It’s time to consider running for office in Lincoln County – including filing for positions to appear on the primary election ballot in May.
That was highlighted Tuesday when Lincoln County Commissioner Claire Hall announced she had filed to run for re-election in the May 21 primary. Hall, who has been a commissioner since 2005, is the longest-serving member of the three-member commission.
“We’ve got big challenges,” Hall said in a news release announcing her filing. “But with big challenges also come great opportunities.”
She cited the progress the county has made in creating affordable housing, emergency and transitional housing, and related services, her work on a five-year housing and homeless plan, projects for the county fairgrounds property and animal shelter, and her membership on the Oregon Housing Stability Council.
Three other county positions are up for primary races in May – the district attorney, sheriff and assessor.
First-term incumbent Lanee Danforth filed for re-election to the district attorney’s post on Sept. 14, the first day state candidates could file for office. No one else has yet filed to run for the seat.
Sheriff Curtis Landers told YachatsNews on Tuesday he plans to make an announcement whether he intends to run “in the next few weeks.”
Assessor Joe Davidson said he plans to file his paperwork soon to seek re-election. He was first elected in 2016.
Two other politicians who represent Lincoln County in the Oregon Legislature filed for re-election in October.
Sen. Richard Anderson, R-Lincoln City, filed for re-election to his Senate District 5 seat, which includes the central and south Oregon coasts. Anderson was first elected in 2020.
Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, has filed for re-election to his House District 10 seat, which includes all of Lincoln County and parts of western Benton and Lane counties. He was first elected to the Oregon House in 2012.
No other candidates have filed for either seat.
The last filing date for candidates for county and state offices is March 12. The filing deadline for ballot measures is March 1.
The Oregon Coast Community College board has voted to put a $33.16 million bond on the May ballot to build a trade and technical education center on its main Newport campus. But the college is waiting closer to the March 1 filing deadline for ballot measures to submit the paperwork, spokesman Dave Price said Tuesday.