King still leads Berschauer, but run-off possible

Links to Yamhill County and State of Oregon Election Results

[Updated 5/22/24 9 p.m.]

Newberg dairy farmer David “Bubba” King had a 1,297-vote lead over County Commissioner Lindsay Berschauer in ballot returns counted through Wednesday. That lead, however, had been reduced in the latest count and was just barely above the percent-of-vote level needed to win the position outright in the primary election.

After a third run of returns updated about 5 p.m. Wednesday:

With 23,066 votes counted, King had 50.23% of the vote to Berschauer's 44.61%, 11,587 to 10,290. David Wall trailed in third with 1,162, or 5.04%.

A candidate for commissioner can win outright in the primary if he or she earns more than 50% of the votes properly cast; otherwise the top two vote-getters will head to a run-off in the November general election.

Calculations of the 50% level only include votes cast appropriately for one candidate, either on the ballot or as a write-in. Undervotes (no candidate chosen) and overvotes (multiple candidates marked) do not count in those calculations. The commissioner race, in latest results, had drawn 882 undervotes, 30 overvotes and 27 write-in votes.

The county’s ballot-return report, filed at 5:24 p.m. Wednesday, showed 28,569 ballots received – 37.65 percent of the county’s 75,877 “eligible voters" -- and 27,828 ballots accepted. Problems with names or signature can cause rejection of ballots, but voters have until June 11 to "cure" their ballots.

Combined reports from Yamhill County suggested that about 4,000 votes remained uncounted in the latest ballot reports, including mailed ballots postmarked on or before election day but not yet delivered to the county.

“It's really amazing,” King told the News-Register. “No matter if we dip down below 50% in the next day or two and have to go to a run in November, I feel very honored, and it feels amazing to be in the position I'm in right now.”

Levies in general were doing well in the election.

In Willamina, the school district bond for expanding classrooms was passing 63.31% to 36.69%.

The West Valley Fire District tax levy to cover escalating operations costs was passing 62.5 to 37.5%.

The Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue levy to add staff and purchase equipment and vehicles was passing 60.51% to 39.49%.

The Yamhill Fire District levy to upgrade gear and equipment was passing 68.84% to 31.16%.

However a measure referred by the Dundee Rural Fire District to increase staffing levels was failing at 54.16% no votes to 45.84% in favor.