There’s a four-way race for Polk County Board of Commissioners Position 3 this May. 

The board consists of three commissioners who decide how to spend taxpayer money on public health, mental health, the Polk County jail, sheriff’s office and prosecution, roads and bridges and emergency management. The county is also responsible for property assessment and tax collection, elections, the fairgrounds, community development and more.

Polk County includes West Salem, Independence, Dallas, Monmouth, Falls City and rural areas west out to Grand Ronde. Learn more about what the county does on their website here. 

Commissioners are nonpartisan and serve a four-year term. They are paid a salary of about $88,000. 

The May 19 election is a primary. If one candidate gets more than 50% of votes cast, they will be elected. If no candidate gets more than half the votes, the top two will appear on the November ballot.

Election guide: Read more about the 2026 city election here. 

Campaign finance data is from the Oregon Secretary of State as of Monday, May 4 and includes 2026 totals.

Incumbent Jeremy Gordon, who has held the seat since 2021, is running for reelection. His opponents include Dallas City Councilor Carlos Barrientos, Salem business owner Mark Gordon Adams and Polk County Treasurer Steve Milligan. 

Salem Reporter sat down with the candidates to talk about their thoughts on key issues. See their perspectives below.

Jeremy Gordon

Gordon has lived in Falls City since 2015, and was appointed to his commissioner seat in 2021. He was then elected to a four-year term in 2022.

Gordon was on track to work as a financial planner in Minneapolis, but had a change of heart after the September 11 attacks. He realized he wasn’t a fan of his firm’s sales techniques and wanted something else from his career. He went back to school and earned a degree in philosophy from the University of Minnesota.

For nearly a decade afterward, he managed programs at the University of Minnesota’s school of public affairs. His work there focused on helping students apply public policy and research to the community. He also volunteered to tutor children at local homeless shelters. 

Gordon was appointed mayor two years after moving to Falls City. He worked to build relationships and secure funding to replace the city’s wastewater treatment plant, and to address poverty in the community by coordinating regional services.

After an interview process, he was appointed as Polk County commissioner in 2021, then elected in 2023. 

Gordon said ensuring the county has a balanced, sustainable budget moving forward is a key issue heading into the election.

He wants to build on the progress the county has made, and with key county administrators retiring within the next few years he said he’s running again to ensure there is someone experienced on the team to help bring new people aboard. 

“Because of the uncertainty at the federal and state level, it’s really important for local leaders to lean into their experience and into their relationships. Out talking to folks, people want stability of some kind. I think local government can deliver that,” Gordon said. “And I’m able to utilize what I know in terms of revenues from various sources and ensure that the county is set up for success in the future.”

He also said he loves the work, and working with teams who take creative, nonpartisan approaches to solving problems.

That creativity meant that when the federal government delayed SNAP payments last fall, Gordon convened meetings with local food distributors, state leadership and health care and housing providers to get food to families.

“Being able to do things like that, as a commissioner, and set the right table and make sure the right folks are at the table to respond to emergence and systemic community needs is something that I value, and I feel very privileged to be in a position to do that,” Gordon said. “I’d like to continue that.”

Balancing the budget

Gordon said he wants to approve a balanced budget that protects core services in the county, while allowing for progress in health services and outreach in the community. 

“I want to make sure we’re realistic about future needs, given the increase in costs. This is something that everybody is experiencing, from individual households to cities to counties across Oregon,” Gordon said. 

One key question, Gordon said, will be how to fund renovations at the Polk County Fairgrounds, which is used for community events and is a key emergency shelter during extreme weather events. Voters rejected the county’s proposed levy last year.

“We are one of the leanest operating counties in the state. That will take the entire community to create a plan and to find a fair levy strategy that works for people,” he said. “And learn from the last one. The last attempt at a fair levy failed pretty considerably. So we’re going to have to ask folks kind of how things can improve.”

The county’s 5-year public safety levy, last renewed by voters in 2023, will expire in two years. Gordon said renewing it again will require honest conversations with the community about increased expenses at the county, and what the levy would pay for.

“In the past, Polk County could not provide 24/7 patrol response, and that caused some serious concerns in the community. Which is why this levy has passed previously,” he said. Costs have only risen since then. 

“There’s a structural challenge there that we have to meet. And we’ll work with the community on what the best solution is, and what they’re willing to support” he said.

Gordon said he’ll also continue to educate state legislators about the needs of the small county, advocating for adequate funding to sustain and improve services. 

Gordon said he’s also looking at economic development strategies for the region. He worked to ensure Polk County got enough federal money to expand high-speed internet access for homes and businesses throughout rural Polk County, and will work to finish the planned projects.

