By News-Register staff • 

Starrett increases lead; Johnston, Wytoski headed to runoff; Amity, Dayton, Sheridan money measures passing

 County election results are available online at Count_CumulativeReport (yamhill.or.us).

Statewide election results are available at Oregon Secretary of State (oregonvotes.gov)

 

Starrett could have narrow, outright win

Incumbent County Commissioner Mary Starrett increased her lead further to 51.15% of the vote in updated returns on Wednesday evening, appearing to be on her way to winning re-election outright without a vote in November. However, final results will not be released until June 13, and Starrett must maintain her 50-plus percent vote to avoid a runoff in the General Election. Challenger Doris Towery is training at 39.1%, while David Wall stood at 10.1%.

Ballots that were postmarked by May 17 may be delivered up to seven days later and still be counted in the election. The county clerk also picks up county ballots that were left in drop boxes in other counties, and voters whose signatures were challenged have 21 days after the election to “cure” the problem, by re-submitting their signature. 

Voters whose signatures were challenged will be notified by the county clerk’s office. However, voters also may track their ballot online, through the county clerk’s website, at Yamhill County (ballottrax.net) .

 

Johnston, Wytoski headed to runoff

Dayton Mayor Beth Wytoski and nursery owner Kit Johnston are leading the fight to replace county Commissioner Casey Kulla, and will face a runoff in November. Final returns won’t be released until June. Wytoski had the most votes in the initial returns, but Johnston overtook the lead in updated return numbers Wednesday evening, with 8,613 votes, 37.49%. Wytoski currently has 8,595 votes, 8,595, 37.14%.

Noah and Luoto, trailing at 15.14% (3,478 votes) and 9.97% (2,291) respectively, saw little change.

 

Sheridan Fire District levy, Dayton local option tax, Amity school bond all passing

The Sheridan Fire District five-year local option levy was passing with ease Wednesday, according to unofficial voter results..

Polk and Yamhill counties have all released multiple rounds of results.

In the most recent returns, 1,024 voters in the two counties approved the Sheridan Fire District's request while 509 had said no.

The city of Dayton's six-year local option tax for law enforcement services was passing in Yamhill County, 330-222.

Amity School District's 25-year,  $29.4 million bond measure was failing by a close 19-vote margin in Polk and Yamhill counties earlier, but it rallied with 643 residents approving the money measure opposite 615 who cast a no vote..

In the Sheridan Fire District, the current five-year levy of $1.46 per $1,000 of assessed valuation per year will expire June 30. The district’s permanent tax rate is $1.11, and the present levy amount is 35 cents. Sheridan has operated at that rate, without an increase, since 2003.

The district was asking for a levy increase of 53 cents to $1.99 per $1,000. The owner of a home with an assessed value of $300,000 would pay $597 annually, or $159 more than what currently is being paid.

The district estimates the proposed increase will raise $399,860 in the coming fiscal year, $411,856 in 2023-24, $424,212 in 2024-25, $436,938 in 2025-26 and $459,204 in 2026-27.

In addition to increasing the levy’s lifespan, voter approval next month will ensure the following:

* Staff a second ambulance 24 hours a day with two crew members.

* Replace expired/expiring personal protective equipment.

* Increase the basic operational revenue that would allow continued improved services.

* Maintain the district’s current insurance service rating at 4.1 (1 being the lowest and 10 the highest).

In Dayton, the law enforcement measure renews the current levy and will fund one Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office deputy for 40 hours a week in addition to a Municipal Court/records clerk, code enforcement officer, 911 services and support services.

The city contracts services through an agreement with the county. The current law enforcement agreement expires June 30.

The estimated total levy amount is $269,230 per year for each of the six years. A homeowner would pay $1.85 per $1,000 of assessed value, so the owner of a home valued at $250,000 for tax purposes would pay $462.50 per year.

In Amity, the school district has been awarded a $4 million Oregon School Capital Improvement Match grant which only kicks in if the bond measure is approved.

The district is also seeking a grant to make seismic improvements to its facilities, but an amount has not been determined.

