Tonight at 8 p.m., Jefferson County voters will close the books on what may be the most competitive local primary in years. Two county commissioner positions are contested, putting a combined seven candidates before voters — with the potential to reshape county leadership heading into a critical period for Jefferson County's economy, infrastructure, and public safety.
Under Oregon law, any candidate who receives a majority of votes cast in these nonpartisan commissioner races wins outright at the primary, without going to the general election.
Position 1: Wunsch vs. Curtiss vs. Chard
Incumbent Mark Wunsch is seeking another term in Position 1, where he faces two challengers: George Curtiss and Tony Chard.
Wunsch has served on the board and points to experience managing Jefferson County's complex budget and multi-jurisdictional partnerships as assets he brings to the role. Curtiss has positioned himself as a reform-minded challenger, while Chard has emphasized improving quality of life for the county's most vulnerable residents and honoring rural heritage while planning boldly for the future. Chard has also pointed to water rights and wildfire resilience as key priorities.
Position 2: Simmelink vs. Three Challengers
In Position 2, nine-year incumbent Kelly Simmelink — who has served since 2017 — faces what may be the most crowded race on the local ballot: challengers Ara Erdekian, Greg Mead, and Bill Atherton.
Simmelink announced his re-election bid in September 2025, but the deep field of challengers reflects growing interest in the direction of county government. All four candidates filed statements of candidacy with the Jefferson County Elections office.
Why These Races Matter
Jefferson County's three-member Board of Commissioners controls a wide range of decisions affecting residents across Madras, Culver, Metolius, Warm Springs, Crooked River Ranch, Camp Sherman, and the county's rural communities. From land-use planning and road maintenance to public health, emergency services, and the county's annual budget, the board shapes daily life in ways that often go unnoticed until something goes wrong.
The county is also navigating a period of economic transition — having climbed from the state's most economically distressed county in 2023 to 8th in a recent Business Oregon report — and will face decisions about infrastructure, housing growth, and fire preparedness in the coming term.
Ballots must be in a drop box by 8 p.m. tonight or postmarked today. The Jefferson County Elections Office is open until 8 p.m.