© 2024 | Jefferson Public Radio
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6301 | 800.782.6191
a service of Southern Oregon University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Follow the results of Oregon's May 17th primary election ...

Klamath County: Voters Keep Marijuana Facility Ban

A ban on medical and retail marijuana facilities in Klamath County stands.

Primary voters shot down a measure that would have reversed it. Measure 18-105, allowing state licensed medical marijuana and retail marijuana facilities, failed by 16 points. 

A crowded primary race for two non-partisan seats on the Klamath County Board of Commissioners narrowed considerably, with upsets for both incumbents.  

In District 1, Donnie Boyd soundly defeated incumbent Tom Mallams. Boyd took 51 percent of the vote to Mallams's 23 percent.  If this majority stands up, Boyd will win the seat. 

In District 3, Derrick DeGroot bested incumbent Jim Bellet, taking 44 percent of votes to Bellet's second place finish with 27 percent. Both candidates advance to the November general election. 

The race for Senate District 28 is far from decided due to the high number of write-in candidates involved.

Incumbent Republican Senator Doug Whitsett withdrew from the race the day before the deadline. Then, minutes before the filing deadline, former Klamath County Commissioner and fellow Republican Dennis Linthicum filed to run in the primary. He remains the only candidate officially on the ballot, though several others have challenged him as write-ins, including Todd Kepple, Dennis Linthicum, C.W. Smith, and Michael Stettler.

A similar story is unfolding for House District 56. Rep. Gail Whitsett--whose husband represents the Senate district--also announced her withdrawal from the race the day after the filing deadline.  Fellow Republican Werner Reschke filed minutes before the deadline, sparking allegations of "insider trading." 

Two other candidates seek the seat, Jonah Hakanson as a general election non-affiliated candidate, and former Klamath County Commissioner Al Switzer as a Republican write-in. 

It will take days, if not weeks, after Tuesday's primary to tally the write-in votes in these races.