Jason Freilinger is the mayor of Silverton, Oregon, serving a term that runs through December 2026. The role is unpaid and volunteer, and under the Silverton City Charter the mayor is the political head of the city while a professional city manager handles day-to-day administration.1Silverton Oregon. Jason Freilinger2City of Silverton, Oregon. City Council Freilinger’s background is in business management and insurance, which shapes how he approaches city budgeting and fiscal questions.
What the Mayor Actually Does
Silverton runs on a council-manager form of government, and the Charter draws a clear line between political leadership and administrative work. The mayor sits at the political end of that line.
Under Charter Section 17, the mayor presides over all council meetings, keeps order, enforces council rules, and sets the order of business.3City of Silverton. Silverton City Charter On a seven-member body made up of six councilors plus the mayor, the mayor also casts a full vote on every question before the council, not just a tiebreaker. That makes the office a working legislative seat, and on a split council the mayor’s vote can decide the matter.
The mayor signs the records of council proceedings, countersigns orders from the city treasurer, and signs other instruments authorized by the Charter, state law, or the council itself. There is no veto. Every ordinance the council passes must be signed within three days. The mayor appoints members to city commissions, committees, and boards, with those appointments subject to council consent.
What the Mayor Can’t Do
The Charter spells out that the mayor has “no administrative duties.” Hiring and firing city employees, supervising department heads, enforcing ordinances, preparing the budget, managing city property, and executing contracts all belong to the city manager. A resident with a pothole, a billing dispute, or a building permit question should contact the city manager’s office. The mayor can raise concerns at council meetings but has no authority to direct staff.
Emergency declarations work the same way. Oregon law does not give city mayors standalone authority to declare a local emergency. Under ORS 401.309, the governing body of a city, meaning the council as a whole, declares a state of emergency by ordinance or resolution, and the declaration must be limited to the period emergency conditions actually exist.4Oregon State Legislature. ORS Chapter 401 Any local declaration is superseded by a governor’s declaration covering the same area.
When the Seat Is Up Next
Silverton elects its mayor at large to a two-year term during even-year general elections, and there are no term limits in the Charter. The current term ends in December 2026, so the seat is on the November 2026 ballot. After the county certifies results, the winner takes the oath at the first council meeting in January.
Candidates file with the City Elections Clerk using the state’s SEL 101 Candidate Filing form. There are two options: file by fee for $50, or file by petition with no fee by collecting at least twenty signatures from registered Silverton voters.5City of Silverton. How to Run for Office For the 2026 cycle, candidate filing opens June 3, 2026, and closes August 25, 2026.
Who Can Run
Charter Section 12 sets the qualifications. A candidate must be a qualified elector under the Oregon Constitution and must have lived within Silverton city limits for at least twelve continuous months before the election. In practical terms, qualified elector means a U.S. citizen, Oregon resident, and at least 18 years old. Residency and elector status have to hold through the full term. No one may run for mayor and a council seat in the same election.
If the Mayor Can’t Serve
The council elects a president from its own members at the first meeting of each odd-numbered year. If the mayor is absent, the council president presides. If the council determines the mayor is unable to perform the duties of the office, the president serves as acting mayor.
Reaching the Mayor
Silverton City Hall is at 410 N Water Street, Silverton, OR 97381.6City of Silverton. Contact Us The mayor’s email is listed in the city’s online directory, and residents can speak directly during public comment at council meetings, posted on the city’s meetings calendar.
A Note on Silverton’s Mayoral History
Silverton’s mayoral office drew national attention in 2008 when Stu Rasmussen was elected and became widely recognized as the first openly transgender mayor in the United States. Rasmussen had already served Silverton in various elected roles for roughly three decades before that election and remained a prominent local figure until his death in 2021.