Prineville, Ore. — The first unofficial election results released Tuesday night show an extremely close race for Crook County Commissioner Position 2, with Julie Thompson holding a 700-vote lead over Rick Steber.
The initial results, released shortly after 8 p.m. on November 3, show Thompson receiving 6,583 votes (52.50%) compared to Steber’s 5,883 votes (46.92%). Another 72 votes (0.57%) were cast for write-in candidates.
In the county’s other contested local race, Jessica Barnes holds a more substantial lead over Bill Anderson for County Treasurer.
The initial report shows 13,490 ballots cast out of 21,864 registered voters, representing a turnout of 61.70%.
These results are unofficial and subject to change as additional ballots are processed and counted. The Prineville Review will continue updating this story throughout election night.
Crook County Commissioner — Position 2
The race to succeed outgoing Commissioner Brian Barney remains closely contested following the first release of results.
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Julie Thompson | 6,583 | 52.50% |
| Rick Steber | 5,883 | 46.92% |
| Write-in | 72 | 0.57% |
Current margin: Thompson leads by 700 votes.
Crook County Treasurer
Jessica Barnes leads Bill Anderson in the race to replace outgoing Treasurer Galan Carter.
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Jessica Barnes | 6,253 | 55.26% |
| Bill Anderson | 4,986 | 44.06% |
| Write-in | 77 | 0.68% |
Current margin: Barnes leads by 1,267 votes.
Other Local Election Results
Several additional local offices were uncontested, including Crook County Clerk and Prineville Mayor.
Crook County Clerk
- Cheryl Seely — 9,831 votes (98.69%)
- Write-in — 131 votes (1.31%)
City of Prineville Mayor
- Zach Levesque — 3,100 votes (91.74%)
- Write-in — 279 votes (8.26%)
City of Prineville Council
Three seats are available in the City Council election.
- Scott Smith — 2,621 votes (47.07%)
- Janet Hutchison — 2,431 votes (43.66%)
- Write-in votes — 516 combined (9.27%)
Crook County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Holli A. Kingsbury — 9,044 votes (98.57%)
- Zachary Flegel — 9,297 votes (98.65%)
Both candidates faced only write-in opposition.
Statewide and Congressional Races — Crook County Results
Crook County voters also cast ballots in several state and federal contests. The following totals reflect votes cast within Crook County only, not statewide or districtwide results.
| Race | Candidate leading in Crook County | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senate | David Brock Smith | 9,674 | 72.79% |
| U.S. House, District 2 | Cliff Bentz | 9,923 | 74.99% |
| Governor | Christine Drazan | 10,347 | 77.34% |
| State House, District 59 | Vikki Breese-Iverson | 10,362 | 78.35% |
Election night updates
Crook County’s initial report includes results from all 17 precincts, with voter turnout reported at 61.70%.
Although all precincts are represented in the initial report, additional eligible ballots may still be counted, including ballots received after Election Day that meet Oregon’s postmark requirements.
The Prineville Review will continue monitoring the results, particularly the close County Commissioner Position 2 contest, and update this article as new figures become available.
Last updated: November 3rd, 2026 — 8:12 p.m.
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.
