Colm Willis, the Republican incumbent on the Marion County Board of Commissioners, is running for reelection to Position 2 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Democratic candidate María Hinojos Pressey.
Willis has held the Position 2 seat since 2019 and served as chair of the board in 2020, according to his county biography. He led the board during two federally declared disasters that year: the COVID-19 pandemic and the Santiam Canyon Wildfires. He lives in Stayton.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Marion County Commission, Position 2
- Residence: Stayton, Oregon
- Education: Juris doctor, Willamette University (2015); bachelor's degree, Boston College (2008)
Experience and public service
Willis worked as a research assistant for the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee from 2008 to 2009, according to BallotReady. He served as political director at Oregon Right to Life from 2011 to 2015. After earning his law degree, he practiced as an attorney at Willis Law LLC from 2015 to 2016 and at Lynch Conger McLane LLP from 2017 to 2018, according to BallotReady.
He has served as Marion County commissioner for Position 2 since 2019. He also chairs the Marion County Public Safety Coordinating Council and volunteers as a board member at the Catholic Community Services Foundation, according to his county biography.
On the issues
The following positions are based on Willis' responses to a BallotReady candidate questionnaire and his campaign website.
Public safety: Willis said he and the board approved a plan to add fifty new jail beds to increase capacity. He said mental health and substance abuse issues are straining public safety resources and that the sheriff's office needs enough staff, modern equipment and support to keep neighborhoods safe.
Housing and homelessness: Willis said the board has made housing its top priority by setting up a new Community Development Block Grant program to make homeownership available for working families. That includes down payment assistance and incentives for developers to build owner-occupied housing, Willis said. He said he has advocated to state and local leaders to end unregulated homeless campsites where he said criminal activity and unsafe conditions have resulted in the deaths of homeless individuals.
Infrastructure and transportation: Willis said the board approved a "safe routes to schools" program to improve children's ability to walk safely to school in East Salem and Stayton. He said he is committed to rebuilding communities in the Santiam Canyon.
Taxes and budget: Willis said he believes the county owes it to taxpayers to manage the budget efficiently by eliminating duplication of services and waste.
The Cherry City Chronicle candidate questionnaire was sent to Brendan P. Murphy's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 12, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from his public campaign website and public records.
