Douglas County Election Results: Early Returns Show Leads in Local Races Across the County

ROSEBURG, Ore. - The first unofficial results from Tuesday's general election are beginning to show how voters across Douglas County have weighed in on local leadership, with several mayoral and City Council races taking shape.

Early returns show incumbent Chris Boice leading the race for Douglas County Commissioner, Steve Loosley holding a substantial lead in Roseburg's mayoral election, and several other contested races remaining close throughout the county.

According to the Oregon Secretary of State's election results website, the results reflect ballots counted as of Tuesday evening, November 3. Additional ballots remain to be processed, and all results are unofficial.

Here is a breakdown of local election results by community.

Incumbent Chris Boice is leading challenger Steve Hammerson in the race for Douglas County Commissioner, Position 3.

• Chris Boice: 19,550 votes
• Steve Hammerson: 15,838 votes

Boice holds a lead of 3,712 votes in the initial results.

The race advanced to November after neither candidate secured the majority needed to win outright during the May primary election.

Roseburg voters appear poised to elect a new mayor for the first time in nearly three decades.

Steve Loosley holds a commanding lead in the three-person race to succeed longtime Mayor Larry Rich.

• Steve Loosley: 3,991 votes (62.99%)
• Max Smoot: 1,512 votes (23.86%)
• David Bolhuis: 785 votes (12.39%)

Loosley leads his nearest opponent by 2,479 votes.

Two contested City Council races are also showing clear leaders.

• Samuel Denney: 836 votes (58.30%)
• Matt Kowal: 587 votes (40.93%)

• Tiffany Fouse: 729 votes (54.73%)
• Ruth Smith: 586 votes (43.99%)

In the city's uncontested council races, R.J. Mills received 1,023 votes in Ward 1, while Mike Baker received 1,179 votes in Ward 2.

Michelle Sumner is leading Shawn New in Sutherlin's mayoral race, while four candidates are competing for three available City Council positions.

• Michelle Sumner: 1,494 votes (58.96%)
• Shawn New: 1,026 votes (40.49%)

• Terry Brock: 1,800 votes
• Debbie Hamilton: 1,443 votes
• Brent Hunsaker: 1,363 votes
• Lisa Woods: 1,324 votes

Brock, Hamilton and Hunsaker currently hold the three leading positions. Hunsaker's margin over Woods is just 39 votes.

Winston's incumbent candidates ran without listed opponents in Tuesday's election.

• Christie Glen-Knutson: 1,107 votes

• Ward 1, Position 2: Dolores (Dorie) White, 593 votes
• Ward 2, Position 2: Nicholas Wiggins, 557 votes

Incumbent Mayor Luke Dillon ran unopposed and received 700 votes in the initial count.

The city's contested council race shows Tyson Duncan leading Diana Larson.

• Tyson Duncan: 508 votes (59.55%)
• Diana Larson: 336 votes (39.39%)

Jamie McElmurry, running unopposed for Council Position 2, received 696 votes.

Oakland voters could be selecting a new mayor, with Ron Pike leading incumbent Bette Keehley.

• Ron Pike: 189 votes (60.58%)
• Bette Keehley: 121 votes (38.78%)

• Tom Hasvold: 185 votes
• Sky Ironplow: 144 votes
• Jan Wier: 126 votes

Hasvold and Ironplow currently hold the two leading positions, although Ironplow's advantage over Wier is only 18 votes.

Reedsport's three-way mayoral race remains one of the closer contests in Douglas County.

• Rob Wright: 535 votes (39.02%)
• John Carter: 477 votes (34.79%)
• Allen Teitzel: 344 votes (25.09%)

Wright leads Carter by 58 votes in the initial count.

Two contested City Council races are also showing leads.

• Jef Walls: 836 votes (61.61%)
• Cindy Wegner: 512 votes (37.73%)

• Debby Turner: 734 votes (59.29%)
• Rick Gilliland: 494 votes (39.90%)

Scott Kent, running unopposed for Council Position 4, received 1,060 votes.

All listed candidates for Riddle's mayoral and City Council positions ran unopposed.

• Aaron Christensen: 198 votes

• Position 1: Debbie Sue Carnes, 199 votes
• Position 4: Shira Randall, 196 votes
• Position 5: Jane Mitchell, 205 votes

Yoncalla's mayoral and council races were also uncontested.

• Pauline Kingery: 250 votes

• Position 1: Mike Grimes, 238 votes
• Position 2 (Two-Year Unexpired Term): Thomas McDonald, 246 votes
• Position 3: Harold Gilpin, 238 votes

Drain's mayoral election shows Benjamin Simons holding a narrow lead over Rusty Savage.

• Benjamin Simons: 150 votes (53.96%)
• Rusty Savage: 126 votes (45.32%)

Simons leads by 24 votes.

The city's uncontested council races show Jennifer Trotter receiving 191 votes for Position 2 and Rance Pilley receiving 229 votes for Position 4.

Canyonville has two closely watched races, including a mayoral contest and a nine-candidate competition for three City Council seats.

• Christine Morgan: 267 votes (52.98%)
• Jeremy Mayfield: 235 votes (46.63%)

Incumbent Christine Morgan leads Mayfield by 32 votes.

• Mike Hogue: 207 votes
• Paige McMahon: 166 votes
• Jeannie Louise Weakley: 157 votes
• Craig Gully: 154 votes
• Stephen Morgan: 150 votes
• Michael Sprague: 148 votes
• Luke Suhr: 147 votes
• Louise Barton: 103 votes
• Sean Tomlinson: 69 votes

Hogue, McMahon and Weakley currently occupy the three leading positions.

The race for the final council seat remains particularly close, with Weakley holding a three-vote advantage over Gully.

Glendale's listed candidates ran unopposed.

• Crystal Martin: 103 votes

• Position 3: Audina Jephson, 117 votes
• Position 4: Ginger White, 102 votes
• Position 6: William (Bill) Woodard, 97 votes

No candidates filed for Elkton's three open City Council seats.

The initial election results show 88 write-in votes cast across the council contest. The identities of successful write-in candidates, if any, have not yet been determined.

Several Local Races Remain Close

While the initial results show substantial leads in several contests, a handful of local races remain close enough that additional ballots could affect the outcome.

Canyonville's City Council race is among the closest, with just three votes separating third-place candidate Jeannie Louise Weakley and fourth-place candidate Craig Gully.

In Oakland, Sky Ironplow holds an 18-vote lead over Jan Wier for the second available council seat.

Drain's mayoral race is separated by 24 votes, while Canyonville's mayoral contest has a 32-vote margin.

Other contests worth watching include Reedsport's mayoral race, where Rob Wright leads John Carter by 58 votes, and Sutherlin's City Council race, where Brent Hunsaker holds a 39-vote lead over Lisa Woods for the third available seat.

All election night results remain unofficial until the election process is completed and the results are certified.

Residents can follow updated Douglas County election results through the Oregon Secretary of State's official election reporting website:

https://results.oregonvotes.gov/ResultsSW.aspx?type=CTYALL&cty=07&map=CTY

The Roseburg Receiver will continue following local election results as additional ballots are counted.