Marcus Larson/News-Register##Circuit Court Judge candidate Jennifer Chapman reacts to the second round of election results late Tuesday night while those around applause the news she maintained her lead over competitor Lisl Miller.
Marcus Larson/News-Register##Circuit Court Judge candidate Jennifer Chapman reacts to the second round of election results late Tuesday night while those around applause the news she maintained her lead over competitor Lisl Miller.
By Paul Daquilante • Staff Writer • 

Update: Chapman headed to seat on circuit court bench

[Updated Friday 7:15 p.m.]

It appears Jennifer Chapman will be Yamhill County's next circuit court judge.

Her lead over Lisl Miller extended to 169 votes in updated results released Friday evening, making assuring her a victory with few ballots left to be counted. 

Chapman currently has 18,883 votes, or 50.1 percent, and Miller has18,714, or 49.65 percent. 

It also appears Chapman will avoid an automatic recount, which would be initiated if the candidates were within .2 percent of each other. 

[Updated Friday 10 a.m.]

Jennifer Chapman’s fluctuating and narrow lead over Lisl Miller for a seat on the Yamhill County Circuit Court bench stood at 130 votes, 18,547-18,417, in Wednesday morning unofficial results.

Those figures reflect all verified ballots turned into county ballot boxes.

County Clerk Brian Van Bergen said up to 2,000 ballots could still be counted, comprised of those sent to other counties and ones with signature issues. 


“The constantly moving target is the ballots envelopes with signature issue,” Van Bergen said. “We’ve been receiving responses daily for those problems since we started mailing out correspondence a couple of weeks ago.”

He added, “As soon as we get the bulk of those out then we’ll get back to checking signatures on those ballots that came from other counties and work those ballots.”

Van Bergen said an update of results will like happen this afternoon, with additional updates likely on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of next week. 

Chapman currently has 50.03 percent and Miller 49.68 percent of the vote. Miller said she felt the outcome would be close.

An automatic recount would be triggered if the candidates are within .20 percent of each other in final results.

Chapman serves as legal counsel for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Miller has been a county Deputy District Attorney for 15 years.

“I am impressed by the voter turnout and interest in the judicial race,” Chapman said Wednesday morning. “I am grateful for my supporters, and I have great respect for Mrs. Miller.”

Chapman did not want to comment further until the results became official or she and Miller have an opportunity to speak.

A short time later, Miller acknowledged the results were trending in Chapman’s favor, whom she planned to call.

“Jennifer ran a good campaign and was a tough competitor,” she said. “Her message that the bench needs the balance of a judge with civil court experience resonated with voters.”

Miller expressed her appreciation to her supporters and everyone who voted for her. She had never been involved with a campaign prior to this time, and said one has no idea what the experience is like unless you’ve been a candidate for office.

She said, if the results hold, she would not commit herself to seeking a judgeship again if the opportunity to run presents itself. Miller said she looks forward to continuing to work as a deputy district attorney, a job she loves.

“I am really lucky,” she said. “I have great co-workers and a great boss (District Attorney Brad Berry).”

Chapman held a 134-vote lead following the first count released, shortly after 8 p.m. Miller later cut into the lead, reducing the deficit to 77 votes. Chapman has since built the 130-vote lead.

Miller was victorious in the primary, 33.9 percent, 6,379 votes, to Chapman’s 24.6 percent, 4,619 votes, McMinnville defense attorneys Carol Fredrick, Mark Lawrence and Mark Pihl were the other candidates.

Leading up to Tuesday’s election, Chapman’s message to voters was three of the four judges in the county — John Collins, Cynthia Easterday and Ladd Wiles — are former prosecutors. Collins is a former district attorney. With a civil background, Chapman always maintained she would bring balance to the bench.

Chapman said the average citizen who finds himself in a courtroom setting is more likely to be there as the result of a civil rather than criminal matter.

Miller believes otherwise, countering the time judges spend on the bench is “weighted on criminal matters.” She said she reached out to the four judges who told her that 60 to 90 percent of the cases they hear are of criminal nature.

Chapman received the support of her Yamhill County Bar Association peers in the runup to the general election. She garnered 39 votes to 24 for Miller, who was the association’s choice leading up to the May primary.

Presiding Judge Ronald Stone will retire, effective Dec. 31, and either Chapman or Miller will be sworn in a short time later.

Editor Ossie Bladine contributed to this report.

Check newsregister.com for updates on the race as more results are posted.

