Jefferson County voters have one more public opportunity to size up the candidates before ballots are due: a commissioner candidate forum is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 11, at Camp Sherman Community Hall.
All six candidates in the two contested commissioner races are expected to participate. With Election Day just eight days away and many ballots already in the mail, Monday's forum could be a deciding moment for undecided voters in the district.
Position 1: Wunsch vs. Curtiss
Incumbent Commissioner Mark Wunsch, who also serves as chair of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, faces challenger George Curtiss, who grew up on Crooked River Ranch.
Wunsch, who has emphasized economic development and rural quality of life during his tenure, recently touted the county's improved economic ranking — Jefferson County moved from the third most distressed county in Oregon to eighth in the latest Business Oregon data. He has also highlighted his role in supporting the COCC Madras campus expansion and efforts to improve water availability for local farmers.
Curtiss has positioned himself as a fresh voice for Crooked River Ranch and the western parts of the county, communities that sometimes feel overlooked by county government centered in Madras.
Position 2: A Crowded Four-Way Race
The Position 2 race is more crowded. Incumbent Kelly Simmelink, who has served on the commission since 2017, faces three challengers: Ara Erdekian, Greg Mead, and Bill Atherton.
Simmelink, one of the longer-tenured commissioners in Jefferson County's recent history, has pointed to economic progress and infrastructure work as accomplishments. His challengers have each brought distinct perspectives — from agricultural advocacy to fiscal conservatism — to the race.
Why Camp Sherman?
Holding the forum at Camp Sherman, on the western edge of Jefferson County near the Metolius River, is a deliberate choice to bring candidate access to a part of the county that rarely hosts major political events. The Camp Sherman community — spread across the Metolius basin — falls within Jefferson County but sits far from the population center in Madras.
How to Participate
The forum is open to the public. Voters are encouraged to bring questions. Jefferson County voters who have already received their mail ballots but haven't returned them yet still have time to vote based on what they hear Monday night — ballots must be postmarked by May 19 or returned to a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
The Jefferson County Clerk's office is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, May 19. For drop box locations, visit jeffco.net.