2024 Election Roundup

Jeremiah Holmes wins election for Wheeler Co. Sheriff

Wheeler County Deputy Sheriff, Sgt. Jeremiah Holmes, has been elected Sheriff of Wheeler County. Sgt. Holmes received 76.9% of the vote over Undersheriff Mitch Elliott, who received 16.8% respectfully.

With nearly 77% of the vote, Holmes outperformed other local, state, and federal candidates in the 2024 election – with the exception of those who ran unopposed.

Sgt. Holmes joined the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office in 2019. Before joining the Sheriff's Office, Holmes worked as a cowboy and ranch manager for several years in the Spray area.

During the 2024 wildfires that devastated Wheeler County, Holmes was active on fire lines and served as the Spray Fire Chief. There, he helped prepare the town for the rapidly moving Lone Rock Fire, which resulted in a Level 3 Evacuation.

Sheriff-elect Holmes will be sworn into office in January and will take over for outgoing Sheriff Mike Smith, who is returning to the Willamette Valley to be near his parents.

Sherman County will also welcome a new Sheriff in the new year. Undersheriff James Burgett ran unopposed and received 1,001 votes. Sheriff-elect Burgett will replace outgoing Sheriff Brad Lohery, who has served the county for more than three decades.

A veteran of the US Army, Burgett began his career in law enforcement in 2003, shortly after he left the military. Burgett joined the Grant County Sheriff's Office in 2003 as a Sheriff's Deputy, where he worked for nearly ten years before joining the Sherman County Sheriff's Office in 2013.

In addition to being a Sheriff's Deputy in Sherman County, Burgett has also worked as a Firearms Instructor, an Armed Private Security Instructor, and a Hunter Education Instructor.

New and returning mayors

The cities of Condon, Fossil, and Rufus voted in new mayors last week, while the mayors of Arlington, Spray, and Moro were re-elected last Tuesday.

Dustan Hall will be the next Mayor of Condon. Hall moved to Condon several years ago from the Chicago area and is married to longtime Condon resident Jennifer (Arnst) Hall. Mayor-elect Hall has served on the Condon City Council since 2021.

In Rufus, City Councilman Austin Evans won the mayoral election, ousting siting mayor Amber Baker.

In Moro, incumbent Mayor Bert Perisho ran unopposed and will return for another term.

In Arlington, Jeff Bufton ran unopposed and will serve another four years, as will Arcadius St. Laurent in Spray, who also ran unopposed. Beth McCurdy was also reelected as Mayor of Wasco, where she ran unopposed.

In Fossil, Carol MacInnis ran unopposed for mayor and will return to City Hall, where she served as mayor for three decades prior to leaving office in 2020.

No candidates filed; Write-ins await final count

While many candidates and incumbents celebrated election wins and others took their lumps in losses, several cities are in the lurch as no candidates filed for vacant seats.

In Grass Valley, nobody filed to be the next mayor, and results from write-in candidates will not be released until the Oregon elections are officially certified on November 26th.

A coordinated write-in campaign also did not take shape in Grass Valley, and just 33 votes were

The same scenario played out in city council positions in Wheeler County.

In Mitchell, two city council seats had no candidates filed – for Position #4 and Position #5.

The same goes for Spray, where nobody filed to fill the City Council #3 seat and just twelve write-in names were submitted.

And in Fossil, the City Council #3 position will come down to either a write-in or appointment as no candidates filed for office.

Other local winners

Wheeler County – Brenda Snow Potter was elected for another term as County Clerk, running unopposed for another four-year term.

In Fossil, Councilwoman Cindy Burlingame was reelected for another term, as was Mark Marcantonio in Spray.

In the Soil and Water Conservation District Director election - Ross Ryno, Anna Thomas, Zach Bruce, and Jason Davis were reelected as Directors.

Sherman County – Joan Bird won her reelection campaign, running unopposed for another four year term in office.

Shandie Johnson will remain as Justice of the Peace and Kristi Weis will continue as the Sherman County Clerk.

In city council races, Grass Valley residents reelected Ree Ella von Borstel, Rick Whitaker, and Bonne Whitley.

In Moro – Andy Anderson was reelected, along with James Alley.

In Rufus – Daniel Ruise won a close election over Wendy Boyer for the City Council #3 position by just seven votes. Fred Fahrni will also join the Rufus City Council in Position #4.

State and Federal Election Breakdown

James Burgett elected Sherman County Sheriff

President-Elect Donald Trump easily carried all three counties in the region, but underperformed from 2020 election totals.

Trump won in Wheeler County with 69.3% of the vote, in Gilliam County with 71% of the vote, and in Sherman County with 76.5%.

Harris garnered 23% of the vote in Wheeler County, 25.5% in Gilliam, and 19.9% in Sherman County.

Robert Kennedy, Junior remained on the ballot in Oregon and received 2.8% of the vote in Wheeler County, 1.6% in Gilliam, and 2.2% in Sherman County, respectfully.

US Congressman Cliff Bentz performed at similar rates as a down-ballot candidate, winning 69.3% of the vote in Wheeler, 74.5% in Gilliam, and 80.9% in Sherman County.

Former Oregon State Senator Dennis Lithicum did not perform as well as Trump and Bentz for the Secretary of State election. Lithicicum (R-Klamath Falls) got 67.7% of the vote in Wheeler County, 69.9% in Gilliam, and 77.7% in Sherman County.

The Secretary of State race was won by Tobias Read.