Oregon Cities (LOC) elected official training and conferences.

• OGEC public meeting law training

Compensation

All elected official positions are volunteer and, by charter, cannot receive a salary. The city covers the cost of work-related travel, conferences, and a stipend for approved work-related events.

Municipal Governing Documents

COT Charter: The City Charter is the primary document that establishes the city government and can be changed only by the city's voters in an election.

COT Code of Ordinance: The Tangent Municipal Code (TMC) is the law of the city and can be adopted, amended, or repealed by the city council members at a public meeting.  

COT Council Rules: The council rules are adopted and updated by the city council members at a public meeting.

All elected officials are sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, the State of Oregon, and all applicable laws.

Application for Council or Mayor

Please download and fill out the form linked below, and do either one of the options:

• Submit SEL 101 with $10 by cash or check. Credit or debit card transactions will have an additional processing fee.

• Submit SEL 101 and the SEL 121 elector's signature form to obtain 25 signatures from the electorate. Signatures will be verified to ensure they are members of the electorate, and approval will take some time. Once 25 signatures are confirmed, the application will be deemed complete and accepted. No $10 payment needed.

Ballot Measures

Per Tangent City Charter Section 61, every comprehensive plan, including its map, and every legislative amendment of a comprehensive plan, including its map, must be passed by the voters. Therefore, we have four ballot measures to ask the voters to consider for approval.

Ballot Measure 001: Update The Transportation System Plan

The Transportation System Plan (TSP) is required by the State of Oregon for every city to update at least once every ten years. The current TSP is 16 years old and in dire need of an update. The city conducted over a dozen public meetings with residents, business owners, non-profits, and other government entities to present the proposed TSP. A majority vote is required to pass the TSP.

The TSP will have no additional financial costs or burden on the city or property owners, and will not impact monthly fees. The updated TSP will address key issues, including future road and street development, safe routes to schools, and the classification of Tangent Drive. The full plan is available for review at the link below.

Ballot Measure 002: Mobile Food Units and Parks

An update to the development code for mobile food units, which include food carts, trucks, and food cart/truck combinations. The update will do the following:

• Define a mobile food park as a group of five or more mobile units on the same legal parcel or lot.

• Define mobile food unit as any trailer, cart, vehicle, wagon, or similar object used for the purpose of preparing, processing, and or converting food to be sold to the consumer through a drive-in, drive-through, curbside, or walk-up service.

• Mobile food units would be permitted in the RM-6 and CC districts..

• Mobile food parks would be a conditional use and require a conditional use permit in the RM-6, CC and HC/I districts.

• Adding a new Section 6.610 to adopt a streamlined application process and establish operational and development standards for mobile food units and parks.

Currently, the process for a new mobile food unit involves a site plan review and additional development code requirements that are not suited to mobile food units. By approving this measure, the city of Tangent will reduce the cost of potential mobile food units. This will have no additional financial costs or burden on the city or property owners, and will not impact monthly fees.

Ballot Measure 003: Site Plan Review Official Plan

An update to the development code for deeming an official plan after approval of the site plan:

• Modifications in substantial conformance with a previously approved site plan shall be exempt from a site plan review at the discretion of the city manager and must meet the following criteria:

  1. The site plan meets all decision criteria for Site Plan Review approval as set forth in Section 2.400(2).

  2. The site plan meets all applicable development standards for the underlying zone and any previously approved conditions of approval.

  3. The modifications do not change the approved use(s);

  4. The modifications comply with all local, state, or federal requirements and permits; and

  5. The application is not subject to a quasi-judicial decision, unless modifying a previously approved conditional use as set forth in Section 2.500(4)(f).

  
  

• Revision or amendments to an approved Conditional Use shall follow the same procedure as that utilized for approval. Modifications in substantial conformance with a previously approved conditional use shall be exempt from conditional use review at the discretion of the City Manager, provided all the following criteria are met:

  1. The conditional use meets all criteria for Conditional Use approval as set forth in Section 2.500(2);

  2. The conditional use meets all applicable development standards for the underlying zone and any previously approved conditions of approval imposed by the Planning Commission per Section 2.500(3);

  3. The modifications do not change the approved use(s); and

  4. The modifications comply with all local, state, or federal requirements and permits.

  
  

Currently, any changes to a submitted Site Plan Review or Conditional Use approval require a brand new application. By approving this measure, the city will now have the option to approve modifications without requiring the applicant to submit a new application. This will have no additional financial costs or burden on the city or property owners, and will not impact monthly fees.

Ballot Measure 004: Pre-Application Meeting

An update to the development code to require a pre-application meeting, subject to a quasi-judicial decision or legislative decision. This will update Section 2.120 of the Tangent Development Code to add the following:

A pre-application conference shall be required for all applications subject to a quasi-judicial decision or legislative decision as specified in Article 3 of this Code. Pre-application conferences shall be optional at the applicant’s discretion for all other application types.

A time limit will also be placed on applicants who have gone through a pre-application meeting:

If the applicant does not submit an application within one (1) year of the required pre-application conference, a new pre-application conference will be required.

Currently, no land use development application requires a pre-application meeting. Most cities require developers to attend pre-application meetings to explain the process and invite additional government agencies, such as the Tangent Rural Fire District, Linn County, and state agencies. By approving this measure, the city will require any application that requires a quasi-judicial or legislative decision to meet with the decision-maker and hear about the process before submitting the application. While there is a fee for the meeting, this will reduce the long-term costs of having an application reviewed by multiple government agencies and provide clear guidance. Most applications that start with a pre-application meeting tend to cost less for the developer. city, and are completed faster compared to applications that didn’t and required more revisions. This will have no additional financial costs or burden on the city or property owners, and will not impact monthly fees.

Register To Vote

To register to vote or update your voting registration, please click the following link: https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/registration.aspx?lang=en

Registration Deadline

A new registrant must submit their online registration by 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the 21st calendar day before an election to be eligible to vote in that election.​

State of Oregon Voting & Election Page: https://sos.oregon.gov/voting-elections/Pages/default.aspx

Frequently Asked Questions