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Over a week after Election Day, two races for seats on the Salem City Council remain too close to call.

In Ward 8, representing West Salem, Chris Cummings is trailing incumbent Micki Varney by just 25 votes Polk County data released Wednesday afternoon showed. Varney has received 3,459 votes so far, and Cummings has received 3,434.

Polk County Clerk Kim Williams said in an email that her office has around 388 ballots countywide left to process, and expects more to trickle in as people resolve issues like missing a signature on the envelope. Williams said they’ll process those ballots on Monday, June 1, and will post the results afterward.

The race for Ward 6, representing northeast Salem, is also tight. According to Marion County data released Tuesday evening, incumbent Mai Vang has 42 fewer votes than challenger Betsy Vega.

Vega has 1,376 votes to Vang’s 1,334.

Here’s some of today’s news. Head to our website anytime for the latest in local news.  

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Salem city councilors voted unanimously to move forward with a plan for the possibility of implementing new rules on decorum and using metal detectors at public meetings. Councilors will also…

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A graduating North Salem High School senior is on track to become Pentacle Theatre’s youngest-ever choreographer following a successful stint in her school’s theatre department. To comment on this story,…

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Starting June 1, everyone applying for or renewing their federal food benefits will have to complete an interview with state human services staff. Since the pandemic, there has been flexibility…

READERS REACT: “This is an excellent display of pictures! Thank you,” one reader wrote on photographer Hailey Cook’s collection of photos from Awesome 3000.

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