The May 19 voters’ pamphlet. Photo: Chas Hundley
WASHINGTON COUNTY – Early results are in for the May 19 2020 primary.
We’re following a host of races throughout Washington County and the wider region, and we’ll be posting updates throughout the night and morning as they become available.
Up first, two county levies were on the ballot, each seeking to replace an expiring levy; one for public safety (measure 34-296) , and one for Washington County Cooperative Library Services (measure 34-297) .
With the first wave of results in, both measures are on track to be approved.
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Another county level race — the Washington County Sheriff — was decisive, with early results putting incumbent Pat Garrett well in the lead against Red Wortham, who trailed with just 29.2% of the vote as of 8:20 p.m.
In legislative races, the November ballot will feature some new faces and some old ones.
In House District 29 (West Hillsboro, Cornelius, and Forest Grove, rural unincorporated Washington County between Forest Grove and Banks), Susan McLain will secure her party’s nomination after running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Two Republican candidates are fighting for a chance to take on McLain in the general election, and one has a clear lead: Dale Fishback, a retired Tualatin Valley Water District Field Operations Manager, has more than 78% of the vote, while his opponent, David Dowler, a former U.S. Navy officer, trails with 20.56% of the vote in early returns.
In House District 30 (Roy, areas just outside Banks, North Plains, Hillsboro, and portions of Aloha), incumbent Janeen Sollman is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, and will face the also unopposed Republican Darrell Gulstrom, a Hillsboro resident who said he was not currently employed in his election filing paperwork, and listed his background as a warehouse delivery driver.
In House District 31 (Columbia County, portions of Buxton, Manning, and just outside of the city of Banks), in the Democratic Party primary, incumbent Brad Witt is running unopposed. In the Republican Party primary, Brian Stout will win the Republican nod, with early results turning in a robust 85.43% of the vote to William H. Spencer, a Clatskanie resident and wrapper tech at the Georgia-Pacific Corporation.
In House District 32 (Banks, Gales Creek, Timber, Gaston, Tillamook, Clatsop County), the only house district races we’re covering with an open seat for the taking, the early results show Democratic candidate Debbie Booth-Schmidt winning the nomination with a clear victory (71.16%) over her rival, George Kiepke, while Tillamook mayor Suzanne Weber will take the Republican spot in the general election, with more than 80% of the early vote tally, beating Vineeta Lower, who had previously secured the Republican nomination for the seat in 2018.
Full results for all races can be seen at results.oregonvotes.gov.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Gales Creek Journal and sister news publications the Banks Post and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.