As of today’s 12:30 pm update from County election officials, challenger John Wilson has maintained his early lead over incumbent Pat Malone in the race for Benton County Commissioner, 5,654 to 5,412, or 51% to 49%. That is a difference of 242 votes.
Wilson, as a Benton County Planning Commissioner, voted to reject a proposed Coffin Butte Landfill expansion. When the expansion went to the Benton County Board of Commissioners on appeal, Malone voted to approve it. Subsequent to those events, Wilson filed to opposed Malone.
At present, Wilson is both a County Planning Commissioner and Adair Village City Councilor. Malone is currently in his second term as a Benton County Commissioner.
Results won’t be official until next month. If those results hold, John Wilson will be the Democratic nominee come November. No Republican has filed to run. Minor party or unaffiliated candidates could still step forward to run against Malone in November’s general election.
Benton County Circuit Judge
With Benton County Circuit Court Judge Joan Demarest retiring, three candidates filed for this nonpartisan seat. Today’s updated results show Corvallis attorney Yema Measho leading second place Mike Flinn, 10,562 to 5,005, or 55.47% to 26.29%. Third place Joseph Elwood garnered 3,407 votes; that’s 17.89%.
Having received over 50% of the votes, Measho will be Benton County’s new Circuit Judge next January. She will not need to run against her second place challenger, Mike Flinn in a November runoff.
Over the course of the campaign, Measho received wide praise from fellow attorneys. She is an immigration lawyer with more than 15 years of experience. Many see her experience with immigration law as especially relevant at the moment. Like the judge currently in the seat, Measho seeks to build recovery and treatment into the system.
Flinn had seen both support and backlash. He has 30 years of experience as a lawyer and has been both a prosecutor and defense attorney. The Benton County Democratic Party endorsed him, and he did have some – though not complete – support within the legal community. He is seen as highly competent. But by some local lawyers and sexual assault survivors, Flinn is also seen as not being trauma informed, and at times, egregiously dismissive and even aggressive toward survivors.
Most of the attorneys we spoke with during the campaign didn’t know much about Ellwood, often saying they simply hadn’t had a case that involved him.
City of Corvallis Charter Amendments
It appears all four City of Corvallis Charter Amendments have passed with over 80% of voters approving each.
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com