Republican Kevin Cameron pulled back ahead of Democrat Sara Duncan in the Marion County Commissioner Position 1 race after a new batch of results dropped Nov. 4, the Statesman Journal reported.

Cameron led in the initial returns on election night, but Duncan rallied to take the lead later that evening. The Nov. 4 update flipped the race again. The two are separated by fewer than 1,000 votes, according to the Statesman Journal's ballot-count reporting.

As we reported Nov. 4, both commissioner seats were tight. A Democrat has not won a Marion County commissioner race since 1976.

Cameron, who has served as a county commissioner since 2014, said the race was far from over. "It's close and it's early, so long ways to go," he said, according to the Statesman Journal.

Duncan, a development manager for Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, said in a statement that the campaign proved the seat is competitive regardless of the outcome.

Marion County had tallied 74,905 of 142,002 ballots cast as of 1 a.m. Nov. 4, according to the Statesman Journal. The county's next scheduled results release is by 5 p.m. Nov. 5. Additional updates are scheduled for Nov. 11, 18 and 25, with final certification due Nov. 30.

Ward 8 council runoff

Incumbent Salem City Councilor Micki Varney held a lead over challenger Chris Cummings in the West Salem Ward 8 runoff, according to preliminary results from the Polk County Clerk's office.

Salem Reporter reported Varney was ahead by 441 votes as of election night, with 7,476 votes counted in the race.

Varney, a retired fish biologist, won the 2022 race against Cummings and has served on council for four years. The May primary ended with just five votes separating them, the Statesman Journal reported.

Cummings, a tech company CEO, said he was waiting for the final count. "This looks to be a tight race again to the finish," he said, according to the Statesman Journal.

Polk County is scheduled to release more results Nov. 10, 18 and 25.

Democrats lead in legislative races

Democrat Michael Welsh held a lead of about 55% over two-term Republican incumbent Kevin Mannix in House District 21, which covers central Salem and Keizer along with parts of north and east Salem. OPB reported Welsh was part of a statewide wave of Democratic gains.

Mannix, who flipped the seat from Democrats in 2022, said on Nov. 4 he would wait for more results before making a formal concession. "The course is pretty clear, and I am disappointed in where it stands now," he said, according to the Statesman Journal.

He said the race appeared swept along in a "blue wave" of Democratic victories.

The contest drew more than $1.9 million in combined contributions as of Nov. 2, the Statesman Journal reported.

In Senate District 11, Democrat Virginia Stapleton led Republican Tracy Cramer with more than 54% of the vote, according to the Statesman Journal and Oregon Capital Chronicle. The district covers parts of Salem, Keizer, Woodburn and Gervais.

Stapleton, a former Salem city councilor, is running to replace outgoing Sen. Kim Thatcher, who was barred from seeking reelection under Measure 113 after participating in legislative walkouts. Cramer, a former state representative from Gervais, was narrowly defeated in her 2024 House District 22 race.

The campaigns combined for nearly $4 million in contributions as of Nov. 3, the Statesman Journal reported. Stapleton maintained her lead in subsequent result drops through Nov. 4.

If current margins hold statewide, Democrats would claim 39 of 60 House seats and 19 of 30 Senate seats, expanding their supermajority, OPB reported. Marion County's next results update is due by 5 p.m. Nov. 5.