Clark sided with the business bloc on 74 of 77 split votes and led the push to move $10M from voter-created police accountability.
Clark is the council's vice president, a Democrat, and one of its most moderate members (OPB, Oct 7, 2026). Before the council she was Gov. Kitzhaber's liaison to cities and counties, then spent more than 20 years at TriMet, where she was executive director of public affairs and built the coalition that funded light rail and Tilikum Crossing (WWeek, Aug 28, 2024; portland.gov bio). She calls herself "a seasoned, pragmatic professional, an optimist, and a collaborator."
Backed byOlivia Clark is an experienced public servant and WWeek's top pick in District 4. On the questions that divide Portland's council, though, she is one of the business bloc's most dependable votes. When the council split along bloc lines in 2025–26, she sided with the centrists on 74 of the 77 votes she cast, including every split on police, homelessness, labor and climate [1].
Police accountability is the clearest case. In 2020, 82% of voters created a new independent oversight system. In May 2026, Clark was lead sponsor of an amendment to move $10 million out of the new Office of Community Police Accountability to restore police and fire cuts. It failed 6–6 [2]. WWeek reports she was the first councilor to suggest tapping the office. The July supplemental budget she co-sponsored would again have refilled reserves from it, until an amendment removed that directive. One board member called that plan "blatant interference" with the office's independence [3]. About a week after the May vote, she voted against requiring all officers, federal agents included, to show their faces and ID [4]. In 2025 she opposed shifting $1.9 million in new police money to parks, which she reportedly called the "absolutely wrong signal" [5].
On city services and workers, she voted no on the plan to restore up to 55 frontline jobs and backed a rival plan that saved 30 and added police training money [6]. In the May budget she voted against backfilling 46 non-manager positions, against capping non-union raises at the first $100,000 of salary, and against restoring Office of Equity staff, including the Human Rights Commission officer [7].
On climate and homelessness, she voted to let more than $5 million in clean-energy fund money move to encampment-removal programs, and against funding democratically governed villages [7]. At the City Club debate she said she is "very interested in looking at sending a measure to the voters" to shift clean-energy money to police, fire and parks [8]. She voted to transfer the Zenith oil terminal franchise, which passed only on the mayor's tie-break [9]. She also voted against an amendment the Mercury describes as letting citizens enforce that agreement [10].
On public money and openness, she voted for $120 million up front plus up to $275 million in maintenance for the Blazers' arena. She also voted against a Morillo/Kanal amendment to the term sheet, which failed 6–6 [11]. She calls it "a great deal" [8]. She voted against requiring the city administrator to release records on unspent housing money and hold an oversight hearing, and backed an audit alternative instead [12]. She answered "Easy, oppose" on the participatory budgeting charter measure and says she looks forward to changing the voter-approved charter [8].
Her backers fit the record. The Portland Metro Chamber's PAC tells D4 voters to rank Zimmerman and Clark and no one else [13]. Unity PAC, which includes the Chamber's PAC and the police union, recommends only those two [14].
Clark has real accomplishments: the street fee, an asset-management plan, tighter earthquake rules for the fuel hub, and co-sponsoring a framework to respond to federal immigration raids. But on police oversight, city jobs, climate money and transparency, hers has repeatedly been one of the six votes that stopped progressive proposals.
Clark was lead sponsor of an amendment moving $10M from the Office of Community Police Accountability, which 82% of voters created in 2020, to partly restore police and fire cuts. It failed 6–6. WWeek says she was the first councilor to suggest tapping the office.
Willamette WeekAs introduced, the July supplemental budget she co-sponsored would refill the city's contingency mainly with Office of Community Police Accountability money. An amendment removed that directive before it passed 10–2 (Ord. 192207).
Willamette WeekWhen the council split along bloc lines in 2025–26, Clark sided with the centrists on 74 of 77 votes she cast. She went 16–0 on police and public safety splits and 9–0 on Zenith and climate splits. This tally is our analysis of portland.gov roll calls and Portland Mercury live blogs.
Who's Buying PDX vote analysis (portland.gov roll calls)Clark voted against the Green-Morillo amendment to the transfer ordinance (failed 6–6). She then voted yes on the franchise transfer, which passed only on Mayor Wilson's tie-break.
portland.govClark voted no on 2026-222, which used PCEF interest and other funds to restore up to 55 frontline positions. It failed when the mayor broke a 6–6 tie. She co-sponsored the rival plan, which saved 30 jobs and added $3M for police training.
portland.govClark voted no on reversing the mayor's shift of more than $5M in PCEF climate funds to PEMO and the Impact Reduction Program (encampment cleanup and removal programs), which failed 6–6. She also voted no on Green's amendment funding democratically governed villages, which failed 6–6.
Portland MercuryClark voted yes on the Moda Center term sheet: $120M up front plus up to $275M in maintenance over 20 years. It passed 8–4. She voted no on a Morillo/Kanal amendment, which failed 6–6.
portland.govClark voted no on Green's resolution requiring the City Administrator to release records on unspent housing funds and schedule an oversight hearing (Res. 37734, adopted 8–4). She backed a failed alternative directing an investigation or audit instead. The city later identified an estimated $106M in unbudgeted housing funds (KPTV).
portland.govAt the City Club debate, Clark said she is "very interested in looking at sending a measure to the voters" to shift part of the Portland Clean Energy Fund to police, fire and parks.