Gordon said he’s also working with Travel Salem and the Bureau of Land Management to develop a mountain biking and hiking trail system in the Gooseneck Creek area, federal land that is open to recreation but mostly used for hunting. He said they have the proposed trails mapped out.

”It’s a really exciting project that can bring economic development opportunities, with more visitors to our local businesses and our lodging businesses, but also just the public health, mental health benefits and getting area youth involved in building some of those trail systems,” he said.

Homelessness, health and human services

Gordon is also the chair of the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance, which coordinates and distributes the region’s homeless sheltering funding from the state. He said a major focus of his work is to strengthen the county’s behavioral health services. The region has greatly increased its shelter capacity in recent years, including for youth and families.

In 2023, Polk County, cities and The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, with Gordon leading, implemented a 5-year strategic plan to prevent and reduce homelessness in rural communities. It evaluated existing needs and resources, and laid out steps to improve communication between providers, improve data collection and increase access to resources that keep people from losing their homes. It also lays out a list of planned shelters and affordable housing to open.

“We’ve already done the work to assemble the partnerships and to create a plan. We are on the right track, we’re doing the right thing,” Gordon said. 

During his tenure, the county has expanded its sheltering and homelessness prevention programs, built a walk-in behavioral health crisis center in Dallas using Measure 110 funds, a new community resource center in Monmouth and began coordinating a regional response to homelessness. The county also expanded peer support availability through the Behavioral Health Resource Network. 

“I’m really humbled by the partnership and the work that’s happened. Sometimes all I have to do is set a table and the community hive mind does the work. It’s really fun to see,“ Gordon said. “However that funding landscape changes, having the partnership there to respond to (homelessness) in a way to maximize benefit to the community and mitigate the harms of budget cuts will be really important.”

Campaign finance and endorsements

Gordon is endorsed by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Polk County District Attorney, Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst, former Sheriff Bob Wolfe, The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the mayors of Dallas, Falls City, Independence and Monmouth. 

Total raised: $11,911

Total spent: $18,444

Cash on hand: $2,732

Top donors: Livability Oregon, $3,500; The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, $2,000; Beth Schowalter, $1,000; Democratic Party of Oregon, $650 in-kind.

Mark Gordon Adams

Adams was raised in Salem near North Salem High School. He runs Supervinyl Signs and Banners downtown.

Adams said he’s the best fit for the job because of his experience running a business coupled with prior service decades ago on the Salem-Keizer School Board. He’s also served on the Salem Suburban Rural Fire Protection District board for about 20 years.

“There’s something about owning a business that puts a different perspective on things. You get the credit when things go good, and you get the blame when things go bad,” he said.

Adams was motivated to run after attending a West Salem Business Association candidate forum for school board last year. He said he realized most candidates had a background in education, nonprofit work or government rather than business. During a question and answer portion, he said he felt compelled to share lessons he’d learned serving on the school board.

“One of them, the most important one, was probably just be solid in who you are, know where your values are, know what your belief structure is, and stand firmly on that. Because what’s going to happen is a lot of times when you get elected to office, no matter what the office is, different, special interest groups suddenly want to become your friend. They want to kind of draw you to the dark side. And so I said, you know, ‘Just be solid. Don’t let the wind change your beliefs.’”

After that, he said a few people came up to him again and urged him to run for office.

He’s adopted a large rubber duck as his campaign mascot, in part to get away from the standard red and blue color schemes that dominate campaigns.

“I really want to defuse some of that political angst out there. And so the idea of a rubber ducky is you just can’t get mad at a rubber ducky. If anything, it brings a smile to your face,” Adams said.

Adams in 2010 ran for the Republican nomination for a Polk County commissioner seat, coming in third in a four-way race.

Budget and finances

Adams said there’s no single biggest issue facing Polk County, and commissioners need to be able to handle all the daily challenges that come up, whether it’s the potential closure of the county fairgrounds or the business climate.

But he said keeping the cost of living affordable for residents is top of mind.

“The important thing is having the ability to look long term at keeping taxes low,” he said.

Adams said he’d look for ways the private sector could handle county services for lower cost and seek other ways to be more efficient, including partnering with surrounding counties. He said the county’s agreement with Benton County to rent out jail beds for extra money was a good example.

“Sometimes you have to … look at that and say, ‘Can I get potholes fixed for less money by going to the private sector?’” he said.

That could include allowing businesses to sponsor fairgrounds upgrades in exchange for naming rights, he said.

He also mentioned limiting overtime as a way to control costs.

Adams said addressing traffic congestion in West Salem is more a city issue, but he supports reviewing the traffic impact of new developments and working with citie

“Sometimes you’ve got to slow down some of these mass projects, apartment conglomerations, just because of the impact they’re going to have,” he said.

Mental health, homelessness

Adams said Polk County has a significant need for mental health and addiction treatment, as well as homeless services.