Comments

Joel

This article would be much more helpful if you could also tell us how much of the vote is left to be counted.

Ossie Bladine

Joel, just updated the story with info regarding that. Ossie Bladine N-R Editor

Joel

Awesome! Thanks Ossie.

RKOrbison

Been 24 hours since the last update. One wonders why.

sbagwell

The remaining ballots were cast in other counties across the state by Yamhill County residents. It takes time to transmit ballots from potentially as many as 35 counties and process them for counting.
I think a margin of this magnitude is almost certain to hold up. When we know for sure, or get some interim counts, we'll let you know.
Steve

Joel

Very classy response from both Miller and Chapman.
One thing I really like about lawyers is that they can fight tooth and nail, hammer and claw and it's nothing personal.... when it's all over they go out to lunch together and are still friends with no hard feelings at all.
This race kind of reminds me of Svenson vs Casey last time around. If I remember right that one had Svenson winning by a razor thin margin and the final counting ended up taking 3 or 4 extra days too.

RKOrbison

Greatly appreciated Steve.

sbagwell

Here's a more precise and detailed explanation from Yamhill County Clerk Brian Van Bergen:

"It is premature for people to dispute how many ballots are left to count – but understandable. Few people know all of the different possibilities. For instance we have just shy of 1,500 in various states of signature discrepancies (from no signature at all to those that look like someone intentionally signed another person’s ballot envelope). Then, we have ballots come to us that reached an official drop box in another county before 8pm last night. So far we’ve only heard from about half of the counties with the number of Yamhill County Ballots they received. We should have all of those ballots in our building by Friday. This morning I picked up a stack from Clackamas County, a 1 foot mail tray from Washington County and at least that many from Multnomah County. I have not yet counted those but all told we have hundreds left to add to the total number of ballots that are now in our building that need to be worked."

Steve

Joel

I have a suggestion for some new rules:

1. You have to drop it in a box in your own county. If you can't do that, put it in the mail. If you can't do that...sorry, you don't get to vote.

2. You forge someone else's name, it's a felony and you go to jail.

Joel

Something just doesn't seem right about our county clerk driving all over Oregon picking up stacks of ballots that were dropped off in other counties. I'm sure he's an honorable man but good grief, that just doesn't sound very professional or secure.
What are you gonna tell the candidates in such a close race? "Well, sorry you lost by a few votes let me go out one more time and check in my car and see if maybe some ballots might have slid down between the seat and the console." Or "Let me call Baker County one more time so they can check in their basement and see if they've found any more of our Yamhill County votes." Sheesh.

T.W.S.

For everyone who voted for Chapman, question...do you take your vehicle to a dealership or auto repair shop that has NO certified mechanics to work on it?

yamhillbilly2

I guess I would take my car to a dealership or repair shop the had certified mechanics who had a variety of backgrounds and specialties rather than a shop that has only mechanics who specialize in one thing. Why is diversity on our court such an offensive thing to you? Oh that’s right, you enlightened me to a few of the sources for information you base your arguments on, pretty sad! I hope the Lisl Miller campaign is planning their’ Thank you Troy’ luncheon. You should be pleased with yourself that because of the eloquence in your arguments for supporting Lisl and trying to point out why we shouldn’t vote Chapman, you may have gotten voters to look deeper into this election than they might have otherwise. I do know for a fact, Lisl Miller contacted you a couple of times asking you to back off and tone it down, but you couldn’t resist. Think about, this election was decide by around 100 votes. Think how many of those votes were influenced by you.

tagup

My thoughts as well....Chapman will be fine... following Judge Stone’s example....

RKOrbison

Exceedingly well done yhb2. Most excellent!! Love seeing this complete know-it-all being taken to the woodshed!πŸ‘πŸ‘ŠπŸΌβœŒπŸ½β˜πŸΌπŸ˜πŸ‘ŒπŸ˜‰

T.W.S.

RKOrbison - lol! You are funny, but don’t quit your day job.

yamhillbilly2 - “I guess I would take my car to a dealership or repair shop the had certified mechanics who had a variety of backgrounds and specialties rather than a shop that has only mechanics who specialize in one thing.”

Well, in voting for Chapman who specializes only in Civil law that’s what you just did. Take your car to a mechanic with only one speciality. DDA Miller is experienced in the primary area of law that is heard daily, monthly and annually: criminal law. An area of law that Chapman has admitted to never practicing as either a prosecutor or defense attorney.

DDA Miller has experience in criminal law as well as civil. There is your versatile mechanic right there.

