On November 8, Deschutes County voters will be asked to decide whether county commissioner seats should become non-partisan.
If Measure 9-148 passes, political parties would no longer be able to nominate candidates for the county commission. Candidates would be listed on ballots by the position for which they are running instead of by party affiliation.
Susan Cobb helped get the measure on the ballot as chief petitioner for the initiative. She said over 60 volunteers helped gather over 7,000 signatures and the League of Women Voters were also instrumental.
Cobb said one reason to support the M9-148 is because about a third of Deschutes County voters are non-affiliated. This means, have no say in closed primary elections—where partisan county commission races begin. She wants “two-party politicking” out of the local county race.
“Because primaries usually have low turnout, you end up with only the extremes voting or running,” Cobb said. “So, you have extreme candidates and either the far-left or the far-right voting for their party person. And then, when these people get into office, they do not cooperate with each other to get things done.”
In Oregon, only nine counties have partisan commission seats and elections, including Deschutes and similar-sized Jackson and Marion counties. Lane, Linn and Douglas counties have each had nonpartisan commissions for decades.
