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Who's Running For What In Lincoln County
Voters across Lincoln County will have a number of choices to make in the November 3 general election, with contested races for county commissioner as well as mayor and city council positions in several communities. Candidate filing for city races has now closed, giving voters a clearer picture of who will appear on local ballots this fall. The following focuses only on contested races within Lincoln County, rather than statewide or federal contests.
Lincoln County Commissioner Position 1
Incumbent Commissioner Casey Miller will face Cathie Rigby in the race for Position 1 on the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners. Miller currently holds the Position 1 seat, while Rigby is seeking to replace him. The position carries a four-year term. Curtis Landers won over 50% of the vote in the May primary and will take his seat for County Commissioner Position 3 in January 2027.
Lincoln County Commissioner Position 2
One of the most closely watched local races will be for Commissioner Position 2, the seat left vacant following the death of Commissioner Claire Hall. Cristen Don and Joe D. Steere advanced to the November election and will compete for the remaining two years of the unexpired term. The Position 2 race has received additional attention because county commissioners have been unable to agree on a temporary appointment to fill the vacancy.
Newport Mayor
Newport voters will have a contested mayor's race between current Mayor Jan Kaplan and longtime Newport City Councilor and former mayor Sandy Roumagoux. Kaplan was appointed mayor in 2023. Roumagoux has previously served both as a Newport city councilor and mayor.
Newport City Council
Four candidates are seeking three at-large seats on the Newport City Council.
Current councilors Angel Aparicio-Reyes, Robert Emond and CM Hall are seeking election, while former Newport city councilor and former city attorney David Allen is also running.
Because there are three available positions and four candidates, Newport voters will determine which three will serve on the council.
Lincoln City Mayor
Lincoln City will also have a contested race for mayor. Current Mayor Susan Wahlke is being challenged by Lincoln City Councilor Marci Baker. Baker sought a seat on the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners during the May primary and was also one of the applicants interviewed earlier this year for the vacant Position 2 commission seat.
Lincoln City Council — Ward 2
Lincoln City's Ward 2 council race will feature Taylor Krueger and Carolyn Nguyen.
The city's Ward 1 and Ward 3 races are not contested, with Nicole Peterson running in Ward 1 and Stephen Percy running in Ward 3.
Toledo Mayor
Toledo voters will choose between current Mayor Tracy Mix and former Toledo City Councilor Frank Silvia III. Mix was appointed mayor earlier this year, while Silvia previously served on the Toledo City Council before resigning his council position.
Waldport Mayor
Waldport will have a three-way race for mayor. Jan Hansen, Tony Thimakis and Silas Lester have all filed for the position. Current Mayor Heide Lambert is not seeking another two-year term.
Waldport City Council
Waldport also has one of the most crowded city council contests in Lincoln County.
Six candidates are seeking three at-large council positions:
Michelle Severson
Philip DeGeorge
Laura Matthews
Wendy Rush Knudsen
Cathy Starr
Susan Swander
Severson is the only incumbent among the six candidates. Councilors Susan Woodruff and Rick Booth are not seeking another term.
Yachats City Council
Three candidates are seeking two at-large seats on the Yachats City Council.
Incumbent Councilor Catherine Whitten-Carey is running along with Bob Barrett and Kathy Theilacker. Councilor MaryEllen O'Shaughnessey is not seeking another term.
U.S. Senate
Democratic incumbent Jeff Merkley is seeking another six-year term in the U.S. Senate and will face Republican David Brock Smith. Merkley has represented Oregon in the U.S. Senate since 2009. Smith previously served in the Oregon House and was appointed to the Oregon Senate in 2023.
U.S. Representative — 4th Congressional District
Lincoln County voters are part of Oregon's 4th Congressional District, where Democratic incumbent Val Hoyle will face Republican Monique DeSpain. Hoyle is seeking another two-year term. The district, includes Lincoln, Lane, Coos, Curry and Benton counties, along with portions of Linn and Douglas counties. DeSpain won the Republican nomination in the May primary and will challenge Hoyle in November.
Oregon Governor
Oregon voters will also decide who will lead the state for the next four years.
Democratic incumbent Governor Tina Kotek will face Republican Christine Drazan.
The contest sets up a rematch of the 2022 governor's race, when Kotek defeated Drazan.
Oregon House District 10
Lincoln County is represented in the Oregon House by District 10.
Democratic incumbent David Gomberg is seeking another two-year term.
Ballot Measures Still Taking Shape
Lincoln County voters should expect measures to appear on the November ballot as well, but the final list is not yet complete. Under the county's election calendar, jurisdictions have until September 3 to file a notice of measure election and required explanatory statements.
That means additional county, city or special-district measures could still be added to ballots depending on where a voter lives.
Important Election Dates
The deadline to register to vote for the November General Election is October 13.
The Lincoln County Elections Office maintains the official candidate and election information for the November 3 general election. Lincoln County News Source will be once again featuring video interviews and candidate forums to keep citizens informed.
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