(Dec. 18, 2025) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Portland City Elections invites the public to submit creative names for five more snowplows in the city's second annual snowplow naming contest. Last year, for the first ever contest, PBOT received name submissions from over 4,000 people. Then, 16,000 Portlanders voted on their top five favorite names (out of twenty) using ranked-choice voting.
Today, PBOT opened the contest form. Everyone is invited to dream up their punniest, most creative, Portland-y, Pacific Northwest-proud names they can think of. You’ll be prompted to provide your name, contact information, and your suggestion for a snowplow name. Have more than one idea? Feel free to submit multiple entries!
Contest guidelines and timeline
After submitting your snowplow name(s), come back on Jan. 12 to vote on the top 20 using ranked-choice voting. The top five snowplow names will be chosen as winners and announced in February.
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Dec. 18 – Jan. 5: The public submits snowplow name ideas with this form (form closes at 5 p.m., Jan. 5, 2026).
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Jan. 6 - 9: PBOT staff select the top 20 snowplow names.
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Jan. 12 - Jan. 21: Portlanders use ranked-choice voting to vote on their favorite names. Visit the 2025-26 contest page on Jan. 12 to vote. Voting ends at 5 p.m., Jan. 21.
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Week of Feb. 2: Top five snowplow names are announced determined by multi-winner ranked-choice voting.
Learn more about Portland City Elections
Housed in the Portland City Auditor’s Office, the Elections Division is responsible for city candidates and Portland voters. Make sure you are ready for our next ranked-choice election by going to www.portland.gov/vote.
Learn more about PBOT and start preparing now for winter weather this season
PBOT is the lead agency for the city's winter weather response. Now’s the time to prepare for severe weather. View preparedness tips and resources at Portland.gov/winter
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Create an emergency plan for winter weather with friends, family, and coworkers
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Put together an emergency bag for your vehicle stocked with items like water, food, traction for your tires and feet, and a flashlight
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Prepare an emergency kit for your home and business
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Stock up on supplies like ice melt and a snow shovel sooner rather than later
Questions?
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The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the city’s transportation system and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage, and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility.
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