Nah, given the responses of many commenting and writing it was clear they were ignorantly biased in favor of Chapman cited ad nauseum her being a mother with kids and having support of union members who don’t know the ins and outs of the position of a circuit court judge in a county dominat by criminal cases.

“Why is diversity on our court such an offensive thing to you?”

When the diversity has absolutely no bearing on the court, it is categorically irrelevant.

“Oh that’s right, you enlightened me to a few of the sources for information you base your arguments on, pretty sad!”

I see. So the ODOJ website that can be searched to verify that the Yamhill CCC is dominated by criminal cases is sad? *smirk*

Don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but the fact remains, no one person has any sway over anyone’s votes. Especially in a merif commentary section of a small newspaper. Your pompous narcissism is showing.

T.W.S.

tag up - “Chapman will be fine...”

Not a lot of confidence in that term. Only time will tell, and if and when her blatant lack of criminal law experience becomes a burden on the court docket as well as the other judges, I’ll be here to say, “I told you so.”

tagup

Interesting that you didn’t address the statement that Ms Miller asked you to back off.......if she thought your “ support” were an asset would she have done that?
No answer necessary..... I already know the answer...

yamhillbilly2

Thank you T.W.S., I expected nothing less from you.

GRM

Joel, I like what you said about lawyers handling things. I wished Reps and Dems could learn from that. T h a t would make America great again.

T.W.S.

tagup - don’t know who you think you are talking to, but there is no reference in the article or any other whe DDA Miller told anyone to “back off” from their support of her.

yamhillbilly2 - nah, it is your response that is expected. Deflection. Denialism. Ignorance. Not a single iota of factual data in retort. Just a fallacious “talk to the hand” sophomoric response. Thanks for proving what we all knew.

tagup

Yamhillbilly2’s statement above.....funny you didn’t comment on it.....

T.W.S.

tagup - blind? I replied at length to yamhillbilly2 at length to his first subjective inaccurate opinion, and to his second inept retort. Scroll up and try reading again.

yamhillbilly2

Prior to the election, I contacted Lisl Miller with my concern that the comments being made by TWS in the News Register were damaging to her campaign. I also expressed concern that the comments by TWS were reflective of her attitude.

Ms Miller responded “ Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts and concerns. I can assure that Troy is not part of my campaign. Twice now, I have contacted him and asked him to stop- but as you observed, he continues. Between the First Ammendment and the policies of the News Register, he has every right to speak his mind.”

A copy of our correspondence has been supplied to the News Register.

Lulu

Nothing like a graceful loser...

sbagwell

The way I see it, Troy Spurlock cost Lisl Miller a lot more than 100 votes with his continuous barrage of offensive invective. It's not the candidate's fault, but the candidate is the only one you can take it out on.
Sadly, it's continuing both post-move and post-election. It seems he simply can't be civil. It's just not in him.
Steve

tagup

Seems that someone is avoiding an inconvenient and somewhat embarrassing truth....appears that Yamhillbilly2 has the goods....

Lulu

If TWS is your major supporter and his strategy involves bullying and demeaning anyone offering another opinion, you--the candidate--will be found guilty by association. It might feel unfair, but this is how the mind interprets the situation. You are known by the company you keep. Or, the less sympathetic warning, Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.

RKOrbison

It would indeed appear that yhb2 has the truth on his side. Wonder how the know-it-all is gonna spin this one.
A copy of his correspondence with Ms. Miller in the possession of the NR. Pretty difficult to refute the truth, but I’ll bet he’ll find a way.

RKOrbison

To avoid any confusion, should have said “a copy of yhb2’s correspondence with Ms. Miller.”

T.W.S.

When individuals simply cannot handle the truth, twisting it into fallacious argumentation via ad hominem attacks against the one telling the truth via substantiated facts, whining to others that they do not like what is being said because all they can focus on is their subjective interpretation of how it is being said (straw man fallacy), and NOT what is actually being said. This, by definition, is denialism.

Truth, especially beyond common knowledge (i.e. facts) are often uncomfortable for many to handle/accept/acknowledge these days. For them, their emotive reaction trumps the truth; only things is, facts do NOT care about anyones feelings. They don't cease being facts just because you have an emotive knee-jerk reaction to them.

