UMATILLA COUNTY — Umatilla County Commissioner Dan Dorran has won a second term in his position, defeating challenger Alan Heel.

According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s unofficial election results Tuesday, night, Nov. 5. Dorran won 12,410 votes to Heel’s 4,944.

“Thank you to the voters of Umatilla County for placing their confidence in me and letting me serve them for the next four years,” Dorran said.

Dorran said he has a lot of projects on the books for his next term and he’s looking forward to returning to his office the morning of Nov. 6 to continue his work.

The East Oregonian sought comment from Heel, but he did not respond.

Dorran and Heel were to face off, Sept. 19, at a candidates forum at Hermiston City Hall, but Heel did make an appearance.

Dorran took the opportunity to plead his case and highlighted to the crowd his experience as commissioner.

Among the achievements, Dorran touted raising the sheriff’s office budget 41%, putting together a commissioners manual, creating the county logo and helping to develop a homeless outreach program — Project PATH in Hermiston.

“I think being able to work with all the communities within Umatilla County is my biggest accomplishment,” Dorran said. “I think that we’ve done that as a team. I was lucky because I had a lot of connections and relationships throughout the county but it has been a joy working with the mayors and managers throughout to come to some kind of collaborative resolution.”

Dorran also said he has unfinished business with projects underway, such as getting sufficient funding for the highway trust fund and addressing the nitrate issue in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area.

The first time Dorran won was in 2020 against HollyJo Beers, a local leader of the Three Percenters.

Before starting as commissioner in January 2021, Dorran worked as an executive for Atlas Copco, a manufacturing and engineering firm.