PRIMARY RESULTS: Umatilla and Morrow counties
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, May 17th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
Editor’s note: The third paragraph of this story has been corrected to reflect a recent change in the Umatilla County Charter.
UMATILLA COUNTY – In the race to fill Position 1 seat for Umatilla County Board of Commissioners, Susan Bower is leading with 27.28 percent of the vote, followed closely by Cindy Timmons with 27 percent. The next closest candidate is Bob Barton with 18.17 percent.
For Position 2, incumbent Commission Chairman John Shafer is leading with 48.12 percent. HollyJo Beers is second with 27.52 percent and Rick Pullen is in third with 23.95 percent.
The top two will meet in the November election. Elections Manager Kim Lindell said that since the charter was revised the top two candidates in commissioner elections will meet again in November, no matter what percentage of the vote they earn in the primary.
PENDLETON – None of the city council incumbents running for election were challenged. The council will welcome a new member. Addison Schulberg is unopposed in his race to take over the at-large seat formerly held by Jake Cambier.
HERMISTON – Cameron Bendixsen leads with 61.41 percent of the vote over incumbent Judge Thomas Creasing Jr. with 38.29 percent in the race for municipal judge.
Jackie Linton has 52.04 percent over Lori Davis at 47.51 percent for Ward 1 on the Hermiston City Council. For Ward 2, Roy Barron has the lead with 60.08 percent over Stan Stradley at 39.52 percent. Ward IV sees David Patrick McCarthy with 69.23 percent of the vote to Phillip SpicerKuhn’s 30.45 percent.
Milton-Freewater voters are passing a local option tax for parks and recreation by 58.47 percent to 41.53 percent.
Helix voters are saying yes to a bond measure to improve parks, pools and facilities 61.79 percent to 38.21 percent.
MORROW COUNTY – The race for Position 2 on the Morrow County Board of Commissioners is too close to call. Jeff Wenholz has 50.11 percent over 49.63 percent for incumbent Melissa Lindsey. For Position 3, David Sykes leads the field with 51.37 percent. Mike McNamee is second with 29.76 percent and Gus Peterson is third with 18.67 percent.
The Morrow County School District bond measure is failing. The proposal to modernize and increase capacity at schools has 62.05 percent of the voters opposed with 37.95 percent in favor.
Editor’s note: This is the first election in Oregon where ballots that are postmarked election day are eligible to be counted. Prior to this, the ballots actually had to be in the possession of the election departments. Only ballots postmarked May 17 that are received by May 24 will be eligible to be counted. County election departments have to certify their election results 21 days after May 17, which means the final tallies may not be known until June 7. The Oregon Secretary of State’s office reports that each county is allowed to hold as many counts as it wishes leading up to that 21-day deadline. Umatilla County, for example, will count again on May 25. Morrow County’s next count will come May 18 (today) with another on May 25.
