November ballot finalized

Candidates running for offices in the November election submitted nominating paperwork by September 5, and the Tillamook County clerk’s office submitted a final ballot on September 10.

Voters will decide their representatives in Oregon’s first United States congressional district, 32nd state house district and at the city level and weigh in on five statewide ballot measures and one countywide bond.

In Oregon’s first congressional district, incumbent Democrat Suzanne Bonamici is facing off against Republican Bob Todd and Libertarian Joseph Christman. Bonamici has served in congress since 2012 and became Tillamook County’s representative in 2022, after redistricting.

Incumbent Republican Cyrus Javadi will face Democrat Astoria City Councilor Andy Davis in the race for the 32nd state house seat. Javadi was first elected in 2022.

Statewide ballot measures up for consideration this year include giving the state legislature the ability to impeach executive branch officials, establishing an independent public service compensation commission to determine salaries for top state officials, transitioning to ranked-choice voting, issuing residents rebates from a tax increase on large corporations and requiring marijuana producers and retailers to sign labor-peace agreements with unions trying to represent their employees.

Tillamook County is asking voters to approve a $24 million bond to support an upgrade of the county’s emergency radio system. Tillamook County Sheriff Josh Brown will be on the ballot running unopposed, as will Tillamook County Clerk Christy Nyseth.

Two director positions are open at the Tillamook People’s Utility District, with Tamra Perman and Maile Samek vying to represent zone one, while Justin Aufdermauer, Lonnie Jenck and Harry Hewitt are squaring off in the race for position three.

In the city of Tillamook, four of the council’s six wards are up for election. Garrett Noffsinger in ward one, Nicholas Torres in ward five and Sylvia Schriber in ward six are running unopposed. In ward three, incumbent Brian Reynolds is facing a challenge from Richard Reidt.

Bay City Mayor Liane Welch is running unopposed, and Tim Josi, Justin Howard and Colin Jones submitted their candidacies forsx three open positions on city council.

Garibaldi Mayor Kathryn Findling is also running unopposed, but voters in that city will have to select two from the slate of Sandra Tyrer, Cheryl Gierga and Terry Kandle for city councilor.

In Rockaway Beach, incumbent Mayor Charles McNeilly is facing two challengers, Dave Winchester and Rodney Breazile, in his bid for reelection. Councilor Mary McGinnis is running unopposed for position one, while in position two, two incumbents, Kristine Hayes and Tom Martine, are squaring off. In position three, currently held by Hayes, Kiley Konruff and Stephanie Winchester are on the ballot, incumbent Alesia Franken is facing Justin McMahan for position four and incumbent Penny Cheek is being challenged by Debra Reeves for position five.

Wheeler will have a new mayor, with Clif Kemp opting not to run for reelection, giving voters the choice between Denise Donohue and William Goulardt. Four candidates, Mary Leverette, Garry Gitzen, Heidi Stacks and Gordon Taylor are running for three open positions on the city’s council.

Nehalem Mayor Phil Chick is running unopposed, while both open council positions are being contested, with Angela Hanke, Kristina Quintana and Lydia O’Connor running for position two and Dave Cram and Vern Scovell vying for position three.

Nehalem voters will also decide whether to renew a prohibition on psilocybin-related businesses in the city for two years.

In Manzanita, incumbent Mayor Kathryn Stock is running unopposed and incumbent councilors Thomas Campbell and Jerry Spegman are up for two open council seats.

Voters in Manzanita will also vote on whether to change the city’s water billing from its current, quarterly cycle to a monthly one.