Kings Valley tree farmer Pat Malone appears to be on his way to victory in Tuesday’s primary election with 61.91% of the vote in his race against Helen Higgins for the Democratic nomination for the Benton County Board of Commissioners.
Early returns released just after 8 p.m. Tuesday showed Malone with 6,483 votes and Higgins with 3,937 (37.60%). Malone is an incumbent candidate for the seat and unless the final numbers see a dramatic turnaround, will go up against Republican Bill Currier in the Nov. 8 general election.
Currier was unopposed for the Republican nomination and received 97.43% of the vote against 91 write-ins.
Linn-Benton Community College’s bond measure for needed facility improvements is well on its way to passing. The yes votes on the bond stand at 13,171 votes (70.29%) and no votes are at 5,567 (29.71%).
The bond, which will be limited to $16 million, will allow LBCC to build a new agricultural center, various needed renovations, including the reopening of a childcare center, and repairs to aging facilities.
The bond will also provide matching funds for an $8 million appropriation that was approved by the State Legislature.
See complete results reported just after 8 p.m. by the Benton County Elections Office.
In other unofficial results:
• U.S. senator, 4th District — Democrat: Sen. Ron Wyden had 90.81% of the vote to easily outdistance challenger William E. Bartlow III.
• U.S. representative — Democrat: Val Hoyle had 50.87% of the vote with Sami Al-Abdrabbuh in second at 18.95%, Doyle E. Canning in third at 14.03% and John S. Selker in fourth at 11.01%. Four other candidates attracted less than 5% of the vote.
• Governor — Democrat: Tina Kotek appears to have won the primary with 61.50% of the vote, compared to 28.98% by Tobias Read. Thirteen other candidates appeared on the ballot with none getting more than 2.18%.
• State senator, 8th District — Democrat: Sara Gelser Blouin was unopposed and came in at 98.86%.
• State representative, 10th District — Democrat: David Gomberg was unopposed and came in at 98.53%.
• State representative, 15th District — Democrat: Benjamin Watts was unopposed and came in with 98.69%.
• State representative, 16th District — Democrat: Dan Rayfield was unopposed and came in with 99.17%.
• U.S. senator — Republican: In one of the closer races, early returns show Jo Rae Perkins with 38.83% of the vote and Darin Harbick in second at 30.13%. Five other candidates have less than 10%.
• U.S. representative, 4th District — Republican: Alek Skarlatos was unopposed and came in at 98.53%.
• Governor — Republican: In a crowded field of 19 candidates, Christine Drazan is emerging as the favorite with 29.96% of the vote. Bob Tiernan is in second at 17.59% and all of the other candidates are at less than 10%. Former Alsea school superintendent Marc Thielman is in third at 8.86%.
• State senator, 8th District — Republican: Valerie Draper Woldeit was unopposed and came in at 97.21%.
• State representative, 10th District — Republican: Celeste McEntee was unopposed and came in at 98.27%.
• State representative, 15th District — Republican: Shelly Boshart Davis was unopposed and came in with 98.69%.
• State representative, 16th District — Republican: Keith Lembke was unopposed and came in with 98.04%.
• Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries Statewide — Nonpartisan: Christina E. Stephenson leads with 57.74% of the vote. Cheri Helt and Casey M. Kulla are sitting in second and third at 14.83% and 13.28%, respectively. Five other candidates have less than 10%.
• Judge of the Supreme Court, Position 6 Statewide — Nonpartisan: Roger J. DeHoog was unopposed and came in with 98.60%.
• Judge of the Court of Appeals, Position 3 Statewide — Nonpartisan: Darleen Ortega leads with 73.88% compared to Vance Day’s 25.83%.
• Judge of the Court of Appeals, Position 5 Statewide — Nonpartisan: Scott A. Shorr was unopposed and came in with 98.72%.
• Judge of the Court of Appeals, Position 8 Statewide — Nonpartisan: Ramon A. Pagán was unopposed and came in with 98.64%.
• Corvallis School District bond measure — The yes vote outpaced the no votes by a fair margin at 70.50% to 29.50%.
The county’s report as of 8 p.m. Tuesday showed a voter turnout rate of 33.01%. Broken down, that’s a 42.88% turnout among registered Democrats, 40.08% among registered Republicans and 17.30% among nonpartisan voters.