Bend City, Oregon

Bend Mayor (Council Position 7)

2 candidates are tracked for Bend Mayor (Council Position 7) on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Melanie Kebler and Bernadette Strome. Candidate information follows official Bend City election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

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.

What this office does

Mayor. The mayor is the city's chief elected official. In a strong-mayor city the mayor runs the city government, prepares the budget and appoints department heads; in a council-manager city the mayor presides over the council and a hired manager runs operations. Which model applies depends on the city charter.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Melanie Kebler, is on the ballot.

Oregon › Bend City › Bend Mayor (Council Position 7)

Melanie Kebler

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

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.

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Bernadette Strome

Nonpartisan

Biography

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.

Next on your ballotBend City Council, Position 5

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Bend Mayor (Council Position 7) in 2026?

When is the Bend Mayor (Council Position 7) election in Oregon?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Oregon are on the Oregon election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Bend City ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Bend City and state election office filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Oregon election office, or see the full Bend City sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Bend City ballot

3 tracked races in Bend City, Oregon. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Bend City Council, Position 6 See all 3 Bend City races

Candidate profiles

Melanie Kebler, full profile Bernadette Strome, full profile Official Oregon election office