As a result of those emotive knee-jerk reactions is the barrage of name calling, as I have experienced here over the past month and a bit. Instead of acknowledging the TRUTH that you may be wrong, denying to even verify the cited sources I've given to undoubtedly prove my case based on FACTS, many of you complainers just complained to the News Register and to DDA Miller. That's tantamount to a child running and tattling to mommy and daddy (Lisl Miller). And to rub it in, they also run to Grandpa and Grandma too (supplying letter to the NR). And to those who tattled, that demonstrates your clear inability to hold your own in an adult, mature, and fact based debate/discussion without getting "offended" and responding in a banal sophomoric manner, blaming me (deflection) for your bad attitude, behavior and demeanor.

Joel

Perhaps one day TWS will make some kind of mistake and find himself standing before Judge Chapman. Now THAT would be karma. I would pay for a seat in the courtroom to see that.

T.W.S.

To all you who whined, complained and personally attacked me like juvenile bullies on a schoolyard playground, you only have yourselves to blame. You reap what you sow.

Spinning it as if I were the one attacking is patently fallacious, as all anyone has to do is go back and read all the comments and they will see that truthful verifiable fact based comments were initially given by me, and juvenile personal attacks were given ad nauseam in response. When I called you out, your attacks intensified. And when your personal attacks would not goat me into the illicit response you were hoping for, you turned the tables onto me, blaming me as if I were the attacker with the bad attitude, demeanor and behavior when that was all on you, and YOU know who YOU are!

While I may have been an advocate for DDA Miller's candidacy, I at no time have been or ever was a part of her campaign. I was and remain a citizen with the freedom to speak my mind. But apparently that doesn't count when it contradicts what's on your mind and cannot prove (doesn't matter what you think or feel, only thing that matters is what you can prove). Just as you complainers were advocates for Civil Attorney Chapman. And at no time did I complain to the News Register staff or Jennifer Chapman about you and your asinine bullying tactics. Not once.

Why didn't I tattle like the rest of you? Well, that is the difference between taking the high and low road. And those who took the low road, you are clearly subjugated by your emotions and flagrant lack of both common and fact based knowledge on the subject material discussed about this campaign for that judgeship, what you fail to grasp is that when you point the finger at someone, deflecting, there are three more fingers pointing RIGHT BACK AT YOU!

T.W.S.

Joel - "Perhaps one day TWS will make some kind of mistake and find himself standing before Judge Chapman. Now THAT would be karma. I would pay for a seat in the courtroom to see that."

See, the sophomoric banal personal attacks still keep coming. Speaks volumes about you who continue down the low road of DENIALISM AVENUE!

T.W.S.

RKOrbison - "It would indeed appear that yhb2 has the truth on his side."

What truth? That he/she whined like a scorned child to mommy that he/she didn't like how something was subjectively interpreted as being said? Making ignorant (lacking facts/knowledge) unprovable allegations; and despite being directly told that at no time was Troy ever a part of her campaign, he/she still pushing the fabricated childish lie by giving the letter(s) to the NR (grandma and grandpa) ratting out the relative.

What an embarrassment to Yamhill County the manner in which you all have acted and behaved in the comments section of the NR regarding the Chapman v. Miller campaign.

RKOrbison

Ms. Miller”Twice now, I have contacted him and asked him to stop......”
Still being swept aside and not addressed or acknowledged by the know-it-all.

T.W.S.

People with special snowflake syndrome have a cluster of personality and character flaws, including but not limited to:

- Thinking the world revolves around them
- Believing only their worldview or opinion to be correct
- Demanding tolerance while being intolerant
- Responding like a toddler when they don’t get their way
- Taking everything as a personal offense
- Reporting or tattling on anyone they can’t control or who dares believe differently
- Expecting others to solve their issues
- Believing their rights matter more than the rights of others
- Believing others must conform to their worldview
- Being easily offended
- Having a fragile self image, threatened by anyone or anything different
- Being often physically unattractive or socially odd
- Seeing almost everything as an injustice, threat, or aggression
- Being angry and passive aggressive
- Accusing others of various “ism”
- Being victim based

So many of you have exhibited most if not all of the aforementioned traits whereas I am concerned.

That being said, you all need to go take a course at the community college on interpersonal communication skills, as well as a couple of philosophy courses and learn how to hold your own in a discussion instead of acting like children.

T.W.S.

RKOrbison - "Still being swept aside and not addressed or acknowledged by the know-it-all."

Reading comprehension problems? In many comments on this debate, I did not address either candidate but addressed the factual inaccuracies being purported by those making false allegations and gross misinterpretations of data/info.

And your continue juvenile banal ad hominem retorts only serve to discredit you, not me. Carry on.