He said county government should monitor outcomes for taxpayer-funded programs to ensure they’re working.

“Anything that’s being funded by the county, or the taxpayers for that matter, needs to be accountable,” he said.

He said many needed services are provided by churches and faith-based organizations that don’t take government money, like Be Bold Street Ministries.

“There’s no program, no one program that’s got the magic answer. There’s no magic pill. And so  that is a product of our society right now that  we’ve got to make some changes, and we’ve got to do a better job of providing jobs in communities and helping people,” he said. “There’s a certain segment of that population that needs what I would call a structured living environment, right? 24-hour supervision, a halfway house or whatever. You get them cleaned up, off their addiction. You get them the counseling and support they need, the health care they need, and then you teach them to be a productive member of society again.”

He supports the Salem Fire Department’s recently-launched crisis team, REACH, which is a collaboration with Marion County. Adams said he’d like to see it expand to Polk County.

Campaign finance and endorsements

Adams lists endorsements from Marion County Assessor Tom Rohlfing and Salem Professional Firefighters Local 314.

Total raised: $5,275

Total spent: $45

Cash on hand: $5,230

Top donors: Joanne Adams, $4,050; Supervinyl Signs and Banners, $500; Harrison W. Elgin III, $500; Carlton North, $125.

Carlos Barrientos

After a lengthy career in law enforcement, Carlos Barrientos joined the Dallas City Council in 2023 by appointment and was elected the next year. He has lived in Dallas for the past 24 years.

Barrientos grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been working since he was 14 years old. His first job was delivering The Boston Globe, and he worked in an ice cream shop after high school. His resume in Boston includes work as an EMT, a firefighter, and a police officer. 

He also served in the military for 20 years. He retired from the U.S. Army National Guard as a master sergeant in 2010.

He moved to Dallas, Oregon, and worked as an Oregon State Police patrol sergeant for 20 years, until his retirement in 2022. After retiring, he worked as a medical death investigator for the county.

His current work as a councilor includes finding alternative ways to fund a new police station. The council’s proposed levy failed when put to voters last year.

He also serves on the board of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, which runs programs for people in poverty throughout the region, including homeless shelters, Head Start and support with household bills.

“I’m a public service person by nature, and I like what I’m doing in the Dallas City Council. But I just want to take it up on a higher level,” Barrientos said. “The Polk County commissioner (position) aligns with a lot of things that I believe in. It’s setting policies and working with other people in collaboration and partnership to make the county better.”

Barrientos said he believes the biggest challenge the county faces is finding ways to fund public safety, including fire response and the sheriff’s office. He also said addressing homelessness and balancing the budget amid rising costs and limited funding are major concerns. 

“I’m not so much of a big talker. I’m more of a listener, and I’ve always been a problem-solver type person,” Barrientos said. “You can do so much more when you work as a team.”

Homelessness

Barrientos said that homelessness has increased since he moved to Polk County, and the impact is especially visible at Wallace Marine Park which has Salem’s largest encampment. 

“I think we can do better with society than let people just set up tents and just kind of make that their own home and territory. I think when we fail to solve these problems, we fail society. And if we have to put them in jail, that’s another indicator that we have failed society, because we have to spend a lot of money,” Barrientos said.

Barrientos said he believes voluntary compliance with behavioral health, housing and support resources from homeless people is essential.

But, he said he’s also seen how an arrest can be transformative for someone experiencing addiction, and considers it a compassionate approach in some cases. He considers it the last step.

“When you’re incarcerated, you have to go through so many programs. And when they take a really deep dive, and they get a mental health counselor, and they look back at their lives, and they have proper medication, therapy and all that, something happens where they take accountability for themselves. And that’s the start of transformation into living a life without being addicted to drugs,” he said. 

There are also systemic issues keeping people homeless which he hopes to address. Barrientos said that he’s met people who are homeless because they were released from prison without anywhere to live afterward. He’s also met people who are homeless because they were evicted and can’t afford a home.

Barrientos has family experience with addiction and mental health issues. His father was addicted to heroin and was in and out of prison for decades, and his mother had chronic mental health issues and was institutionalized.

He said that access to a doctor and health insurance can make a big difference in someone’s life, because finding the right mental health medications takes time and resources.

Barrientos said he believes that Polk County is already doing well in securing grants to fund its behavioral health programs, and that as commissioner he’d work with nonprofit agencies to leverage more resources. He also wants to see more work in West Salem, and said he’d forge relationships with city leadership to expand access.

He said his experience in law enforcement sets him apart as a candidate. His first step would be to form a multidisciplinary team including staff in probation, parole, mental health, parks and recreation and the city to talk about solutions. He wants to create a database of names and information about people living at Wallace Marine Park, on a voluntary basis for park residents, to better track progress and resources.

