Updated at 9:22 p.m. to include Thompson’s statement to the Prineville Review.
Prineville, Ore. — Julie Thompson and Jessica Barnes are leading Crook County’s two contested county races following the first unofficial election results released Tuesday evening, November 3rd, putting both candidates in position to secure victories and usher in new leadership in county government.
Thompson holds a 700-vote lead over Rick Steber in the race for Crook County Commissioner Position 2, while Barnes leads Bill Anderson by 1,267 votes in the race for County Treasurer.
The results, released shortly after 8 p.m., show Thompson receiving 6,583 votes, or 52.50%, compared to Steber’s 5,883 votes, or 46.92%. Barnes received 6,253 votes, or 55.26%, compared to Anderson’s 4,986 votes, or 44.06%.
While the early returns put Thompson and Barnes ahead, both races remain unofficial, with additional eligible ballots potentially outstanding. 61.70% of Crook County’s registered voter ballots have been counted.
Thompson overcomes Steber’s name-recognition advantage
Thompson’s election-night lead represents a key development in a commissioner race that began with Steber holding a substantial advantage in name recognition.
Steber, a longtime Crook County author, historian and businessman, entered the election with an established public profile built over decades of involvement in the community.
Thompson, by comparison, entered the race as a relative underdog without the same widespread name recognition, facing the challenge of introducing herself to voters while competing against one of the county’s more recognizable local figures.
Her campaign emphasized government transparency, accountability, communication and greater responsiveness to county residents.
The November results also represent a reversal from the May primary election, when Steber finished ahead of Thompson in a three-candidate contest. Steber received approximately 42.36% of the primary vote, compared to Thompson’s 38.33%. Neither candidate secured an outright majority, advancing both to the general election.
Tuesday’s initial returns show Thompson with 52.50% of the vote, a lead of approximately 5.6 percentage points over Steber.
If the results hold, Thompson will succeed outgoing Commissioner Brian Barney, who chose not to seek reelection.
Thompson would join Commissioners Seth Crawford and Susan Hermreck on the three-member Crook County Board of Commissioners, which oversees county operations, establishes policy, adopts budgets and makes decisions affecting public services throughout the county.
In a statement to the Prineville Review following the initial results and our projection of her win, Thompson expressed gratitude to voters and outlined her priorities.
“As the projected winner, I am truly humbled and honored at the opportunity to serve as the next Crook County Commissioner,” Thompson said.
Thompson emphasized that her campaign was motivated by a desire to give residents a stronger voice in county government, increase transparency and ensure greater public involvement in decisions affecting the community.
“I believe we can have responsible growth while protecting the agricultural roots, rural character, and quality of life that make Crook County such a special place,” she said.
Thanking her family, supporters and voters, Thompson acknowledged the learning curve ahead but pledged to work hard, ask difficult questions and remain accountable to residents.
“Tonight, I am incredibly grateful and I am ready to get to work for the people of Crook county,” she concluded.
Barnes holds commanding lead in county treasurer race
Meanwhile, Jessica Barnes holds an even larger lead in the contest for Crook County Treasurer, with the first unofficial results showing her ahead of Bill Anderson by more than 11 percentage points.
Barnes received 6,253 votes, or 55.26%, compared to Anderson’s 4,986 votes, or 44.06%.
Anderson entered the race with an extensive financial-services background, including 39 years as CEO of Mid Oregon Credit Union.
The contest attracted attention as Crook County voters considered who would take over the county’s financial oversight responsibilities following the departure of longtime Treasurer Galan Carter, who chose not to seek another term.
The county treasurer is responsible for important aspects of the management and custody of public funds, including the county’s investment and financial administration functions.
If the current results hold, Barnes will assume the office following Carter’s departure, bringing another change to Crook County’s elected leadership.
New leadership ahead for Crook County
The two contests were the only contested county offices on Crook County’s November general election ballot.
Both races will result in leadership changes regardless of the final outcome, with Barney and Carter departing their respective positions.
The first election-night report showed 13,490 ballots cast among 21,864 registered voters, representing a turnout of 61.70%. Results were reported from all 17 precincts, although that does not necessarily mean all eligible ballots have been counted.
Oregon election laws allow certain ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive after the election and still be counted, meaning the vote totals may change in subsequent reports.
The Prineville Review has reached out to all the candidates in both contests, inviting them to comment on the election-night results. Additional statements from the candidates will be included as they become available.
Editor's Note: This report is based on Crook County's first unofficial election results, released shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The projected outcomes are not official declarations of victory.
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.
