Jefferson County's two incumbent commissioners appear headed for victory in the May 20 primary election, with unofficial results showing Mark Wunsch and Kelly Simmelink holding leads that would be difficult to overcome as the final ballots are tallied.
Position 1: Wunsch Leads by Nearly 20 Points
In the race for Commissioner Position 1, incumbent Mark Wunsch is leading challenger George Curtiss by a wide margin — 58.6% to 40.5% — according to unofficial results. The contest is a two-candidate race, meaning Wunsch's lead of roughly 18 percentage points represents a clear signal of voter confidence in the incumbent.
Wunsch, who has prioritized public safety and transportation during his tenure, emphasized his record on law enforcement during the campaign season.
"We've been able to add five officers to his team in the last three and a half years and I want that to improve," Wunsch said at a candidate forum held at the Madras Performing Arts Center. "We have a lot of nasty crime going on across the county when it comes to domestic violence, child sex crimes, you name it. We need to be proactive."
Position 2: Simmelink Tops Crowded Four-Way Field
The race for Commissioner Position 2 was more complex, with four candidates vying for the seat. Incumbent Kelly Simmelink — who has served on the commission since 2017 — captured 53.9% of the vote, just above the threshold needed to avoid a runoff.
Challenger Ara Erdekian came in second with 23.5%, followed by Greg Mead at 15.3% and Bill Atherton at 6.9%.
Simmelink, who focused her campaign on economic development and public safety, expressed optimism about the county's trajectory during the race.
"Things are really steaming along on the economic side of things and I want to continue that momentum," Simmelink said at a candidate forum.
What's Still to Come
Oregon conducts all elections by mail, and results remain unofficial until all ballots are counted and certified. Jefferson County elections staff will continue processing ballots in the days ahead.
Notably, the races for county sheriff, clerk, and treasurer were not on the May primary ballot. Those contests — including the high-profile showdown between incumbent Sheriff Jason Pollock and former deputy Tyler Anderson — will appear on the November general election ballot. The only candidate for county clerk is Lyndsay Hessel, the county's current executive administrative assistant.