By News-Register staff • 

Updated numbers show McMinnville fire district measures passing; school board races being decided

UPDATE: Vote totals have been updated Wednesday morning Some votes mailed  Tuesday still remain to be counted.

 

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According to first returns from the Yamhill County Clerk’s Office, incumbents Larry Vollmer and Gerardo Partida and newcomers Lu Ann Anderson and Doris Towery are leading in races for four openings on the McMinnville School Board.

Two measures are passing that would dissolve McMinnville’s rural fire district and create a new, combined city/rural fire district, according to the clerk’s initial run of ballots for the May 16 election.

Both Measure 36-226 and Measure 36-222 need to pass in order for the change to take effect. The first, to dissolve the rural district, is passing 576 to 465, and the second, to form the new district, is passing 4,148 to 2,637.

In the McMinnville School Board Position 4 race, incumbent Larry Vollmer has 4,151 votes, ahead of challenger Anita Humlie, who has 2,726.

For Position 5, incumbent Gerardo Partida has 4,334 votes, ahead of challenger Audrey Aase with 2,522 votes.

The Position 6 contest sees Lu Ann Anderson is leading Todd Hyder, 3,672 to 3,281. Both are running for the McMinnville board for the first time.

Position 7 also is a race between two first-time school board candidates, with Doris Towery ahead of Shellie Reyes in early returns, 4,066 to 2,733.

Several other school districts have contested races for one or more seats.

Thus far, Ruby Ramirez is ahead with 259 votes, over Chrissy Davis with 248 and Paul Hartman with 130 for a seat on the Sheridan School Board. That includes Polk County results.

In Dayton, Pieper Sweeney is leading in a three-way race for the Position 5 seat. She has 291 votes in initial returns, compared to Heather Bissonette with 56 and Heather Crawford Giraud with 93.

In Sheridan, results for school board Position 4 show Ruby Ramirez leading with 275 votes, followed by Chrissy Davis with 256 and Paul Hartman with 140. 

The Willamina race for Position 4 sees Roy Whitman with 377 votes and a decisive lead over incumbent Dan Rinke, who has 157. .

Newberg has five openings positions on its school board.

Deb Bridges is leading Shelley Kolb, 4,529 votes to 4,022. in the Zone 2 race.

Jeremy Hayden has 4,559 votes, ahead of Sue Osborne, who has 3,978 in Zone 3.

In the Zone 4 race, Nancy Woodward is ahead of Raquel Peregrino de Brito, 4,650 to 3,882.

James Wolfer, with 4,611 votes, is leading Dave Brown, with 3,946, in Zone 6.

In the Zone 7 contest, Sol Allen is ahead of Chris Irwin, 4,467 to 4,039.

A $16 million Sheridan School District funding measure aimed to improve school facilities and safety is failing, 476 no to 391 yes, or 55% no to 45% yes, among Polk and Yamhill County voters.`

Dundee also has two five-year levy requests on the ballot for emergency medical and fire services. Both the rural and city measures are passing, the rural one with 198 yes and 184 no and the city one with 448 yes and 263 no.

Most fire districts around the county saw uncontested races.

In the McMinnville rural fire protection district, however, four people were running for three seats. Lucien Gunderman has 465 votes in the initial run of ballots, followed by Mollie Dunckel with 381, Phillip Frischmuth with 324 and Debbie McDermott with 321.

Nine people received votes for five positions on the proposed McMinnville Fire District board, which will be formed if the measures continue to pass. Brian Smith received 3,343 votes in the first county, followed by Daniel Sparrow with 3,233, Josh Traff with 3,111, Ray Pratt with 2,860, Adam Garvin with 2,615, Dennis Goecks with 1,830, Debbie McDermott with 1,583, Nick Hubbard with 781 and Jerry Hubbard with 712.

The Yamhill County Clerk’s Office reported an overall turnout of about 23% as of Monday.

The clerk released the first results after 8:30 p.m. and  likely will release another run of ballots after 10 p.m. It will include votes collected from drop boxes around the county just after polls closed at 8 p.m..

Not all ballots will be counted tonight, however. Voters needed to return ballots to drop boxes or the Clerk’s Office or have them postmarked prior to 8 o’clock tonight. Those that were mailed today have seven days to arrive for counting.

If races are close, winners might not be determined until next week.

Check back Wednesday morning for updated election returns.

 

Comments

MSM

I’m so relieved that McMinnville chose the most involved and experienced candidates for its school board! As a result, our schools will continue to have every chance to be successful.

Even though I am happy with the result, I am disturbed that about 7,000 voters made such a crucial decision for this town of over 30,000. Why don’t people vote? Local election results have bigger impacts on our everyday lives than state or federal elections!

MBert70

I couldn't agree with you more, MSM!

Local Yokel

MSM,
What drives me crazy is that it seems like more people are engaging in verbal and written debates on these issues than are voting. I will never understand that! Make your voice heard where it counts!! VOTE!!!!

Rds

If these leads hold in the school seats i want to say THANK YOU to all those who voted to keep MAGA politicians backed by the cowardly (for trying to hide their financing maga) George family out of our schools. The racist misogunistic maga people have no place in any school district. Thank you again!

Jean

The ripple effect of the Newberg School board continues. Giant pretty signs and giving cookies to the county clerk didn't work, either.

Nipper

Only 23% turned in ballots. It’s so easy to vote by mail. I don’t understand the lack of interest in our local community. Anyway, I’m pleased with the election outcome, if it stands with final votes being counted. Those who didn’t vote, don’t complain.

tagup

23% voted which would mean a candidate only needs 12% to win? Hmmm.

Sandy

It is really counterproductive to have races decided in a May election. Most voters expect to vote in November and these races should be decided then. We would get a much higher turnout and a much more representative sample of the citizens of the county.

sbagwell

Sandy:
The problem with that is local school board and city council races getting utterly lost in all the hype, commentary, mailers and endless TV ads associated with an election featuring races for seats in the Legislature, Congress, top state offices and potentially the Oval Office. Who can make an informed decision on a local race when that race is barely even an afterthought?
I join you in deploring the woeful turnout associated with local special district elections, but I don't think the answer is rendering local elections virtually invisible amid the screaming hype and ad bombardment of a full-fledged general election. People will turn out, but end up having no basis to make an informed decision.
Steve

Rds

So thankful that Mcminville chose not to go with the maga candidates backed by the Geaorge family for school board. Thank You Mcminville for paying attention and doing what is best for the students.

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