The estimated annual tax rate would be $3.16 per $1,000 of assessed value. The owner of a home valued at $200,000 for tax purposes would see an annual bill of $620.

Passage of the bond will finance the following:

* Remodeling the existing high school on Oak Street.

* Relocating the middle school, through expansion and renovation, to the high school campus. It's unclear what would become of the current middle school building and property.

* Completing seismic upgrades and improvements at facilities district-wide.

* No bond funds will be used on the Church Avenue project, and the district has not decided what to do with the building and property.

If voters pass the bond, the 1965 wing of the high school will be remodeled  to create a separate high school and 6-8 middle school. The high school plan includes new science rooms, art area, general purpose classrooms and a gymnasium.

The middle school would enjoy remodeled and updated classrooms in addition to six new rooms. Student and public entrances will change to enhance safety and security.

The K-5 elementary school, located on Rice Lane, north of the current high school, is in good condition. There is a need, however, for more classroom space to ease overcrowding, and passage of the bond could provide that relief.

The district office would  be housed in two modulars on the high school/middle school campus, a move from its current location in a two-story house at the south end of town, across Highway 99W from the fire department and adjacent to the middle school.

The existing district office property would become the bus barn and the current bus storage location would be removed.

 

Salinas, Erickson lead in District 6 primary

In Primary voting for the new U.S. House District 6,  Andrea Salinas of Lake Oswego appears headed to the Democratic Party nomination, and Mike Erickson of Lake Oswego the Republican Party nod.

Returns are early and unofficial, in first-ever voting for the new U.S. Sixth Congressional District, which includes Yamhill and Polk counties and parts of Washington and Clackamas counties. As of close of business Tuesday night, counties were planning to post more vote tabulations on Wednesday.

Early reporting by the Oregon Secretary of State’s office give the district-wide lead to Salinas, at 37.8 % to 19 % over McMinnville’s Carrick Flynn; 12,661 votes to 6,399. Cody Reynolds of Tualatin received 11.7 %, or 3,932 votes

Erickson enjoyed a 33.4 % to 20.7 % lead over McMinnville’s Ron Noble, 9,155 votes to 5,677. Amy L. Ryan-Courser of Keizer was in third, at 14.2 %, 3,882 votes.

Among Yamhill County voters, Salinas drew 2,635 votes, or 39.5% to 1,330, or 19.9% for Flynn. Cody Reynolds of Tualatin received 830, or 12.43% of the county total.

Among Republicans, Ron Noble of McMinnville led in Yamhill County with 2,631 votes, or 36% of the county total, with Erickson bringing in 1,924, or 26.4 percent, Jim Bunn of Amity with 866, or 11.95%, and Amy L. Ryan Courser at 664, or 9%.

In neighboring Polk County, Noble received 1,200 votes to Erickson’s 2,292, Courser’s 1,385 and Bunn’s 900.

 

Scharf and Wright to face off

Newberg City Planning Commissioner Kriss Wright appears likely to face off against Republican Anna Scharf for House District 23 in November. Scharf, who was appointed last year, after Republican Mike Nearman was expelled from the Legislature, ran unopposed for her party.

Wright ran against Newberg City Councilor Elise Yarnell Hollamon, who led in Yamhill County, but trailed behind Wright in statewide returns, with Wright holding 55.3% of the vote, to Yarnell’s 43.5%, district-wide Wednesday morning.

 

Comments

Jeb Bladine

A few reader comments inadvertently were deleted in updating of this election results story. It was unintentional, and those readers are invited to re-post their comments.

Joel R

I miss the days when everyone went down to the courthouse and lined up and voted. You got to see your neighbors and feel like you were a part of something solemn and important. They counted all the ballots that night and the next day you had a winner.
But folks are never able to leave well enough alone. No, we gotta change everything and do it by mail because we're too lazy to go down and stand in line.
I find it unsettling to wait several weeks while the clerk drives around the county picking up ballots and people are coming in to "cure" their ballot. We didn't have any of that stuff in the old days.
You voted and you had a winner. Case closed. No room for any tom foolery.

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