“A lot of homeless people feel so, so helpless, and they’ve gotten to the point where they don’t think anybody cares about them,” Barrientos said. 

The budget

Barrientos said that the county is limited in what it can collect in property taxes, so as commissioner he would be careful not to expand staffing or programs unsustainably. He said he would advocate for Polk County’s funding at the federal and state level.

Barrientos said that, if elected, he would work to support the renewal of the 5-year public safety levy which supports the fire department, and patrol and jail staffing in the sheriff’s department. Barrientos said he would host conversations with the community, and would be transparent about what services would look like if the levy were to fail.

He also supports another attempt to pass the fairgrounds renovation levy, which failed last May. He said he would work to tell the public about the common sense uses of the fairgrounds: young people from 4-H and FFA use it, and it’s a central location that has been essential for Covid, fires and ice storms. 

“Oregon, and Polk County, is a gem, and I’d like to keep it being a gem. And that starts by supporting our public safety, holding people accountable for homelessness, and working with a budget that is fair to taxpayers,” he said.

Campaign finance and endorsements

Barrientos lists endorsements from “citizens, community leaders, and organizations throughout Polk County.”

Total raised in 2026: $8,599

Total spent in 2026: $7,088

Cash on hand: -$7,271

Top donors: Carlos Barrientos, $8,000 loan; Boquist Leadership Fund, $500

Steve Milligan

Milligan, the county treasurer, is running for commissioner as the latest step in his yearslong legal battle with the county over the duty and pay for the treasurer’s office. 

He’s argued that the treasurer does not have access to the county systems or information needed to provide adequate financial oversight, and that most of the work he’s legally responsible for is done by an unelected county employee.

A Polk County Circuit Court judge ruled in 2024 that county ordinances which stripped the treasurer of some duties spelled out in state law couldn’t be enforced, but did not award Milligan damages or back pay he sought. 

Milligan has appealed the case to the Oregon Court of Appeals, arguing the county is violating the state constitution and that the treasurer is entitled to a full-time salary plus back pay for not receiving it for years. 

Milligan said he’s now running for commissioner because Polk County deserves commissioners who follow the law and allow the treasurer to do his job rather than delegating the work.

“I’m not doing it as a statement,” he said. “We need commissioners that are actually going to follow the law and I’m going to do that.”

Commissioner Gordon disputed that he or the county were violating the court ruling over the treasurer’s duties.

“No court has found a violation. The judge deemed a 2016 resolution unenforceable and directed the role to follow state law. The court did not grant his pay demands. My understanding is we’re complying. This belongs in court, not an election,” Gordon said in a statement to Salem Reporter.

Aside from that issue, Milligan largely agreed with Gordon’s approach to county issues like homelessness.

Milligan brings years of experience as a Monmouth city councilor, serving three terms starting in 2003, and as mayor from 2017-2018.

Budget and economic development

Milligan said the county budget and the cost of maintaining the fairgrounds are major issues facing Polk County.

He supported moving the fairgrounds into its own taxing district outside the county’s general fund, which would let it collect its own property taxes and function separately from the general county budget.

Milligan said he’d like to extend the Salem Area Mass Transit District, better known as Cherriots, to cover all of Polk County so people in rural areas could find employment more easily. He’s previously worked to help young people who weren’t in school find jobs and said it was a challenge.

“We couldn’t get them employed because they didn’t have transportation,” he said. “Their housing is too far away from a Salem job.”

Extending fiber Internet across Polk County is another priority. He said work is underway and he’d make sure it continues and is prioritized as a commissioner.

“It’s a real driver in economic development,” he said.

Rather than a new bridge across the WIllamette River, Milligan said it would make more sense to develop a loop that travels off Interstate 5 in Benton County through central Polk and Yamhill counties before connecting back with Interstate 5. That would allow truck traffic to avoid Salem.

“Every solution that they’ve come up with in the past has included all of us having to go through downtown Salem,” he said.

Homelessness and social services

Milligan said when he was on the Monmouth council, discussions about homelessness usually revolved around Salem and left out much of Polk County.

The creation of the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance has helped the county have a seat at the table. He said Gordon’s work to stay involved there has been positive and he’d continue it.

“If we’re not part of the solution they’re just going to push the problem on us,” he said.

He said the county’s existing services to address drug and alcohol treatment are strong, including drug court and health and human services programs.

He didn’t see a need to add programs, but said he’d use his connections in state and federal government to ensure the county continues to receive outside funding which it relies on to operate those services.

Campaign finance and endorsements

Milligan’s only reported campaign contributions in 2026 are $600 from himself and $50 in miscellaneous small donors.

He lists no endorsements in the voter’s pamphlet.

Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251. Contact Managing Editor Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.

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