Deschutes County Commission
Posted inElections

May 2026 Election: Endorsements and Ideas

Ballots begin arriving in people’s mailboxes this week for the May 19 primary election. Here’s a recap of the Source’s candidate endorsements, plus our thoughts on the election overall
by The Source Editorial Board

Deschutes County Commission, Pos. 1 Jamie Collins The Commission is getting bigger and the County exploding in size. And because of those changes, we agree with challenger Jamie Collins when he says what’s needed is a more strategic, thoughtful approach to the challenges ahead. We think Collins, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, disaster responder and […]

Posted inElections

Vote Rick Russell for Deschutes County Commission, Pos. 4

Russell has a proven track record of action and leadership in Central Oregon
by The Source Editorial Board

The race for Position 4 on the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners has seen a lot of candidates come and go, but two competent people remain. If either gets over 50% of the votes in the May election, they’ll win the seat and no additional voting will be necessary for the November election. Rick […]

Posted inElections

Vote Amanda Page for Deschutes County Commission Pos. 3

Amid a crowded field, our support leans toward the candidate with the current experience as an elected
by The Source Editorial Board

With a handful of people in the race for Position 3 on the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners, chances are we’ll see a rematch between some of these candidates during the November go-round. That might be a good thing, because we admit that this race involves some tough choices. Amy Sabbadini is a beloved […]

Posted inElections

Vote Morgan Schmidt for Deschutes County Commission, Pos. 5

With four candidates in this race, voters may very well get to vote again in November
by The Source Editorial Board

Like a lot of the races for the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners this May, the one for Position 5 is a crowded field. Voters will see four names on their ballots for this seat — one of two seats that are being added after voters previously moved to expand the county commission. If […]

Posted inElections

Vote Jamie Collins for Deschutes County Commission, Pos. 1

We agree with challenger Jamie Collins when he says what’s needed is a more strategic, thoughtful approach to the challenges ahead
by The Source Editorial Board

In a May primary that might have otherwise been ho-hum, voters are selecting candidates in a raft of positions for the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners, after voting previously to expand the commission from three members to five. Each race has a fairly large slate of candidates — except for Position 1, in which […]

Posted inLocal News

Longtime Incumbent, Credentialed Challenger Clash in Deschutes County Commissioner Position 1 Race 

U.S. Coast Guard veteran and disaster responder Jamie Collins has doubled the fundraising totals of 15-year commissioner Tony DeBone
Avatar photo by Clayton Franke

Tony DeBone was first elected to the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners in 2010. He won again in 2014, and again in 2018 and 2022.   Now, as he seeks a fifth term, he faces an aggressive and well-funded challenge.  Jamie Collins, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and founder of a climate consulting firm, has more than doubled DeBone’s campaign donations, […]

Posted inLocal News

Political Hopefuls, Sisters Mayor Face Off in Deschutes County Commission Position 5 Race

The race features clashing views on homelessness, a proposal for local ownership of Mt. Bachelor and wildfire issues
Avatar photo by Clayton Franke

Four candidates are running for Deschutes County Commission Position 5, a brand-new seat added by a 2024 ballot measure expanding the county commission from three to five members.   The late addition of Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz added another layer of complexity to the May 19 primary, likely shrinking the chances that any candidate will receive the 50% of the vote needed to […]

Posted inOpinion

As the Battles Over Public Funds Commence, We Need an Equitable Process

Local governments are already stepping up to fill gaps created by SNAP, health care cuts. The public should weigh in about where the dollars go.
by The Source Editorial Board

With the end of the federal government shutdown, the roughly 757,000 people in Oregon who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits could breathe a sigh of relief. Food would be on the table as winter sets in. There might even be enough to give thanks at Thanksgiving. But that relief is temporary. The federal government […]

Posted inLocal News

Plans for Managed Camp in Redmond Move Forward

City of Redmond, County Commission vote in favor of increased construction costs
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Plans for a managed camp for the unhoused in Redmond moved forward this week, when the Redmond City Council, as well as the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners, voted to allocate additional dollars to the effort. A plan to offer a sanctioned camping area for the town’s unhoused population has been in the works […]

Posted inOpinion

Sign the Petition to Make the Deschutes County Commission Non-Partisan

While the commission ultimately voted against putting the idea on the ballot because of the costs involved, a group of citizens is picking up where they left off
by The Source Staff

Right now, a group of locals is spearheading an effort to try to move the races for the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners from partisan to non-partisan. This has been a topic of conversation since at least last year, when then-Democratic candidate Phil Chang—now a county commissioner—said he was in favor of the switch. While […]

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