Jefferson County voters cast ballots Tuesday not just on local races but on a busy slate of statewide contests that will shape Oregon politics heading into the November general election.
Governor’s Race
On the Republican side, Christine Drazan won the GOP gubernatorial primary, according to NBC News projections. Drazan, a former Oregon House Republican leader who narrowly lost the 2022 governor’s race to Tina Kotek, will be the Republican nominee facing the Democratic candidate in November.
Jefferson County, which leans conservative and gave strong support to Republican candidates in recent cycles, will be a closely watched county in the fall governor’s race. Drazan’s familiarity with rural Oregon issues — including water, agriculture, and public lands policy — is expected to be central to her general election campaign.
Jefferson County-Specific Results
Locally, Tuesday’s results confirmed:
- Commissioners Mark Wunsch (Position 1) and Kelly Simmelink (Position 2) will continue in office after winning their primaries outright.
- The Jefferson County Sheriff’s race between incumbent Jason Pollock and challenger Tyler Anderson moves to the November general election.
- Lyndsay Hessel is the sole candidate for Jefferson County Clerk and will appear on the November ballot unopposed.
What’s Ahead
Voters across Jefferson County will face a fuller general election ballot in November, including the contested sheriff’s race, the governor’s race, and potentially U.S. congressional and state legislative contests.
Ballots from the May 19 primary will continue to be tallied through the end of the month as the Oregon Secretary of State’s office processes mail-in votes and provisional ballots. Final certified results are expected in the coming weeks.
Voter registration for the November 3 general election will open in the fall. Oregonians who are not yet registered can do so at oregonvotes.gov.