RKOrbison

πŸ™„πŸ™„πŸ™„πŸ™„

tagup

Seems the only detail left unanswered is: Did Ms. Miller ask you ( twice) to stop posting..?.....seems this question is the crux of the recent conversation and has been overlooked....or more likely purposely avoided......so which is it yes or no?

T.W.S.

For those of you STILL commenting with the personal and ignorant fallacies, thanks for demonstrating just how much you people fall within the special snowflake syndrome category.

Carry on, children. Carry on.
Adieu & good night

tagup

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”
—Gandhi—

Mudstump

A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle. ~Benjamin Franklin

T.W.S.

And...some cannot think for themselves, engaging in sheer banality by googling quotes that have absolutely no relevance here.

treefarmer

I have not tried to parse the insults in this thread and do not have any comment about our new Judge. I thought either candidate would serve us well and respected the way the ladies conducted their campaigns. (Some of their supporters though, obviously not so much.)

However, I was captivated by the “snowflake syndrome” list. While by no means comprehensive, it is an otherwise perfect word portrait for a certain infamous demagogue who is recognizable in EVERY SINGLE LINE of that list. I have copied the compilation for future reference/documentation and assigned it a more accurate heading for my file: “Mad King Don Defined.” (credit: “Notes from a Red Pill Girl”)

Loved the quotes from Mudstump and tagup! And just curious,“T.W.S.” - why would you disparage people who cite quotes given the fact that your “snowflake list” is a WORD FOR WORD quote from this website: https://notesfromaredpillgirl.com/2017/07/15/dont-be-a-snowflake/comment-page-1/ (something about glass houses and stones comes to mind, although I can't remember who said it.)

T.W.S.

tree farmer - "Loved the quotes from Mudstump and tagup! And just curious,“T.W.S.” - why would you disparage people who cite quotes given the fact that your “snowflake list” is a WORD FOR WORD quote from this website..."

As noted it was about relevance, and their quotes had no relevance. They were just further attempts at ad hominem directed [at] me.

While I could have certainly written such a list myself, I found that one eloquently put and most relevant to the individuals throughout this discourse refusing to address the message, focusing entirely on the messenger.

And you may come back thinking/saying that list in and of itself was an ad hominem directed at those individuals who were attacking me. But not so fast. Not all logical fallacies are truly fallacies when there is absolute truth behind it. For example, some were demanding tolerance while being intolerant, another tattled, all were easily offended by my defense of myself in the wake of their personal attacks, all saw the facts and cited sources as aggressive or attacks against them, so on and so forth.

Truth hurts, but to get personally offended by them and the person providing them instead of contradicting those facts, they just attacked me. Hence the special snowflake syndrome.

And what just kills me to this day is the absurd assertion that my facts and cited sources, especially defending myself from personal attacks, somehow was the deciding factor of a a Yamhill County voter to cast their vote for Chapman. The irony here is that in and of itself is a personal insult (personal attack) upon those would be voter(s), to say that they would be so incompetent to vote on emotion out of spite for one candidate over another because of some obscure individual making truthful comments on a small town newspaper website that others did not like. /SMH/

Trafik

“Yep. That’s a hemorrhoid.”

— Physician diagnosing patient’s persistent, scratchy, nasty, turgid, foul, it-just-won’t-go-away pain in the ass

Trafik

And just to save you the trouble, T.W.S., yes, I am attacking you personally because you deserve it.

Throughout your various diatribes in different threads of this forum, I never disputed your message of “absolute truth,” even though I found your hubris unappealing. I did, however, take issue with your ham-handed manner of delivery which managed to simultaneously convey both condescension and oafishness. Still, it’s always fun to watch the man in the sixty-dollar suit act all haughty and bossy to the sommelier, if you’ll forgive (or even understand) the dining metaphor.

For what it’s worth, I voted for Miller but my vote came in spite of your vitriol. Unfortunately, there seems to be broad consensus that there’s a better-than-even chance you cost your candidate this close election. Next time, Judge Chapman should hire you to make sure she’s re-elected.

T.W.S. Train Wreck Solutions, Your Path to Public Office!

Lulu

Actually, that's what I asked some time ago, whether TWS was secretly amassing support for Jennifer Chapman because the specific tenor of his comments swayed people to avoid Miller.
However, I would like to point out how the endless name-calling and insults and ad hominems and strawmen and emotive whatevers and questioning people's IQs were introduced from the outset by TWS. He was hoisted with his own petard.

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