Lake Oswego will seat at least three new council members in January, and possibly four, after Councilor Ali Afghan announced Thursday, Aug. 13, that he will not run for reelection in the Nov. 3 general election.

Four seats are open.

Afghan's decision compounds what was already shaping up as significant turnover on the seven-member council. Councilor John Wendland is term-limited and cannot run again. Councilor Jackie Manz has said she does not plan to seek another term. Councilor Trudy Corrigan had not announced her decision as of Aug. 13.

The filing deadline for candidates to submit paperwork with Clackamas County is Friday, Aug. 21.

Four candidates have officially filed, according to the city's elections page: Bryan Guiney, Patrick Walsh, Heather Graves-Ramsey and Neil Tunmore. That leaves the field matching the number of open seats with eight days until the deadline closes.

Guiney, a Lake Oswego planning commissioner, announced his candidacy in late May. He has also served as Oregon field office director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Three of the four seats carry four-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The fourth is a two-year term created by Councilor Rapf's resignation in April 2026.

Afghan cites institutional knowledge concerns

Afghan, a professional engineer who has worked at Intel and Genentech, joined the council in January 2023. He told the Lake Oswego Review he is stepping back to let new leaders develop, though he discussed potentially running in 2028.

His concern: a new mayor and potentially four new councilors will also be elected in 2028, which could further dilute institutional knowledge on the dais.

"With that many newcomers (in 2028), we may dilute the tribal knowledge and the information we have all talked about, discussed, the dialogue and deliberations," Afghan said. "With me stepping back for a couple of years, people have the opportunity to learn processes, how decisions are made, City Council goals and the bigger topics that need to be addressed."

Mayor Joe Buck praised Afghan's preparation and collaborative style, saying Afghan was always the most prepared councilor in the room, arriving with a precise number of specific queries.

New council will inherit big decisions

The turnover comes as Lake Oswego simultaneously navigates a city manager search. Former City Manager Martha Bennett resigned earlier in 2026, and the city told the Lake Oswego Review on Aug. 8 that it had selected a finalist pending a background check and contract negotiation. The position carries a salary range of $202,500 to $246,140.

Whoever wins in November will step into a council that could have a majority of first-term members working alongside a new city manager.

Residents interested in running have until Friday, Aug. 21 to file paperwork with Clackamas County.