Jefferson County voters will have one more say on their next sheriff this November. Both incumbent Jason Pollock and challenger Tyler Anderson advance to the general election after the May 19 primary produced no outright winner — a race made even more complicated by a state certification board that moved the same day to recommend Anderson lose his law enforcement credentials for life.

Where the Primary Left Things

With only two candidates on the ballot, Oregon nonpartisan primary rules require one candidate to clear 50 percent of votes cast to win outright. Results posted by the Oregon Secretary of State as of June 5 show neither candidate achieved that threshold, sending the race to a November 3, 2026 general election. The Madras Bulletin will update vote percentages as final counts are certified by June 25.

DPSST Committee Recommends Decertification

On the same day ballots were being counted, Oregon's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) Police Policy Committee voted to recommend permanently revoking Anderson's law enforcement certifications.

Anderson was fired from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in April 2025 following an internal investigation that found he had omitted a prior termination from a volunteer position at the Parma, Idaho Police Department from his job application — a fact he later acknowledged, saying he believed disclosing it would hurt his chances of being hired.

Investigators also alleged Anderson deleted text conversations with a confidential informant, and that he admitted to colleagues that he had used cocaine twice and helped package drugs for a dealer while in college. Anderson denied the deletion allegation and said he passed a polygraph on that specific point. On the drug use, he acknowledged the cocaine incidents as "stupid decisions" but denied the drug-dealing allegation.

Two local district attorneys subsequently placed Anderson on a Brady List — a formal roster of officers with documented credibility issues used by prosecutors to flag officers whose court testimony may be challenged.

Anderson Plans to Appeal

Speaking before the DPSST committee on May 21, Anderson argued the investigation was incomplete and that key witnesses had not been interviewed.

"None of the witnesses, my background investigators or members of the public that we've asked to be interviewed were interviewed," Anderson told the committee.

The Police Policy Committee's vote is a recommendation to the full 26-member DPSST board — not a final ruling. Anderson has said he will appeal and will remain in the sheriff's race regardless of the outcome.

The Legal Problem If He Wins

Oregon state law requires that a county sheriff hold valid law enforcement certification within one year of taking office. If Anderson wins in November and his appeal fails, he would be legally barred from serving. That prospect adds a layer of uncertainty the voters of Jefferson County will have to weigh carefully before November.

Incumbent Sheriff Jason Pollock has held the position since 2022. The November matchup will be a direct one-on-one contest.