Two sitting Tualatin councilors will face off for mayor in the Nov. 3 election after the filing deadline closed Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Council President Valerie Pratt and Councilor Octavio Gonzalez are the only candidates for the mayor's seat being vacated by Frank Bubenik, who hit his term limit after eight years on the council and eight years as mayor.
The mayoral contest is the sole competitive race on Tualatin's ballot this fall, according to the Valley Times, which reported the finalized field on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Three council seats will also appear on the ballot, all uncontested.
The mayoral race
Pratt, a certified public accountant and chief financial officer at WJR II LLC, has lived in Tualatin for 32 years. She was first elected to council in 2020, reelected in 2024, and has two years remaining on her current term.
Her filing lists service on the Tualatin Budget Committee and advisory committees for downtown revitalization, the transportation system plan, the climate action plan, parks and regional transportation. She also serves as president of the Tualatin Community Police Foundation.
Gonzalez, who works in community homeowners association business development at Pacific Landscape Management, was first elected in 2022 and holds Position 5.
He served nine years on the Tigard-Tualatin School District Budget Committee, finishing as vice chair, and currently sits on the Metropolitan Area Communications Commission (MACC). His filing lists his council tenure as his only prior governmental experience.
According to the Tualatin Area Chamber of Commerce's mayoral forum listing, Gonzalez's campaign focuses on fiscal accountability, public safety and essential infrastructure. Pratt's campaign emphasizes competency, continuous advocacy and practical solutions.
The Washington County Democrats endorsed Pratt for mayor after a vote at their Aug. 19 central committee meeting. The party did not endorse Gonzalez.
Uncontested council seats
Beth Dittman, a small business owner and life coach since 2015, is the sole candidate for Gonzalez's Position 5 seat. She currently serves on the Tualatin Community Advisory Committee, the Tualatin Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and the Tigard-Tualatin School District Budget Advisory Committee. She holds a master of education degree from Oregon State University.
Councilor Bridget Brooks, first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, is running unopposed for Position 3. She is a former licensed clinical social worker with degrees from Wayne State University in Michigan.
Councilor Maria Antonieta Reyes, also first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, is running unopposed for Position 1. She works for the World Forestry Center in Portland.
The Washington County Democrats also endorsed Brooks and Dittman.
What's next
In his June 2026 Mayor's Note, Bubenik called his 16 years of service one of the greatest honors of his life. His successor will be chosen when ballots are mailed Wednesday, Oct. 14, with Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The Chamber's mayoral forum is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17, from 7–9:30 a.m. at Tualatin Country Club, 9145 SW Tualatin Rd. Tickets cost $35 for chamber members and $40 for guests.
