Salem voters on both sides of the Willamette River will get to elect county commissioners this year.

West Salem voters will likely decide their next commissioners in May, while Marion County races won’t be settled until November.

Two commissioner positions in each county are up for election. Commissioners are paid full-time employees who oversee county government, which is responsible for local health departments, sheriff’s offices and road maintenance.

While Marion County commissioners hold partisan positions, races in Polk County are nonpartisan.

Marion County’s primary election is in May, and so far only one Republican and one Democrat have filed for each seat. Voters can vote in those races if they’re registered with the associated political party. Candidates who win the primary will appear on the ballot in November.

Since Polk County races are nonpartisan, a candidate has to win over 50% of the vote in May to decide the election. If a candidate wins a majority of the vote in May, they are elected. If no one wins most of the vote, the two candidates with the most votes will go on to the November election.

Each county has one seat that is not up for election this year. 

In Marion County, that is Position 3, which is currently held by Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell. In Polk County, it is Position 1, held by Polk County Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst. Both were reelected to their seats in 2024.

Commissioners elected this year will start their terms in January 2027.

Key dates:

• March 10: Deadline for candidates to file to run
• April 28: Voter registration deadline for May election or change party affiliation
• April 29: Ballots will start to go out to voters
• May 19: Election Day

People can register to vote either online or in person. Marion County voters can visit the elections office at 555 Court St. N.E., Ste. 2130 to register in person by April 28. West Salem voters can register in person at the Polk County Clerk, located in Dallas at 850 Main St. #201.

Commissioner positions do not represent a specific geographic area within the county.

The following list of candidates have filed to appear on the May 19 ballot as of Jan. 29, according to state election filings.

May races

Polk County Commissioner, Position 2

Polk County Commissioner Craig Pope will not seek a fifth term after serving as a commissioner for 15 years. Two candidates have been campaigning to step into Pope’s spot. 

Roxanne Beltz 

Beltz has been a Monmouth City councilor for around eight years and has spent more than 20 years working in transportation, education and owning a small business, according to a statement from her campaign. She previously worked for the Salem Area Mass Transit District, known as Cherriots, as its transportation operations program coordinator, Salem Reporter previously reported.

She ran for Polk County Commissioner, Position 1 in 2024 against Mordhorst, and lost.

Her website lists her top three priorities as building a strong economy, supporting public safety and health services for communities, and practicing transparency and accountability within government. See her campaign website here. She’s endorsed by Keizer Mayor Cathy Clark, Monmouth Mayor Cec Koontz, state Sen. Deb Patterson (D-Salem), state Rep. Paul Evans (D-Monmouth) and the Working Families Party. 

John Swanson

Swanson, who works in the state legislature, is running his first campaign for public office. He currently works as the chief of staff for state Sen. Bruce Starr (R-Dundee) and owns a small advertising business, his campaign website said.

His top priorities are public safety, transportation policy and projects, supporting agriculture and “responsible” budget management, according to his website. His endorsements include Pope, the current commissioner in Position 1; state Rep. Ed Diehl (R-Scio), Marion + Polk First and the Oregon Small Business Association.

View his campaign website here.

Polk County Commissioner, Position 3

Jeremy Gordon – incumbent

Gordon was first appointed to be a Polk County Commissioner in 2021. He was then elected to a four-year term in 2022, according to the county website. He served as mayor of Falls City, a town in rural Polk County, for four years before becoming a county commissioner.

His priorities include community trust and public safety, mental health services, affordable housing, responsible government spending and a strengthened local economy, according to his campaign website, which is available here. He is the current chair of the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance, which coordinates funding for local homeless services.

Gordon is endorsed by Polk County’s district attorney and sheriff, along with the mayors of Dallas, Independence, Falls City and Monmouth. Polk County Commissioner Mordhorst has also endorsed him.

Carlos Barrientos

Barrientos is a Dallas City Councilor challenging Gordon for a Polk County commissioner seat. He has a long career in law enforcement that includes around 20 years with the Oregon State Police and years with the U.S. Army and Boston Police Department.

His campaign website does not list specific priorities but his social media indicates his support of law enforcement and resources for veterans and opposition to raising taxes. He supports collaborating across services and agencies to address homelessness.

Barrientos’ campaign website is available here. It does not list endorsements.

Mark Adams

Adams serves as a board member for the Salem Suburban Rural Fire Protection District, and has been part of the district’s board for over 20 years, he said on his Facebook campaign page. He also spent eight years on the Salem-Keizer School Board and was on the Willamette Education Service District, according to his candidate filing.

His campaign website does not name specific campaign priorities, but his Facebook shows he supported the Republican-led effort to refer a gas tax hike to voters. Adams’ social media said he’s committed “to an accountable county government.” He has no listed endorsements, and his campaign website is available here.

November races

Marion County Commissioner, Position 1

Kevin Cameron – incumbent, Republican

Cameron is running for a fourth term as a Marion County Commissioner. He started work as an elected official in 2005 when he was appointed to the state Legislature as a representative for central and southeast Salem. He won his first race for Marion County commissioner in 2014 and has since focused on wildfire recovery, transportation and solid waste management, according to his commissioner biography.

Sara Duncan – Democrat

Duncan currently oversees local and regional transportation as a Cherriots board member. She has sat on the transportation district’s board since an appointment in 2021. Duncan currently works for PCUN, the state’s largest farmworker union, and has done previous work for the Mid-Valley Garbage and Recycling Association and nonprofits.

Her campaign website lists her top priorities as public health, affordable housing and homelessness and increased transparency and accountability of county government.

See Duncan’s campaign website here.

Marion County Commissioner, Position 2

Colm Willis – incumbent, Republican

Willis has served as a Marion County Commissioner since 2018, and he is running for a third term. He is currently the commission’s chair. Before becoming a commissioner, Willis worked as a business attorney and represented nonprofits and small businesses, according to his county biography. He was previously the political director of Oregon Right to Life, an anti-abortion group.

He wants to help the Santiam Canyon rebuild after the 2020 wildfires, increase home ownership, support small business and address the negative impacts of homelessness, according to his website.

Willis’ website is available to see here. 

Maria Hinojos Pressey – Democrat

Challenging Willis is Hinojos Pressey, who is the current president of the Cherriots board of directors. She is also the deputy director of farmworker union PCUN and previously served on the Salem-Keizer School Board as vice chair.

Her top priorities are expanding access to public education and advocating for youth, supporting broader access to health care services, affordable housing and increased transportation in rural areas, according to her website.

View her campaign website here.

Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].

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