GOVERNOR ON ELECTION
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski was philosophical about the success of Democrats in statewide races. He says Republicans have been heading for a fall for years and he expects Republicans for statewide office to become more moderate ... and expects they'll put a strong challenger in the 20-10 race for governor. It’s expected Democrats will have large advantage in the Oregon House, possibly 39-21, as well as a majority in the Senate.
VANCE DAY REACTION
Overall, Republicans lost a lot on election night. Vance Day with the Oregon G-O-P says they will now dog Barack Obama to make sure he does as promised. Day says Obama usurped many Republican issues in order to capture moderate voters.
DESCHUTES OBAMA REACT
A Barack Obama victory is welcomed by many in Central Oregon, but is disappointing to others. Deschutes County Democratic Party Chairman Jim Thomasson believes there are better times ahead. But the Central Oregon Republican faithful predict grim times ahead.
SMITH WINS NARROWLY
Oregon U-S Senator Gordon Smith wins re-election, but just barely. With a few more votes to count, he wins with 47-percent of the votes cast to Jeff Merkley’s 46-point-nine percent. Dave Brownlow received five-and-a-half percent of the votes cast.
GREG WALDEN JG 11/5/08
Congressman Greg Walden says he’s very grateful that Oregon voters have decided to send him back to Washington to represent them. As a Republican, Walden believes that they could see that he is able to “reach across the aisle” and work with Democrats to solve issues. Walden says the first order of business is to tackle the economy and help the new administration get up to speed on current projects…especially those that affect the Northwest.
KATE BROWN WINS
Democrat Kate Brown will move into the Oregon Secretary of State's office in January. After a hard-fought campaign, she's ready to get down to business. She says she'll fight to make sure the voice of every Oregonian is heard and every vote counts. Despite the policy differences between her and Republican opponent Rick Dancer, Brown says the race remained very positive. She also thanked Green Party Candidate Seth Wooley for bringing a fresh perspective to the race.
LA PINE FIRE DISTRICT
Now that voters passed Measure 9-63, funding the La Pine Rural Fire District, Fire Chief Jim Gustavson says they can hire a few more firefighters and get closer to the Federal Standards. He says they count heavily on the roster of volunteers to aid the firefighters. Federal standards require 16 to 2- people to fight a structure fire and currently La Pine only has two people pus volunteers. With the new funding, they will be able to hire another firefighter for each shift.
BEND COUNCIL
With three more precincts left to count, one Bend city councilor may be unseated and two are on their way to retain their seats. Incumbent Peter Gramlich has almost 52-percent of the votes in his race over Tom Greene. Jim Clinton soundly leads Don Leonard with 67-percent of the vote. However, challenger and former Bend mayor Kathie Eckman leads incumbent Lynda Johnson with 53-percent of the votes. Only two votes separate Jeff Eager and Jodie Barram for position two on the Bend council. Eager leads with six-thousand-839.
OTHER RACES
1. State Representative Gene Whisnant winning over Conrad Reul with 65 percent of the votes cast.
2. State Senator Ben Westlund wins state Treasurer with 50-point-three percent of the votes cast.
3. Democrat Kate Brown wins Secretary of State over Rick Dancer by 50-point-two percent of the votes counted.For state senate.
4. Chris Telfer leads over Maren Lundgren with 58-percent of the votes counted thus far.
5. Incumbent Gene Whisnant will retain his State Represenative seat. He received 65-percent of the vote over Conrad Ruel.
6. Judy Stiegler has a lead over Chuck Burley for his House seat with 56-percent of the votes counted. There are three more precincts to count.
7. For Redmond city council, final unofficial returns show Shirlee Evans, Ed Boero and Camden King are elected from a field of eight candidates.
8. With three precincts to go, a proposed increase in the Deschutes County rural transient room tax looks like it will be defeated with 54-percent voting no.
9. The COCC bond will probably be defeated. With several precincts yet to come in, 55-percent have voted no.
10. The Bend area transit district is so far going down to defeat by 51-percent of the vote, but there are three more precincts to count.
11. With all votes counted, both the Redmond park and recreation bond to build a new recreation center and the levy to fund it for three years was soundly rejected. The bond was trounced by 71-percent, and the levy by 80-percent.
12. The La Pine recreation tax rate Was defeated by 57-percent.
13. The Sisters school district levy was defeated by 52-percent.
14. The River Forest Acres special road levy was defeated by 57- percent of the vote.
15. The Crooked River Ranch rural fire protection district levy was defeated by 59-percent.
YOUR VOTE COUNTS DA 11/5/08
Think your vote doesn’t count. One vote kept Brad Boyd from being elected to the Sisters City council. Out of a field of five, Lon Kellstrom, Jerry Bogart, and Pat Thompson were elected. Thompson received the third most votes at 296 which was one more than Boyd’s 295
UNGER VICTORY
The mayor of Redmond will now become Deschutes County’s newest commissioner. With 49 of 52 precincts counted, Alan Unger is ahead of incumbent Mike Daly with 53-and-a-half percent of the vote. One of the tasks Unger wants to tackle is working with the legislature to help cities with water issues.
DUGAN ON 57
With a few more precincts to report in statewide, it appears ballot measure 57 trumps measure 61. 57 supporters, including Deschutes county District Attorney Mike Dugan feel it’s a victory for Oregon. He says measure 57 provides incentives for drug rehabilitation instead of just throwing first time property and drug offenders in prison
CROOK RESULTS
City of Prineville residents selecting three out of five candidates to sit on the city council. Gordon Gillespie was the leading candidate with 21-percent of the vote, followed by betty roppe, also with 21-percent with 11-hundred-28 and James McDonald with 19-percent. Mike Wendell ran unopposed for mayor. In Crook County races, Mike McCabe will take over from Scott Cooper as county judge at the end of the year. He wins over Kim Kambak with 56-percent of the vote. County commissioner position one goes to Ken Fahlgren over Arleen Curths with 65-percent of the vote.
JEFFERSON RESULTS
Premliminary results out of Jefferson County this morning show Wayne Fording leading Walt Ponsford for county commission position three. Melanie Widmer is handily defeating Frank Morton and Danny Beeson. And Shawna Clanton is ahead of Daniel Harnden in the Culver mayoral race by nearly a two-to-one margin. Voters appear to be approving renewal of a five-year operations local option tax for the Crooked River Ranch Rural Fire Protection District. Voters are defeating ballot measure number 16-53, which annexes portions of crooked river ranch into the jefferson county library district. However measure 16-54 which addresses the same issue is winning voter approval by an overwhelming margin. And a four-year local option tax for operatioins of the Sisters school district is defeated two-to-one…literally.