Margaret Strachan

Margaret D. Strachan (born 1935) is an American politician who served on the Portland City Council, in Portland, Oregon, from 1981 to 1986. She was the first woman elected to the Council (Connie McCready and Mildred Schwab were appointed). Early life and education She was born Margaret Darcy in Helena, Montana. She graduated from Carroll College with a degree in English and became a high-school teacher. She taught in Montana for three years until she moved to Portland in 1973. Activism and political career She worked as a neighborhood activist, including as a coordinator for the City of Portland's Office of Neighborhood Associations and later on the staff of Commissioner Mike Lindberg as a liaison to neighborhood organizations. She was the campaign manager for Charles Jordan's first run for election to the city council, in 1974, after Jordan was initially appointed to the council. She was elected to the Portland City Council in March 1981, and was sworn-in on April 9, 1981. Her 1981 election was to a partial term only, to fill a vacancy on the council created in November 1980 as a result of Frank Ivancie's succeeding Connie McCready as mayor, but she won re-election in May 1982.