Hoehna

MILTON-FREEWATER — City officials in Milton-Freewater were waiting to see which scenario played out on Election Day before filling a vacant seat left by the death of city councilor Verl Pressnall.

Councilman Verl Pressnall, 64, died Oct. 14 after battles with cancer off and on for nearly two decades.

In the days prior to the election, City Manager Linda Hall said there were two scenarios that would play out depending on if a write-in candidate or Pressnall received more votes.

As of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Pressnall received 61% of the 2,135 votes cast for his at-large seat. Since Pressnall holds a decided advantage, the council will declare a vacancy and fill the seat by appointment.

Milton-Freewater had no other contested races on Election Day.

Incumbent leads in race for Athena mayor

ATHENA — Just 36 votes separate the candidates in the race for the next mayor of Athena.

As of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, incumbent mayor Rebecca Schroeder leads Sally Thompson 52.66%-47.19% with 659 returned votes.

Schroeder, 59, is a teacher and small business owner and has served on Athena’s council, other county and city committees and in leadership at her church.

Thompson is retired from Oregon’s adult corrections system and is now serving as president of the Athena City Council. She also served on the city’s cemetery board.

In the race for Position 4 on the Athena City Council, Jesse Bonifer, who works at an Athena-based tarp and cover business, leads Douglas Harral 56.86%-42.65% with 612 votes cast in the race. Harral is a network administrator.

Incumbent leads in race for Weston mayor

WESTON — Incumbent Weston mayor Duane Thul holds a slim lead in the race to retain his position.

With 304 votes returned as of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Thul leads Dan McLind by just five votes, 149-144, with just 71% of the ballots counted, according to the Umatilla County elections website.

Thul, 81, stepped back into the seat with the loss of Mayor Jennifer Spurgeon, who died in late February. Thul has already twice served as mayor, each time surviving a recall effort. He also served as a Weston city councilman.

McLind, 60, is a civil engineer who returned to his hometown about two years ago.

Michael Dowd, a former Weston city councilor, leads three candidates vying for two at-large city council seats in Weston.

Dowd, 71, has received 31% of the votes, while Shannon Hoehna has 25% and James Williams 16%.

Hoehna, 37, is the current city council president and part of the Athena-Weston School District board.

Williams, 37, is a custodian who has not been in elected office before.

Thompson, Alderson to serve on Adams City Council

ADAMS — John Thompson and Graham Alderson both will be on the Adams City Council.

Thompson received 46.67% of the votes, while Alderson garnered 36.67%.

Thompson and Alderson were the only two candidates vying for the at-large seats. More than 16% of ballots cast were for a write-in candidate.

There have been 270 ballots cast as of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Pilot Rock incumbents win another term

PILOT ROCK — In Pilot Rock, only two people ran for three at-large seats on the council.

As of 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, Raymond Doherty had 49.30% of the vote, while Jackie Carey had 37.33%.

Carey, who is retired after a previous career as Pilot Rock’s city recorder, and Doherty are both incumbents.