Rasmussen

LA GRANDE — Union County Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen declared late Wednesday, Aug. 12, that he is no longer seeking a fifth term as the county’s lead law enforcement officer in the November general election.

Rasmussen said he plans to stay on until the new sheriff is sworn in in January 2021, and will then retire from the sheriff’s office.

“I started thinking about retiring when the numbers did not come back in my favor in the primary,” Rasmussen told The La Grande Observer, referring to his second-place finish in May. “This has been a hard decision because I want to serve this county that I love, but I decided it is better to foster peace in the community as I assist in a smooth transition.”

The decision by Rasmussen — who first won election in 2004 and has been reelected three times — means, barring a win by a write-in candidate, his challenger in the Nov. 3 election, UCSO Deputy Cody Bowen, will be the sheriff in January.

“It takes a little bit of weight off my shoulders, if you will,” Bowen said. “There’s no sense in spending extra money, getting donations, continuing the campaign and the caliber of campaign I was planning to run. It allows me to focus on the changes I want to make in stepping into that office with boots on the ground.”

The deputy said he was surprised when Rasmussen informed him Aug. 11 of his decision — about 24 hours before he told the rest of the USCO staff and put out a press release.

Bowen has had angst that residents would see the move as a plot between the two.

“My biggest fear in this happening is people thinking he and I were in this together. That is the furthest thing from the truth,” he said.

Rasmussen faced a Department of Justice investigation during his campaign and is set to go in front of the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Aug. 20 on an ethics review, but he said his withdrawal from the election does not have anything to do with the DPSST hearing.

“I don’t know if that was a big playing factor, if he’s worried about that,” Bowen commented.

Union County Clerk Robin Church spent a large part of Aug. 13 studying up on what state statutes and the state constitution say on what is an unprecedented move in her three decades in the clerk’s office.

“This is all new territory for me,” she said. “I’ve never heard of that (happening) here.”

Church said Rasmussen has until 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, to withdraw his name from the ballot. Otherwise, he’ll still be listed when residents go to cast their vote.

The current sheriff said he won’t be on the ballot, though as of Aug. 14 he had not officially withdrawn, according to the Union County Clerk’s Office.

Rasmussen may have already been facing long odds to catch Bowen in the general election, as the incumbent had just under 26% of the vote in May’s primary, while Bowen had almost 42% — a lead of more than 1,600 votes. Church said if Rasmussen did stay on the ballot and won in November, but did not accept the results and chose to still step down, the county commissioners would appoint a sheriff to fill the vacancy.

State statute does not list an option for the third-place finisher, Bill Miller, to step into Rasmussen’s position on the ballot, Church explained. Miller finished with just under 25% of the May vote, falling to Rasmussen by only 133 votes.

”It is my understanding that if he officially drops out, that does not put Bill on the ballot,” the county clerk said.

With Bowen as the presumptive sheriff, Rasmussen said he intends to spend the next few months ensuring a smooth transition.

“I will do everything I can to help Deputy Bowen be successful,” Rasmussen said. “My management team and I plan to work with him in the coming months to guide him through budgeting, hiring and other administrative functions within the sheriff’s office. I will assist with any questions he has.”

Bowen said having a leg up entering the role would be beneficial.

”Just bringing me up to speed on all the varying contracts with the outlying cities — he’s been working on the contacts, getting them with Union, just providing the information so I can be a part of things so it’s not dumped on my plate in January,” he said. “Showing me the ins and outs of his daily duties.”