Former Portland City Councilor Justin Costa Announces Bid for Mayor

Former Portland City Councilor Justin Costa, a finance professional and former school board member, has announced his candidacy for mayor, joining a growing field of four Democratic contenders. Costa, who served six years on the school board and six years on the City Council, says he has the experience to turn big ideas into concrete policies and budgets that can positively affect people's lives. He cites his personal connection to many of the city's issues, including affordability and housing, as a strength of his candidacy.

Key Takeaways:

Costa served six years on the Portland school board and six years on the City Council, from 2008 to 2020 and 2014 to 2020, respectively.
He finished second to April Fournier in a four-way race for an at-large seat on the council in 2020.
Costa made a run for mayor in 2019 but dropped out in July of that year due to personal events.
He is the fourth candidate to announce a run for mayor, joining Mark Dion, Dylan Pugh, and Andrew Zarro.
Candidates in Portland don't run on party affiliation, but all four announced candidates are Democrats.
Costa, Pugh, and Zarro have filed paperwork to run as clean elections candidates, while Dion has stated he will not utilize the program.
Candidates for mayor must gather between 300 and 500 signatures from voters to qualify for the ballot and can begin turning those signatures in on Aug. 14.

Statistics:

Costa served six years on the school board and six years on the City Council.
He finished second in a four-way race for an at-large seat on the council in 2020.
There are four candidates running for mayor, including Costa.
All four announced candidates are Democrats.
Candidates for mayor must gather between 300 and 500 signatures.
Signatures can begin being collected on Aug. 14.

Sources:

"Justin Costa Announces Bid for Portland Mayor," the Portland Press Herald, Jul. 18, 2023