Two Port of Alsea incumbents fend off challengers critical of port operations; Seal Rock fire levy passes

Voters in the sprawling Port of Alsea district kept the current five-member board intact Tuesday, re-electing two commissioners to office over two challengers who had been highly critical of operations and its manager.

With 97 percent of ballots counted countywide as of Wednesday evening, Port of Alsea commission chair Rob Bishop of Waldport, who has been on the board since 2011, was soundly beating Jim Sehl of Tidewater 1,349 to 853 in Tuesday’s special election.

Jan Power of Waldport, who has been on the board since 2010, was beating Mike Gatens of Waldport 1,164 to 836. A third candidate, Chrissie Myers, had 185 votes.

Sehl and Gatens ran as a two-man slate trying to unseat Bishop and Powers. The unusually active race – the last contested Port board race was in 2007 – including advertising, lawn signs and Sehl’s direct mailer to the 7,115 voters in the district that stretches from south of Seal Rock, to Waldport and Tidewater to south of Yachats.

The final, unofficial results of the election won’t be known for days because of a change in Oregon election law last year. Ballots postmarked on or before election day are now counted if they arrive in the Lincoln County clerk’s office up to seven days after the election. As a result, 9,246 ballots were counted as of Wednesday night — a turnout of 23.5 percent.

The next count will be released at 5 p.m. Friday and the final, unofficial count on Tuesday, May 23. To see the Lincoln County clerk’s results for all election results go here. 

People elected to boards Tuesday will take office in July.

The only two money measures on Tuesday’s ballot were passing.

A five-year levy of 20 cents per $1,000 assessed property value to pay for the chief’s position in the Seal Rock Fire District was passing 710 to 211. The levy would raise an estimated $115,000 to $129,000 a year over its five years.

Voters in the Nelson Wayside Drive Road District just east of Waldport were approving a levy of 50 cents per $1,000 for road maintenance and repairs by a vote of 35 to 1.

Here are results of contested or other races Tuesday:

• Oregon Coast Community College: Incumbent Nancy Osterlund was beating Jake Moose 557 to 249 and challenger Marion Mann was beating incumbent Alison Baker 639 to 464. Paul Schuytema was unopposed for the college’s open zone 3 seat; Deborah Kilduff of Waldport was unopposed in zone 7;
• Lincoln County School District: Incumbent Megan Cawley was re-elected to the Zone 1 seat, with 4,944 votes. Challengers Mitch Parsons had 2,628 votes and Michael Nelson 543. Incumbent Liz Martin was unopposed for re-election for the zone 2 seat.
• Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue District: All five board seats were up for election Tuesday because of the recall of two members and the resignation of a third in 2022. All the candidates, including two appointed last year, were unopposed. Jon MacCulloch will complete a two-year term on Position 3 and Waldport city council member Rick Booth was elected to a four-year term for Position 4. Waldport city councilor Greg Dunn was unopposed for Position 1, Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy Zach Akin was unopposed for Position 2, and Waldport city recorder Reda Eckerman was unopposed for Position 5.
• Seal Rock Fire District: Four of five board seats were up for election and all four incumbents — David Pelligrinelli, S.D. “Skip” Smith, Karl Kowalski and Mike Burt – were unopposed.
• Yachats Rural Fire Protection District: Two of five seats were up for election and Drew Tracy and Katherine Guenther were re-elected without opposition.