PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — There are 3 candidates vying for the District 3 seat on the Multnomah County commission, the seat that opened when Jessica Vega Pederson ascended to the Chair.

Julia Brim-Edwards, Ana del Rocio and Albert Kaufman want to represent the Southeast Portland district where they all live.

Del Rocio is a former legislative policy advisor to Pederson. She’s served on the David Douglas School Board and works for a non-profit to increase minority representation in politics. She supports funding more affordable housing and short-term rent assistance rather than mass shelters.

Brim-Edwards is serving her 3rd term on the Portland school board and is a former Nike executive who runs a consulting company. She supports a focus on helping people off the street quickly with transitional housing rather than waiting for enough permanent housing to be built.

Kaufman is a board member for his Southeast Portland neighborhood and business association who said it’s time to look at other existing vacant buildings to help provide indoor shelter with services.

Expanding drug addiction and mental health treatment is also high up on the priority list for the commissioner candidates in efforts to help the homeless. Kaufman said the county should be more proactive in ways to scale up mental health workers.

If no candidate gets 50%+1 in the Tuesday election, the top 2 will face each other in a November runoff. Ballots must be postmarked by May 16 or put in a ballot dropbox by 8 p.m. Tuesday.