Philomath voters will have a choice in the Nov. 5 general election with two candidates on the ballot for mayor.
Incumbent Chas Jones has served as Philomath’s mayor since 2020 after first being elected to the City Council in 2018. Challenging him for the position is Christopher McMorran, who is currently serving his first term on the City Council and in fact, attracted the most votes among nine candidates in the 2022 election.
Incumbent Diane Crocker and newcomers Spencer Irwin and Brent Kaseman are running unopposed for three upcoming vacancies on the City Council. All three positions carry four-year terms. Ruth Causey, who has been on the City Council since 2019, did not file for re-election.
The deadline to file was Tuesday.
Jones serves as the chief executive officer for Picea Consulting Group, an organization that works with tribal communities and their partners in a wide variety of areas to empower tribal sustainability. His educational background includes a bachelor’s in biology and a master’s in environmental science from Northern Arizona University and a doctorate in hydrology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
McMorran works as a legislative staff member. A local high school graduate, his higher education background includes bachelor’s degrees in political science and film and television production.
Crocker, a retired teacher, has served on the council since 2022. Irwin, who owns two businesses, has served multiple terms on the city’s Budget Committee and Parks Advisory Board. Kaseman, who works in the banking industry, has served on the Budget Committee.
On the Benton County Board of Commissioners, Gabe Shepherd, of Corvallis, is the lone candidate for Position 2. But there are three individuals competing for the Position 3 seat — incumbent Nancy Wyse and challengers James Dashniell and R Keith Lembke. All three of those candidates live in Corvallis.