Bend City Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
4 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 3 Bend City races, led by the Bend Mayor (Council Position 7) contest.
Cities and towns
Bend Mayor (Council Position 7)Nonpartisan race · Melanie Kebler · Bernadette Strome
Melanie Kebler Nonpartisan Incumbent
- Expand the housing supply, including more income-restricted homes, while supporting affordable and sustainable growth planning.
- Support small businesses and diverse business sectors offering competitive wages.
- Build wildfire emergency preparedness and strengthen policing and emergency response.
Per the campaign site.
About Melanie Kebler
Melanie Kebler is a victims' rights attorney at the Oregon Crime Victims Law Center and a former deputy district attorney in Yamhill and Lincoln counties, per the City of Bend. She was elected Mayor of Bend in 2022 and is seeking a second term in 2026, per the City of Bend, and grew up in Bend, per the City of Bend.
Bernadette Strome Nonpartisan
Bernadette Strome is a Bend High School alumna and former Central Oregon Community College student, per The Source Weekly. She filed to run for Bend mayor ahead of the August 25, 2026 filing deadline, per The Bulletin. No campaign website was found as of September 22, 2026.
Incumbent Mayor Melanie Kebler faces Bernadette Strome; a third filer, Ron Boozell, did not submit sufficient verified signatures to qualify, per the City of Bend's elections page and Central Oregon Daily. This contest is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Full race pageCouncil, Position 5Nonpartisan race · Ariel Mendez
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Ariel Mendez is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Bend City Council, Position 5.
Ariel Mendez Nonpartisan Incumbent
- Build more homes while preserving open space and designing walkable neighborhoods.
- Invest in safer walking, biking and transit infrastructure to address congestion and parking.
- Combine affordable housing, shelter options and support services with reasonable camping regulations to address homelessness.
Per the campaign site.
About Ariel Mendez
Ariel Mendez is a sitting Bend city councilor running unopposed for re-election to Position 5, per Central Oregon Daily.
Incumbent Ariel Mendez is the only certified candidate, per the City of Bend's elections page.
Full race pageCouncil, Position 6Nonpartisan race · Elana Reinholtz
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Elana Reinholtz is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Bend City Council, Position 6.
Elana Reinholtz Nonpartisan
- Expand missing-middle housing to make homes accessible to working families, teachers, nurses and first-time homebuyers
- Pursue climate initiatives including EV-ready infrastructure, net-zero buildings and renewable-energy workforce development
- Treat childcare as essential infrastructure and support small businesses
Per the campaign site.
About Elana Reinholtz
Elana Reinholtz is head of development and marketing for Camp Fire Central Oregon, per The Source Weekly, and serves on the Bend Budget Committee, per her campaign site. She is running for Bend City Council Position 6 in 2026.
Elana Reinholtz is the only certified candidate; two other filers, Dan Sorrells and Nic Tarter, did not make the ballot (Sorrells withdrew; Tarter did not submit sufficient verified signatures), and a fourth filer, Bobbi Cummiskey, withdrew after initially qualifying, per the City of Bend's elections page and Central Oregon Daily.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Oregon's field is the Secretary of State's ORESTAR candidate filings for the November 3, 2026 general election. Party nominees were chosen at the May 19 primary; Oregon allows cross-nomination, so a candidate can appear with more than one party. All 60 state House seats and half of the 30 state Senate seats are up. Unopposed candidates still appear on the ballot.
Who is on the ballot in Bend City, Oregon on November 3, 2026?
Bend City sample ballot 2026: see where the Bend mayor and council candidates stand on housing, roads and growth. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Oregon?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Oregon are listed on the Oregon election hub. Oregon election hub →
How do I see my exact Bend City ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Oregon statewide racesEvery Oregon race on this county's ballot.Candidate roster last updated Sep 25, 2026 from official election sources.