Primary election results: Lyle Mordhorst holds lead in race for Polk County Commissioner

Incumbent Lyle Mordhorst held a healthy lead against challenger and Monmouth City Councilor Roxanne Beltz in early returns in Tuesday's election for Polk County Commissioner.

Mordhorst, who has been a Polk County Commissioner since 2019, was leading by more than 50% of the vote, the margin needed to avoid run-off election against Beltz in the general election in November.

“A little closer than I expected, but either way, the voters gave me that endorsement that I’m looking for,” Mordhorst said. “So I get another four years to continue making a difference and doing the right things. I feel very blessed.”

Beltz campaigned on issues including increasing transparency about work the commissioners do, houselessness and creating affordable housing.

Mordhorst said he would continue his work on transportation issues throughout the county and issues such as bringing broadband to remote areas, homelessness prevention and public safety.

“We’ve known each other for a long time,” Mordhorst said. “And I got to hand it to her because both of us at the start, we said we’re not going to get down in the mud. We’re doing to talk about the issues.

"I just want to tell her, ‘Thank you.’ This was just a good race based on values.”

The non-partisan race for Polk County Commissioner has a four-year term. The other commissioners are Jeremy Gordon and Craig Pope, who have terms running through 2026.

Mordhorst, who lives in West Salem, has been a Polk County Commissioner since being appointed in 2019. He won election for commissioner in 2020.

Previous to that, he worked for Les Schwab for 35 years and was the general manager of the West Salem store from 1998 to 2019.

Beltz has been a city councilor for Monmouth since 2017. She owns a graphic design, marketing and promotional products company and formerly worked in marketing for Cherriots, Stanford University and Chevron.

Mordhorst's campaign raised $22,175 and spent $16,355 as of May 10. Beltz' campaign raised $8,134 and spent $3,081.

Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Lyle Mordhorst leads Roxanne Beltz in Polk County Commissioner race