By Don Gomez
In an election cycle widely regarded as one of the most pivotal in the history
of the United States, Lincoln County voters are faced with important decisions all the
way down the ballot.– In an election cycle widely regarded as one of the most pivotal in the history of the United States, Lincoln County voters are faced with important decisions all the
way down the ballot.
County
At the county level, voters have only one choice to make this election cycle in the race
for County Commissioner Position 2 between incumbent Claire Hall and Depoe Bay City
Councilor Rick Beasley. Hall is seeking her sixth term in office having been elected to
the role in 2004. Hall narrowly defeated challenger Joe Hitselberger in 2020 by just
under 2900 votes. While both Hall and Beasley hail from a background in news media, they have widely diverging views on how to govern the county.
Hall seeks to maintain the status quo she has cultivated over her previous two decades of service and points to multiple statewide committees on which she serves as proof of her ability to lead. Beasley, a self-styled “disruptor,” seeks to reinvigorate county government and cites ever-increasing costs of living amongst a litany of reasons why the county needs new leadership.
City
Meanwhile at the city level, tiny Depoe Bay surprisingly offers the highest number of
contested races in the county with the races for Mayor and City Council Positions 1 and
3 all being up for election. In the mayoral race incumbent Kathy Short faces challenger,
Cindi Ciuffo a retired Registered Nurse. Kathy Wyatt is challenging incumbent Autumn
Watson in the Position 1 race, while in the Position 3 race Hannah Grant is taking on
Debbie Poland. All except Wyatt and Grant have included candidate statements in the
voter pamphlet expressing their experience and goals for office.
Lincoln City residents in Ward III will choose between Tammy Sanford and Kevin J.
Hohnbaum. Lincoln City’s council is comprised of a mayor as well as two
councilmembers from each of three wards and is the only city in the county with this
type of council composition.
In Toledo, four candidates are seeking election to the three available seats on City
Council in an at-large race. The top three vote-getters will be sworn in. Candidates
include incumbents Jackie Kauffman and Tracy L. Mix who are seeking re-election while
candidates Andrew Keating and William A. Riley seek to ascend to the role of
councilmember in the city often referred to as “The Heart of the Coast.” Keating is the
only candidate who filed a candidate statement for inclusion in the county’s voter
information pamphlet.
The City of Waldport presents a contested mayoral race as well as a similar scenario to
Toledo with four candidates vying for three at-large positions. Councilmember Melaia McKinley Kilduff faces off against former Yachats City Manager Heide Lambert for Mayor while incumbent councilmembers Greg Dunn and Jayme Morris seek to protect their seats against challengers Jerry Townsend and Thomas Ebling.
The final day to cast your vote is on Tuesday November 5th 2024. Ballot drop boxes are available in each city and at the Lincoln County courthouse parking lot.
*Don Gomez is a local writer and owner of Sterncastle Publishing. He also ran for in May for the county commisson seat, but did not win.
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