Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
Detroit voters are looking to its incumbent councilors to keep guiding the Santiam Canyon city, which is still in recovery from the 2020 wildfires.
City Council incumbents Michele Tesdal (73 votes, 26.74%), Denny Nielsen (63 votes, 23.08%), Greg Sheppard (53 votes, 19.41%) and Todd Smith (50 votes, 18.32%) were leading the race for new 4-year terms, according to early unofficial returns from the Marion County elections office. Newcomer Teresa Maurmann, trailed the 4 incumbents with 34 votes and 11.86 percent.
Mayor Jim Trett and Councilors Eric Page and Tim Luke do not face the voters until 2024.
Also on the ballot in Detroit is Measure 24-466 which would replace the city charter. Key changes include items on the qualifications for those eligible to serve in elective office, how nominations for the City Council occur, and removing the difference in status for primary and non-primary residents. Residents no longer would be either primary or non-primary with any qualified elector eligible to serve in an elective office, including the office of mayor.
Early returns showed the race too close to call, with the no vote leading 45-43.
Here is a look at other Santiam Canyon towns in which the races were generally uncontested:
Gates: Ron Carmickle, who was running unopposed for a second two-year term for mayor, died Sept. 29. Council president Patrick Rahm will chair meetings until a new mayor is named. Carmickle received 26 votes (or nearly 29 percent). Write-in candidates received the other 64 votes (71 percent). Incumbents Brian Gander and Tonya Chamberlain were running unopposed for council seats, as was Donald Mann, who is seeking the seat of Liz McCall, who resigned Sept. 15. Chamberlain was the leading vote-getter with 82 (35.5 percent), with Gander drawing 72 (31.2 percent) and Mann 67 (29 percent).
Lyons: Lloyd Valentine is running unopposed for another two-year term as mayor, with Jessica Ritchie running unopposed for another four-year term as councilor. Councilors Diane Hyde and Mike Wagner do not face the voters again until 2024. Councilor Troy Donohue is not seeking re-election, and the final council member will be appointed by the remaining councilors. Valentine received 393 votes, or more than 96 percent. Ritchie drew 362 votes (92 percent), with write-in candidates receiving 31 votes.
Idanha: Only one candidate, Robert Weikum, took out papers for the City Council, although three positions were open. The seats have 4-year terms. Weikum received 32 votes in early returns, or more than 55 percent, with write-in candidates drawing 26 votes.
