Jefferson County's two incumbent commissioners are on track to retain their seats after the May 19 primary election, with both holding significant leads over their challengers as of the latest ballot counts released Friday.
Position 1: Wunsch Leads Curtiss by Nearly 20 Points
Commissioner Mark Wunsch, who chairs the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, is leading challenger George Curtiss by roughly 18 percentage points. Updated results from May 22 show Wunsch holding approximately 58.6% of the vote to Curtiss' 40.5%.
Curtiss, who grew up on Crooked River Ranch, mounted a community-focused campaign emphasizing rural representation. Wunsch, the incumbent, touted his record on economic development and county management. With only two candidates in the race, the primary winner proceeds directly as the elected commissioner — there is no November runoff for this seat.
Position 2: Simmelink Leads Four-Way Field
In the more crowded Position 2 race, incumbent Kelly Simmelink — who has served on the board since 2017 — led the four-candidate field with approximately 55% of the vote. She faced challengers Ara Erdekian, Greg Mead, and Bill Atherton.
Because Simmelink topped 50% in a multi-candidate primary, she is on pace to win the seat outright without advancing to a general election runoff.
Voter Turnout Near 40%
Jefferson County approached 40% voter turnout in the primary — a strong showing for a non-presidential cycle that reflected heightened local interest, particularly around the contested sheriff's race and library bond measure. Neighboring Deschutes and Crook counties saw turnout near 45%.
Ballots Still Coming In
The Jefferson County Clerk's office notes that ballots postmarked by May 26 are still valid and will be processed on May 27. Results will not be certified until June 25, 2026. Residents who have not yet returned their ballot have until Tuesday to postmark it.
Updated results are expected to be released as additional ballots are processed this week.