Prineville, Ore. — More than 40% of registered voters in Crook County have already returned their ballots ahead of the November 3 general election, placing the county well above Oregon’s statewide ballot return rate with less than a week remaining before Election Day.
According to unofficial ballot return figures released Thursday morning by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division, Crook County had received 8,833 ballots from its 21,809 active registered voters as of 8:50 a.m. on October 29.
That represents a ballot return rate of 40.50%, compared to the statewide average of 31.17%.
Across Oregon, election officials reported receiving 971,812 ballots from approximately 3.12 million active registered voters.
Crook County’s return rate is also higher than neighboring Deschutes County, where 36.30% of voters had returned ballots, and Jefferson County, where the return rate stood at 33.55%.
The county also ranked among the higher ballot return rates statewide, although several smaller rural counties, including Gilliam, Grant, Wallowa and Wheeler, reported rates exceeding 45%.
The figures reflect ballots received by election officials rather than final voter turnout, and will continue to change as additional ballots are returned and processed.
County Commissioner race between Steber and Thompson
Among the most closely watched local contests is the race for Crook County Commissioner Position 2 between Rick Steber and Julie Thompson.
The two candidates are seeking to replace outgoing Commissioner Brian Barney, who decided not to seek reelection, guaranteeing a new member on the three-person Crook County Board of Commissioners regardless of the outcome.
Steber and Thompson advanced from a three-way May primary after neither candidate received the majority needed to win outright.
Preliminary primary election results showed Steber leading with 42.36% of the vote, followed by Thompson with 38.33%. A third candidate, Zach Berger, received 18.88%.
Steber, a longtime Oregon author and historian, has emphasized preserving Crook County’s rural identity, strengthening public safety, wildfire preparedness, natural resources and maintaining local control over land-use decisions.
Thompson has focused her campaign on government accountability, transparency, responsiveness and improving communication between county officials and residents.
The two candidates entered the general election following a relatively close primary contest, separated by approximately four percentage points.
The Board of Commissioners oversees county government operations, adopts budgets, establishes county policies and makes decisions affecting services throughout the county.
With more than 8,800 ballots already returned, a substantial portion of Crook County’s electorate has cast its votes ahead of the final days of the election. However, ballot return figures do not indicate how voters are casting their ballots or which candidate may be leading.
The Prineville Review previously covered the primary contest.
County Treasurer race also contested
Beyond the county commissioner contest, voters will also decide a competitive race for Crook County Treasurer, with Bill Anderson and Jessica Barnes seeking the position.
The treasurer is an independently elected county official responsible for important financial functions involving the custody and management of county funds.
Anderson previously served as CEO of Mid-Oregon Credit Union for 39 years, according to published biographical information.
The race gives voters another choice involving the oversight of county government, particularly its financial operations.
Meanwhile, incumbent Crook County Clerk Cheryl Seely is running without a listed opponent.
Seely, who was first elected in 2014, oversees county elections, recording functions and other official records maintained by the Clerk’s Office.
Two positions on the Crook County Soil and Water Conservation District board are similarly uncontested, with Zachary Flegel running for At-Large Position 2 and Holli A. Kingsbury seeking the Zone 3 position.
The conservation district works with landowners and other partners on matters involving soil, water and natural resource conservation.
20-year-old sole candidate for Prineville Mayor
In Prineville, 20-year-old Zach Levesque is the only candidate listed on the ballot for mayor.
The election follows the resignation of longtime city official Jason Beebe, who stepped down as mayor in June, citing personal reasons. Beebe had served as mayor since 2021 and previously served on the City Council.
However, unlike cities with a strong-mayor system of government, Prineville’s mayor does not independently manage city operations.
Prineville operates under a council-manager form of government, with City Manager Steve Forrester responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations and implementing policies adopted by the City Council.
The mayor serves as a voting member of the council, with essentially the same voting authority as other councilors, but also presides over council meetings, performs ceremonial and representative functions, and has the authority to call special meetings.
The mayor cannot independently direct city employees, establish city policy or exercise veto authority over decisions made by the council.
Instead, the City Council collectively establishes policies and provides oversight of the city manager, who is responsible for administering municipal operations.
The distinction is significant because, despite the title, Prineville’s mayor is not a separately elected chief executive responsible for running city government.
The mayoral position, like other City Council positions, is unpaid.
Two candidates seeking three city council seats
The Prineville City Council election has also drawn limited competition.
Current council members Janet Hutchison and Scott Smith are the only two candidates listed for three available at-large council seats.
Smith, a lifelong Prineville resident, previously worked for the city’s Public Works Department for 34 years, including approximately 20 years as street superintendent, before retiring in 2021.
He has previously described his service on the council as an opportunity to give back to the community and help see unfinished city projects through to completion.
Hutchison is also a current member of the City Council seeking another term.
With only two filed candidates for three available positions, voters will see fewer names on the ballot than seats available, although write-in votes remain an option.
Together, the uncontested mayoral election and limited City Council field contrast with the competitive races for county commissioner and county treasurer, where voters have a choice between two filed candidates for each position.
Ballots must be returned by November 3
Oregon voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 3rd, to return their ballots to an official ballot drop site.
Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day and received by election officials within seven days to qualify under Oregon’s postmark law.
Crook County residents who are registered to vote but have not received their ballots should contact the Crook County Clerk’s Office as soon as possible to determine whether a replacement ballot is needed.
As previously reported by the Prineville Review, ballots were mailed to registered Crook County voters on October 14th and were expected to arrive no later than October 21st.
The county also recently opened a new official ballot drop box at the Juniper Canyon Fire Station, providing an additional option for residents in that area to return their ballots.
Voters can contact the Crook County Clerk’s Office at the Crook County Courthouse, 300 NE Third Street in Prineville, or check their ballot status through the Oregon Secretary of State’s online voter registration system at oregonvotes.gov.
Mr. Alderman is an investigative journalist specializing in government transparency, non-profit accountability, consumer protection, and is a subject matter expert on Oregon’s public records and meetings laws. As a former U.S. Army Military Police Officer, he brings a disciplined investigative approach to his reporting that has frequently exposed ethics violations, financial mismanagement, and transparency failures by public officials and agencies.
