Oregon voters cast their ballot on a variety of issues over the past few weeks. Unlike some elections, not everyone received a ballot this time around. Most voters in Lane County, for instance, did not.
Those who did get a ballot were asked to decide a variety of local issues, including fire and school district levies, and a City Council race in Eugene.
Here are initial results from key races in Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Benton, Douglas and Deschutes Counties, updated through 11 p.m. Tuesday night.
Subsequent results are released according to schedules posted on county election websites. In Lane County, the next scheduled update will be 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
LANE COUNTY
City of Eugene Ward #7 runoff between Lyndsie Leech and Barbie Walker
Lyndsie Leech 1990
Barbie Walker 1433
Lyndsie Leech appears to have has been elected as the Eugene City Councilor for Ward 7, in a special election following last year's recall of Claire Syrett. Leech had been appointed as the ward’s interim councilor last winter. Her opponent was Barbie Walker, a local business owner and youth advocate.
Leech and Walker were the top two vote-getters in a three-way May primary, but neither received more than 50% of the vote. According to Eugene's city charter, that meant the two candidates faced each other in a fall runoff.
Early returns showed Leech with over 57% of the vote. If the results hold, Leech will serve the remainder of Syrett’s term, which ends in January 2025.
Measure 20-348: Siuslaw School District #97J: Renewal of five-year local option levy for school operations
(Includes results from the Douglas County portion of the district)
Yes: 3,458
No: 2,106
In Florence, a property tax levy that funds the Siuslaw School District has been renewed, with initial results showing 62% of voters were in favor. The levy is projected to raise more than $8.5 million over the next five years. District representatives say this will help provide smaller class sizes and vocational classes for students. They say it will cost an average homeowner about $13 a month.
Measure 20-346: River Road Park & Recreation District: Five-year renewal of local option tax to maintain general operations
Yes: 1,610
No: 436
For a fourth time, voters in North Eugene have renewed a property tax levy that funds the River Road Park and Recreation District. The district includes a single park, a fitness center and a swimming pool. The levy received nearly 79% of the vote, according to initial results. District representatives say the levy helps make up for revenue they lost when the City of Eugene took parts of its taxpayer base.
Measures 20-344, 20-345, and 20-347:
20-344: Dissolution of Pleasant Hill Rural Fire Protection District
Yes: 585 No: 463
20-345: Dissolution of Goshen Rural Fire Protection District
Yes: 401 No: 217
20-347: Creation of Pleasant Hill Goshen combined Rural Fire Protection District
Yes: 1,017 No: 688
Voters in Goshen and Pleasant Hill appear to be on track to consolidate their fire services, while funding a new fire station and more staff.
The action required approval of three separate ballot measures. On Tuesday evening, all three were passing with 55% or higher approval rates.
The communities already have a joint fire authority. But officials say this change will allow authorities to respond to multiple emergencies simultaneously.
The new fire station will be in Pleasant Hill. In exchange, both areas will pay higher property taxes.
BENTON COUNTY
Measure 02-141: City of Corvallis Livability Services Local Option Levy
Yes: 8.502
No: 4,337
In Corvallis, voters renewed a property tax levy that funds the public library, Parks & Recreation and grants for social services.
According to initial results posted Tuesday evening, the measure passed with 66% of the vote, a smaller margin than in 2019, but a fairly comfortable margin of victory nonetheless. A typical homeowner will pay an estimated $300 annually.
Last month, Corvallis City Counciler Tracey Yee said inflation might weaken the funding’s impact, but officials didn’t want to raise rates when homeowners' budgets are tight.
DOUGLAS COUNTY
Measure 10-207: Oakland School District 1: Bonds to improve safety, security; upgrade softball field, replace gym
Yes: 396
No: 486
Voters in the Oakland School District appear to have rejected a bond that would have funded a new middle school gym. The property tax levy would have raised $6 million, matched by a $4 million state grant. Initial results show it was rejected by 55% of voters.
The majority of the money would have funded a new middle school gym. School officials say the current facility is over a century old and has nonfunctional bathrooms. The vote comes over five years after another failed bond measure, which would have raised $20 million to replace the district’s high school.
LINCOLN COUNTY
Measure 21-220: Increases Lincoln County Transient Lodging Tax from 10% to 12%.
Yes: 8,170
No: 3,820
Lincoln County voters have overwhelmingly agreed to raise taxes on hotel stays in rural communities. The measure passed with 68% of the vote, according to initial results. It will increase the lodging tax in unincorporated communities by 20%. The change won’t affect cities. But Newport, Depoe Bay and Lincoln City already charge the same rate that was proposed for unincorporated sections of the county.
Measure 21-219: Yachats Rural Fire Protection District local option tax renewal
Yes: 702
No: 274
Voters in Yachats have renewed a property tax levy that funds its firefighters. Initial results show over 72% of voters favored the measure.
The Yachats Rural Fire Protection District serves as the city’s fire department. And it extends to rural communities along the coast, as well as east into the Yachats River Valley. The district currently employs six paid firefighter paramedics. This levy makes up a quarter of its budget.
Measure 21-221: City of Toledo bonds for water reservoir and public safety facility improvements
Yes: 237
No: 329
LINN COUNTY
Measure 22-201: Sweet Home School District #55: Five-year local option renewal for swimming pool operations
Yes: 1,791
No: 1,033
DESCHUTES COUNTY
Measure 09-162: Redmond Fire and Rescue District: Local option levy to maintain fire and emergency medical services
(Includes results from portion of district in Crook and Jefferson Counties)
Yes: 3,623
No: 3,586
