Bill Seibt takes a selfie with wife Laura and son, Liam, 7, as the family drops off their ballots at the Marion County Health Department on Tuesday, November 3. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
Election results showed little change overnight in the Salem area, with Democrats on track to flip a key Salem legislative seat as the Marion County Board of Commissioners likely remains in Republican hands.
With the presidential race still undecided as election workers in swing states count mail-in votes, Tuesday night was quiet in Salem. Police reported no disturbances or election-related violence. Despite law enforcement concerns of unrest, a large demonstration in Portland took place without incident.
As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, Democrat Deb Patterson has kept her lead over Republican state Sen. Denyc Boles in a competitive race for a Senate seat representing south Salem and surrounding areas. Patterson has 33,981 votes, 50%, to Boles’ 31,613, 46.5%. Libertarian candidate Taylor Rickey had 3.3% of the 67,961 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 will keep or expand their 18-12 Senate majority.
In Marion County, ballot returns posted as of 10:30 p.m. Nov. 3 had Republican Danielle Bethell with 51% of the 128,531 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 contested legislative race, Democratic state Rep. Paul Evans appears headed to a fifth term following a rematch with Republican Selma Pierce.
With 36,945 votes counted, Evans has 52.5% to Pierce’s 47.3% 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 the Capitol.
In other Salem area legislative races, voters appeared willing to give their current lawmakers another term, with incumbents in the lead following early Wednesday counts.
Rep. Raquel Moore-Green, R-Salem, was ahead with 52.9% to Jackie Leung’s 47%.
Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, led with 62% of the vote to Republican Jack Esp’s 37.7%.
Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon, D-Woodburn, led with 56.7% of the vote to Republican Anna Kasachev’s 43%.
In Polk County, Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst was ahead with 20,861 votes, or 53%, to challenger Danny Jaffer’s 18,335 votes, or 46.5%, for the nonpartisan seat.
At the top of the ticket, Marion County may no longer be a red county. The second vote count late Tuesday gave Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden 50.7% of the vote to President Donald Trump’s 47%. In 2016, Trump won Marion County with 48% of the vote.
Statewide, voter turnout stands at 80%, with several key races close as votes remain to be counted.
The race for the seat being vacated by Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, has Republican Dick Anderson on top with 49.3%, or 37,182 votes. Democrat Melissa Cribbins, a Coos County Commissioner, was at 46.6%, or 35,125 votes.
With 50.7%, Republican Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, is ahead of Democrat Eileen Kiely who had 49%.
Republicans could have more success in competitive house races, though Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, is behind significantly in her re-election bid. She has 38.9% of the vote, lagging Democratic challenger Jason Kropf with 60% of the vote.
Republican Gerald “Boomer” Wright was ahead in the race to replace retiring Rep. Caddy McKeown, D- Coos Bay, with 57.5% to Democrat Cal Mukumoto’s 42.4%.
Rep. Ron Noble, R-McMinnville, was leading with 57.8% to Democrat’s Lynnette Shaw’s 42.3%.
In the race to replace retiring state Rep. Tiffiny Mitchell, D-Astoria, Republican Suzanne Weber, the mayor of Tillamook, was ahead with 53.9% against Democrat Debbie Boothe-Schmidt’s 45.9%.
Here are the results:
Presidential race:
Donald Trump/Michael Pence (Republican)
State: 863,640 | 39.8%
Marion County: 63,188 | 46.7%
Polk County: 23,259 | 49.2%
Joseph Biden/Kamala Harris (Democratic)
State: 1,240,377 | 57.2%
Marion County: 68,086 | 50.4%
Polk County: 22,431 | 47.4%
Jo Jorgensen/Jeremy Cohen (Libertarian)
State: 35,322 | 1.63%
Marion County: 2,246 | 1.7%
Polk County: 949 | 2%
Howie Hawkins/Angela Walker (Pacific Green)
State: 10,399 | .48%
Marion County: 609 | .44%
Polk County: 207 | .44%
Dario Hunter/Dawn Neptune Adams (Progressive)
State: 4,393 | .2%
Marion County: 225 | .17%
Polk County: 85 | .18%
Local legislative races:
Senate District 10
Denyc Boles, Republican (incumbent): 31,613 | 46.5%
Deb Patterson, Democratic: 33,981 | 50%
Taylor Rickey, Libertarian: 2,245 | 3.3%
House District 19
Raquel Moore-Green, Republican (incumbent) 16,397 | 52.9%
Jackie Leung, Democratic: 14,548 | 46.9%
House District 20
Paul Evans, Democratic (incumbent): 19,376 | 52.5%
Selma Pierce, Republican: 17,474 | 47.3%
House District 21
Brian Clem, Democratic (incumbent): 13,697 | 62.1%
Jack Esp, Republican: 8,308 | 37.7%
House District 22
Teresa Alonso Leon, Democratic (incumbent): 9,861 | 56.7%
Anna Kasachev, Republican: 7,502 | 43.1%
County races:
Marion County commissioner
Danielle Bethell, Republican 65,865 | 51.2%
Ashley Carson Cottingham, Democratic 58,989 | 45.9%
Polk County commissioner
Lyle Mordhorst (incumbent): 20,861 | 52.9%
Danny Jaffer: 18,335 | 46.5%
