Government Camp will remain un-citified, Welches Senator Rick Metsger fell
short in his primary bid for state treasurer, former governor John Kitzhaber
took a giant leap forward in his comeback effort, Jim Bernard held his seat
with the county, and County Clerk Sherry Hall is headed for a November
runoff.

In what elections officials feared was going to be a feeble turnout for the May
18 primary election, Oregonians rallied with late ballots and reached 41
percent statewide. Secretary of State Kate Brown had predicted a 38 percent
showing. Republicans topped the voting public with 50 percent, Democrats
checked in at 45 percent, while unaffiliated and minor party voters turned out
at 24 percent.

Government Camp
Of the 138 registered voters in Government Camp, 72 cast ballots on Measure
3-354 which would have made it Oregon’s newest incorporated city. The
measure failed, with 42 (58 percent) No votes versus 30 (42 percent) Yes
votes.

Spirited campaigns were waged on the measure with Maryanne Hill, 88, the
spearhead for incorporation, and Maryellen Englesby, 75, leading the battle
against the measure.

Five hopefuls were on the ballot for city council positions – John Bay, Ulla
Brunette, Signe Lawrence, Charles Sperr and Andy Tagliafico – but with no
city to council they also failed.

State Treasurer
Rick Metsger, of Welches, lost the Democratic primary to Treasurer Ted
Wheeler, with Metsger tallying 11,681 (38 percent) of the votes to Wheeler’s
19,202 (62 percent).

Both candidates ran on reform platforms they said were needed in the
department. Metsger differed from Wheeler in saying the appointee’s reforms
did not go far enough to rebuild public trust.

Wheeler had been appointed to the position in March by Gov. Ted Kulongoski
following the death of then-Treasurer Ben Westlund.
Metsger previously announced he was retiring from the Legislature.

Governor
Former Governor John Kitzhaber tossed aside his major opponent, Bill
Bradbury, in the Democratic primary with a 66-30 percent edge. Kitzhaber’s
margin of victory was substantial in Clackamas County as well, defeating
Bradbury by 62-32 percent.

Kitzhaber will now face off against Republican primary winner Chris Dudley
who edged out Allen Alley 40-32 percent. Dudley breezed past Alley with a
more convincing margin in Clackamas County, 46-32 percent.

County Commissioner
In the race for Position 5, Jim Bernard reclaimed his seat by capturing 30,505
votes (55 percent) in the county. His main competitor was Dan Holladay with
18,549 votes (33 percent) while Kevin Strauser checked in with 6,621 votes
(12 percent).

Bernard is a former mayor of Milwaukie and took office to the five-member
commission in 2008.

Commissioner Bob Austin, former mayor of Estacada, will face a runoff with
Paul Savas in November.

Commissioner Ann Lininger faces off against James Needham in November.
The contest was initially listed on the May ballot, but County Clerk Sherry Hall
removed it from the ballot saying the county had erred in listing the race.
County Clerk

Sherry Hall, no doubt suffering at the polls to some degree due to the
Lininger-Needham error that cost the county $180,000 to reprint the ballots,
was unable to win the necessary majority despite garnering the most votes.
Hall received 28,693 votes (48 percent), followed by Canby Mayor Melody
Thompson with 21,378 votes (38 percent) and Deputy Clerk Barbara
Stringham with 7,829 votes (14 percent).

Hall will be opposed by Thompson in the November election.
Measures

The Yes team won on both measures 68 and 69.

The margin of victory for Measure 68, to allow the state to issue bonds for
voter approved school capital costs won handily by a 43,847 to 23,515 margin
(65-35 percent) in Clackamas County, and by 64-36 percent statewide.

Measure 69, to continue authority for lowest cost borrowing for public colleges
and universities, carried the county with 49,009 votes (73 percent) to 18,440
votes (27 percent). The margin was 71-29 percent statewide.