City Club D4 debate video (machine transcript)Clark voted no on restoring Office of Equity staff, including the Human Rights Commission officer (failed 6–6), and no on capping non-union cost-of-living raises at the first $100K of salary to restore positions (passed 7–5).
Portland MercuryClark voted no on the 2025 Avalos amendment shifting $1.9M the mayor earmarked for police staffing to parks maintenance (passed 7–5). WWeek reports she said it sent the "absolutely wrong signal."
Willamette WeekAsked about the charter measure letting residents direct about $16M (2%) of discretionary spending, Clark answered "Easy, oppose." She also said she looks forward to going back to voters to change the 2022 charter.
City Club D4 debate video (machine transcript)Clark led the effort to take money from the voter-created police oversight office, opposed the officer ID ordinance and sided with the centrists on all 16 police splits.
Clark backs enforcement-first homelessness policy and opposed progressive budget moves on villages, encampment funding and housing-fund transparency.
Clark voted against the progressive plans to save city jobs and against a raise cap for higher-paid non-union staff, while championing a flat monthly street fee.
Clark voted to keep the Zenith oil terminal franchise moving and is "very interested" in asking voters to divert clean-energy money, though she has pushed fuel-hub safety.
Clark voted against a Morillo/Kanal Moda amendment and a housing-records release, and opposes participatory budgeting.
The Chamber's PAC, Unity PAC, Go Portland Go, the mayor and police and fire unions back Clark, alongside many labor unions and Democratic legislators.
I was saddened and dismayed by Councilor Green's comments that came to light this past week.As council vice president, responding to Mitch Green's resurfaced posts criticizing police, after the police union demanded his resignation. · KPTV, 2026-09-16
pure in my motivationResponding to colleagues who said her $10M amendment would weaken the police accountability office. She also said, "I support the commission." · Willamette Week, 2026-05-19
I cannot in good conscience vote for something that does really not make a difference, but maybe makes people feel good.Explaining her no vote on the ordinance requiring officers, including federal agents, to show their faces and ID. She also said she is "very concerned about encroaching fascism." · OPB, 2026-05-27
While not the best alternative, enforcement and arrest are necessary in order to maintain safe and accessible public spaces.2024 candidate questionnaire, asked whether to arrest and jail people who camp and refuse repeated offers of shelter. · OPB, 2024-09-27
I would put the breaks [sic] on any new city or county measures while we examine the effectiveness of those we have now.2024 candidate questionnaire, asked about taxes and levies. · OPB, 2024-09-27
Police presence itself is a deterrent.2024 candidate questionnaire, on budget priorities. She called for expanded police hiring. · OPB, 2024-09-27
carve out a piece for the basic services that we're talking about, for police, fire and parksOn sending voters a measure to shift Portland Clean Energy Fund money, which she said brings in four times what was expected. From the City Club debate video at 34:57 (machine transcript). · City Club D4 debate video (machine transcript), Oct 2026
Easy, oppose.Yes/no question on the November charter measure for participatory budgeting (2%, about $16M). From the City Club debate video at 54:59. · City Club D4 debate video (machine transcript), Oct 2026
I'm looking forward to the day when we can go back to the voters and change the charter.On the 2022 voter-approved form of government, which she called "a mistake" while praising the city-manager structure. From the City Club debate video at 1:08:01. · City Club D4 debate video (machine transcript), Oct 2026
It's a great deal. We don't want to walk away from it.On the Moda Center renovation deal, noting the city owns the arena. From the City Club debate video at 1:00:26. · City Club D4 debate video (machine transcript), Oct 2026
Get out of our own way, change the permitting process and change our reputation.Her two housing-production priorities. From the City Club debate video at 52:56. · City Club D4 debate video (machine transcript), Oct 2026
The Mayor's action is responsive to longtime community concernsHer newsletter on the city resuming enforcement of the Public Camping Ordinance on Nov 1, 2025. · Clark newsletter (portland.gov / GovDelivery), 2025-11-07
Clark says the $10M would have restored deep police and fire cuts while the accountability office had no director, and the amendment promised repayment (WWeek, May 20, 2026). The city attorney said the mask/ID ordinance's federal-officer provisions are likely unconstitutional (WWeek, May 27, 2026), and Zenith had sued the city over the delay (KPTV). She also led the street fee, which she says reuses the water bureau's low-income discount (Mercury; City Club debate), and the asset-management plan. She co-sponsored tighter earthquake-safety rules for the fuel hub (KPTV, Oct 3, 2026) and the Protect Portland Initiative on immigration raids (her newsletter). She voted yes on the 2025 Zenith investigation (passed 11–1), the ICE facility fee and senior parks programming. WWeek ranks her first in D4 for her "straightforward manner, lack of drama," and the Street Trust Action Fund endorses her (Mercury).