Your May 19 Jefferson County Ballot: A Complete Voter Guide

A two-year partnership between Energy Trust of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has delivered more than 40 energy upgrade projects across the reservation — saving money for tribal households and reducing the community's energy footprint.

Jefferson County Library District is asking voters to approve a $15.5 million bond on May 19 to build a new 14,000-square-foot facility in Madras and establish a branch in Culver — a scaled-down replacement for the $22.5 million measure that failed in 2025.

After more than 60 years of operation, the Wells Fargo branch on SW E Street in Madras will close its doors on June 24, 2026 — leaving Jefferson County without a single national bank branch and sending residents 30 miles to Redmond for in-person service.

New state data confirms what local economic development leaders have been working toward for years: Jefferson County is no longer Oregon's most economically distressed county. The county has climbed to 8th on the statewide index — a shift driven by job growth, new investment, and targeted development work.

A new 20-year parks master plan identifies southwest Madras as one of the most underserved areas in the county for outdoor recreational access — with only a fraction-of-an-acre park serving thousands of residents. County leaders are eyeing the fairgrounds and youth fishing pond as potential sites for expansion.