Canby Fire District Levy
The Canby Fire District has easily won a five-year renewal of its existing operating levy, according to early returns. The board of directors had asked for the public’s approval at the same rate currently in effect: 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
As of 8 p.m., 79.6% of district residents had voted yes to support Measure 3-563, with only 20.4% opposed. Five years ago, the citizens of Canby and Barlow strongly supported the district’s request to increase the levy from 34 cents to its current rate.
Had the levy failed, Canby Fire anticipated it would have to terminate full-time six firefighter/EMTs, which would have made it difficult — if not impossible — to fully staff two ambulances at all times in the district.
House District 39
Incumbent House Minority Leader and State Rep. Christine Drazan appears to have won a second term in office, leading her Democratic challenger Tessah L. Danel 57.08% to 41.14% in early returns.
Libertarian Kenny Sernach was a distant third, with 1.77% of votes tallied as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Drazan, who was voted to lead her House caucus after only one year of elective experience, ran for reelection on a platform of protecting jobs and working families. She is a mother of three and has previously served on the Canby School District Budget Committee and the Clackamas County Planning Commission.
Danel, also a mother of three, touted her own experience working with farmers, small business owners and nonprofits, and promised to fight for unions, workers and the environment.
Both women live in rural Canby.
Clackamas County Commissioner
Incumbent Clackamas County Commissioner Ken Humberston has defeated challenger Mark Shull, 54.38% to 45.62%, according to early returns.
Humberston is a rancher who was seeking a second term on the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners.
He has unique accessibility as an elected official representing over 400,000 citizens, maintaining an active social media presence and frequently posting in community groups. He has also attended over 100 city council and other community meetings during his first four-year term, according to his statement in the voters’ pamphlet.
Shull is a retired military officer and small business owner, having served 25 years in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps and earning a Bronze Star during a tour of duty in Iraq.
He ran on a platform opposing new taxes and encroachment from Portland and the Metro regional government.
Humberston had also been the leading vote-getter amongst himself, Shull and Breeauna Sagdal in the May primary, but had not cleared the 50% mark that would have spared him from a November runoff.
Clackamas County Children’s Safety Levy
Voters appear to have rejected the new Clackamas County Children’s Safety Levy, which would have raised an estimated $8 million per year for five years to help Clackamas County’s children, youth, and families impacted by abuse and neglect, domestic and family violence, human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and homelessness.
In the early returns, Measure 3-564 was losing, 54.39% to 45.61%.
The measure had been supported by U.S. Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-Canby), Canby Police Chief Bret Smith and Canby School Board members Angi Dilkes and Mike Zagyva, among others.
Because this was a new levy and not a renewal, it would have caused property taxes to increase — perhaps by more than 3%. The owner of a home valued at $300,000 would have paid approximately $45.30 more in taxes per year over the course of the five-year levy.
The ballot measure was referred to voters for the November 2020 general election by the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners.
Early returns were based on 54% countywide turnout. Final turnout is expected to top at least 85%, so the final vote counts will certainly change, as could the results.
The county elections office reported a failure of its envelope opener shortly before polls closed Tuesday night — though this was not anticipated to affect the early returns.
The next update to the county’s election results is expected by noon Wednesday.
