Editor’s note: This story was updated with the latest results at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.
A familiar face and a newcomer won the two contested seats on the Philomath School Board, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s special district election.
Based on numbers that were originally released by the Benton County Records and Elections Department at 8 p.m. and updated after 10 p.m., Tom Klipfel appears to be in position for a return to the School Board after an eight-year absence. Updated results show Klipfel, a retired supply chain professional who served on the board from 2007-17, with 55.46% of the vote against Kerin Konkler, a family nurse practitioner, for the Position 1 seat. Klipfel has 995 votes with Konkler at 789 votes (43.98%).
In a three-candidate race for the Position 3 seat, Erin McMullen rolled to victory with 69.30% of the vote. McMullen, a local farmer and business owner, secured 1,282 votes compared to 385 votes for business owner and former high school football coach Troy Muir (20.81%) and 181 votes for farm manager Todd Smith (9.78%). McMullen has prior experience with a stretch on the Muddy Creek Charter School Board from 2015-21.
In the only unopposed race, incumbent Erin Gudge has 1,313 votes and will return to fill the board’s Position 4 seat. Gudge, a brand design manager, has served on the School Board since 2021.
The two newcomers and Gudge will be sworn in on July 1 or soon thereafter to begin four-year terms. School Board seats currently held by Ryan Cheeke (Position 2) and Sandi Hering (Position 5) were not on the ballot for the current election cycle with both of those terms set to expire in 2027.
Current board members Rick Wells and Joe Dealy opted to not run again.
Elsewhere, three candidates running unopposed for the Philomath Fire and Rescue Board of Directors will be sworn in — Joe Brier (Position 1), Kenneth Corbin (Position 2) and Matt Kennedy (Position 3).
Three unopposed candidates are running for the Blodgett-Summit Rural Fire Protection District’s board — David King (Position 3), Mark Scacco (Position 4) and Andrew Burton (Position 5). In the Hoskins-Kings Valley Rural Fire Protection District, Michael Rhodes (Position 3) and John Madsen (Position 4) were unopposed with no candidates filing for the Position 5 seat.
Gail Goetzinger (Position 2) and Walter Ackermann (Position 3) ran unopposed for positions on the Hidden Valley Special Road District, which serves residents in a development near Wren.