YAMHILL COUNTY, Ore. — With a 38.4% voter turnout as of Wednesday morning, the picture is becoming clear on who Yamhill County voters are favoring for county commissioner, as well as the fate of the school levy.
With 56% of the vote, incumbent Kit Johnston has a commanding lead over John Linder for Yamhill County Commissioner Position 1. If the result holds, Johnston will continue into his second term, beginning in January 2027 and ending in January 2031.
The Position 3 race is closer, with current Chehalem Parks and Recreation District Director Jason Fields holding 51.2% of the vote, compared with Neyssa Hays at 43.9% and Davis S. Wall at 4.6%. Should Fields’s lead slip and no candidate receive a majority — defined as 50% plus one vote — the top two candidates will advance to a runoff in the Nov. 3 general election.
Votes are expected to continue being counted throughout the rest of the week.
The last county commissioner race in 2024, between David “Bubba” King and incumbent Lindsay Berschauer, ended in a similar runoff when no candidate secured 50% plus one vote. King won the subsequent race in November 2024.
While Oregon voters statewide rejected Measure 120 — an increased tax on fuel, registration fees, and title fees to support public transportation infrastructure — local voters also appear to have defeated Measure 36-239, the “5 Year Levy to Preserve Neighborhood Schools, Teachers, Class Sizes” referred by Newberg-Dundee Public Schools. Results as of Wednesday morning show 58.3% voting against and 41.7% voting for.
The levy would have raised property tax rates by $1.20 per $1,000 of assessed value for five years to assist with budget stabilization, with funds directed toward maintaining staffing levels and keeping schools open amid budget challenges that could see the district close Ewing Young Elementary and convert Edwards Elementary to a dual-language-only program.
Early voting results are strong indicators of how an election will fare, as the majority of ballots are returned before election day. However, additional ballots will be counted over the next week. Oregon law allows ballots postmarked by 8 p.m. on May 19 to be counted.
See the updated unofficial results at the Yamhill County Elections website. Results will be certified by June 15.
