Position 3 commissioner's race narrows slightly
May 24—With all the votes turned in by Election Day now counted, Melissa Cribbins continues to hold a comfortable lead in the race for Position 3 commissioner, but her supermajority negating a runoff has slipped some.
A new state law allows all votes postmarked by May 17 to be counted as long as the ballots are delivered to the county clerk's office within seven days of the election. Therefore, the final count will not be released until May 24.
With all the early votes counted, Cribbins has received 6,630 votes, or 51.97%. To guarantee she retains her seat on the board of commissioners without facing a challenge in November, Cribbins must keep her vote count over 50%.
Bandon businessman Rod Taylor has moved up slightly, with 4,915 votes, or38.53%, and Chase Carlson is third with 1,169 votes, or 9.16%.
The other two county races appear to be over as incumbent Position 1 Commissioner John Sweet and county clerk candidate Julie Brecke hold comfortable leads in three-person races.
Sweet has received 6,738 votes, or 53.93% of those cast, in the Position 1 commissioner's race. Pam Lewis collected 4,624 votes, or 37.01%, while Cristina Bettesworth received 1,088 votes, or 8.71%.
In the race for county clerk, Brecke has recorded 6,955 votes, or 59.05%, to close in on the victory during her first run for office. Diane Rich is in second with 3,314 votes, or 28.14%, while Matthew Borgens has received 1,470 votes, or 1248%.
In the bond elections, a short-term lodging tax in Charleston was approved with 7,589 voters voting in favor of the tax.
A proposal to build a new Coos Bay library in John Topits Park went down to defeat with 1,738 voters, or 60.94%, voting against the levy.
In the North Bend School District, the results are still too close to call, although the bond levy continues to trail in voting. Through Election Day, 1,856 voters have cast ballots against the bond while 1,789 voted in favor.
Some of the most interesting results have come in precinct committee person elections, although it appears every person who was on the ballot was elected to one of the positions.
In rural Coquille, four names were on the ballot, with three Bonita Clarke, Janet Tilton and David Tilton each receiving 222 votes.
Judith Barkley was just behind with 216 votes.
In a Coos Bay Republican race, eight people were on the ballot, and all eight received between 108 and 117 votes.
According to the county clerk's office, the final vote count will be released by 5 p.m. May 24, with the vote then going to the board of commissioners to be certified.
