Lane County Special Election results: Ballot measures, contested races
Register-Guard
As of noon Tuesday, the Lane County voter turnout was 21.32%, with 58,032 ballots counted.
The first round of Lane County May 18 Special Election unofficial results were released a little after 8 p.m. Tuesday with 56,969 ballots counted in the first round.
The Register-Guard is updating results Tuesday night for the ballot measures and contested candidate races as they are released.
Measures
Yes votes: 534
Oregon s special election Tuesday, May 18, 2021 included numerous school board races and local funding measures.
Credit Melorie Begay / KLCC
Lane County Special Election results
In unofficial results, a levy to renew funding for OSU Lane County Extension has been approved by voters in Tuesday s special election. A levy to fund the Lane Fire Authority is also passing.
A measure to create a special law enforcement district in the Mohawk Valley looks too close to call as of Tuesday night with 51% against it and 48% in favor.
And a bond for the McKenzie School District looks to be in question with 57% voting no.
By Henry Houston and Taylor Perse
The May 18 special election didn’t have the national or state policy stakes of the two 2020 elections, but the results did bring some diversity to local education boards. From contested races for seats on the Lane Community College Board of Education to Eugene School District 4J and Springfield School District, it was an education-based election.
In Eugene School District 4J, Laural O’Rourke, a Black woman, won Position 2 by a landslide with 81 percent of the vote, defeating Harry Sanger who received 17 percent. In Position 6, Maya Rabasa, a woman of color, is the clear winner with 85 percent of the votes. Although Dakota James Boulette dropped out of the race, he still ended up with some votes.
Springfield School Board has three seats up for election and nine candidates who would like to hold those positions.
Credit Springfield School District
The only uncontested seat is held by Emilio Hernandez Jr. who is seeking re-election for his second term.
The current board member for Position 3 is not seeking re-election. The candidates looking to fill this seat are:
Steven Hadley, who graduated from University of Oregon and is Global Director of Quality Assurance for ABCAM.
Brandy Crosby, who is a Journeyman Electrician.
Anthony Reed is a Journeyman Carpenter and was a delegate at the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters.
Three Springfield School Board seats are up for election in the May 18 Special Election. However, only two are contested, with eight candidates split between them on the ballot.
All three seats are for four-year terms. The only uncontested seat is Position 2, with incumbent Emilio Hernandez being the lone candidate. Hernandez is also the only incumbent running.
The Register-Guard sent all the candidates a questionnaire that asked about relevant experience, reasons for running, plans to make schools more inclusive and other questions. Here s a bit more about each of the candidates, based on their responses.
Since filing, Lisa Barrager decided to stop campaigning and instead is supporting Kelly Mason for the seat. However, Barrager s name will still appear on the ballot. Position 3 candidates Samantha Alcantar and Brandy Crosby did not return multiple requests for comment.