Arlene Webb takes a selfie with her ballot before turning it in outside of the Marion County Clerk’s Office on Tuesday, November 3. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
This story has been updated with legislative election results released shortly before 10 p.m.
Democrats are poised to flip a key Salem area legislative race and the Marion County Board of Commissioners will remain in Republican hands if Tuesday night’s initial vote count holds.
As of 10 p.m., Democrat Deb Patterson with 50% of the vote to Republican state Sen. Denyc Boles’ 45.9% in a competitive race for a Senate seat representing south Salem and surrounding areas. Libertarian candidate Taylor Rickey had 3.2% of the 60,372 votes counted.
Previously held by Republican Jackie Winters for nearly two decades, the race was considered one of a handful of legislative swing seats this year. Both parties and their allies have poured money into the race.
Depending on the outcome of other races, a victory by Patterson could mean Democrats are positioned to keep or expand their 18-12 Senate majority.
Marion County election results hadn’t been updated by 10 p.m. The initial count put Republican Danielle Bethell with 50.6% of 120,798 votes counted, ahead of Democrat Ashley Carson Cottingham’s 46% for an open seat on the Marion County Board of Commissioners. Republicans have held all three seats on the board since 1979.
In another hotly contested legislative race, Democratic state Rep. Paul Evans appears headed to a fifth term following a rematch with Republican Selma Pierce.
Tuesday night’s initial count put Evans at 53.3% to Pierce’s 46.4% to represent the seat that includes west Salem and Monmouth.
Democrats also hold a lopsided 38-22 majority in the House. Both parties have eyed these two Salem area races as ways to upset or maintain the political balance in Oregon Capitol.
In other Salem area legislative races, voters appeared willing to give their current lawmakers another term, with incumbents in the lead as of Tuesday night.
Rep. Raquel Moore-Green, R-Salem, was ahead with 52.1% to Jackie Leung’s 47.6%.
Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, led with 62.8% of the vote to Republican Jack Esp’s 36.9%.
Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon, D-Woodburn, led with 56.6% of the vote to Republican Anna Kasachev’s 43%.
In Polk County, Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst was ahead with 16,526 votes, or 43%, to challenger Danny Jaffer’s 14,676 votes, or 38%, for the nonpartisan seat. Of the ballots cast in Polk County, 6,439 voters didn’t cast votes in the race.
At the top of the ticket, Marion County may no longer be a red county. The initial vote count gave Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden 51.3% of the vote to President Donald Trump’s 46.4%. In 2016, Trump won Marion County with 48% of the vote.
As of 10 p.m., there were no large demonstrations or signs of disturbances in Salem.
With 78.3% of votes counted as of about 10 p.m., it’s unclear if Democrats will expand their Senate majority.
The race for the seat being vacated by Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, was neck-and-neck. Democrat Melissa Cribbins, a Coos County Commissioner, was at 47.4% to Republican Dick Anderson’s 48.5%.
With 48.5%, Republican Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, was behind Democrat Eileen Kiely who had 51.3%.
Republicans could have more success in competitive house races.
In other swing races, Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, had 36.8% of the vote, lagging Democratic challenger Jason Kropf with 62.1% of the vote.
Republican Gerald “Boomer” Wright was ahead in the race to replace retiring Rep. Caddy McKeown, D- Coos Bay, with 56.4% to Democrat Cal Mukumoto’s 43.4%.
Rep. Ron Noble, R-McMinnville, was leading with 50% to Democrat’s Lynnette Shaw’s 43.7%.
In the race to replace retiring state Rep. Tiffiny Mitchell, D-Astoria, Republican Suzanne Weber, the mayor of Tillamook, was ahead with 53.4% against Democrat Debbie Boothe-Schmidt’s 46.3%.
Here are the results:
Presidential race:
Donald Trump/Michael Pence (Republican)
State: 462,121 | 33.5%
Marion County: 58,584 | 46.4%
Polk County: 18,253 | 48.2%
Joseph Biden/Kamala Harris (Democratic)
State: 878,831 | 63.78%
Marion County: 64,788 | 51.3%
Polk County: 17,983 | 47.5%
Jo Jorgensen/Jeremy Cohen (Libertarian)
State: 19,196 | 1.39%
Marion County: 2,021 | 1.6%
Polk County: 712 | 1.88%
Howie Hawkins/Angela Walker (Pacific Green)
State: 6,237 | .45%
Marion County: 558 | .44%
Polk County: 163 | .43%
Dario Hunter/Dawn Neptune Adams (Progressive)
State: 2,668 | .19%
Marion County: 208 | .16%
Polk County: 60 | .16%
Local legislative races:
Senate District 10
Denyc Boles, Republican (incumbent): 27,728 | 45.93%
Deb Patterson, Democratic: 30,605 | 50.6%
Taylor Rickey, Libertarian: 1,933 | 3.2%
House District 19
Raquel Moore-Green, Republican (incumbent) 15,164 | 52.18%
Jackie Leung, Democratic: 13,845 | 47.64%
House District 20
Paul Evans, Democratic (incumbent): 16,681 | 53.3%
Selma Pierce, Republican: 14,540 | 46.46%
House District 21
Brian Clem, Democratic (incumbent): 12,790 | 62.85%
Jack Esp, Republican: 7,510 | 36.9%
House District 22
Teresa Alonso Leon, Democratic (incumbent): 9,310 | 56.66%
Anna Kasachev, Republican: 7,078 | 43.07%
County races:
Marion County commissioner
Danielle Bethell, Republican 61,204 | 50.6%
Ashley Carson Cottingham, Democratic 56,216 | 46.5%
Polk County commissioner
Lyle Mordhorst (incumbent): 16,526 | 43%
Danny Jaffer: 14,676 | 38%
