Wasco County Election Results: Justesen, Magill, Richardson win races; local bonds split

Voters elected Jeff Justesen in as the new Wasco County Commissioner. He will replace Steve Kramer this January.

Justesen wins commissioner seat; Magill still sheriff; Richardson retains TD Council seat

Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Nov. 5, 2024 — Jeff Justesen won his bid for Wasco County Commissioner according to initial results released this evening shortly after 8 p.m.

Justesen was leading Brian Lauterbach after 12,147 votes were returned by the end of polling this evening. Justesen had 57 percent or 5,761 votes in his favor compared to Lauterbach’s 42.4 percent or 4,290 votes.

Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magil easily won another four years in his bid with 81 percent of the vote as write in candidate Mark Scott received just 1,777 votes to Magil’s 7,656.

Incumbent Dan Richardson retains his seat on The Dalles City Council

Incumbent Dan Richardson had captured 3,809 votes compared to challenger Debra Gomez who received 2,015 votes.

Councilor Rod Runyon was also reelected as he ran unopposed and received 3,809 votes. At the same time, Ben Wring who also ran unopposed had 3,674 votes in his decision to take the seat of outgoing Councilor Darcy Long in January.

Two local measures in Wasco County were split at the polls.

Voters in Wasco County voted against the Columbia Gorge Community College bond for a $13-million bond that would have cost 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value for properties falling within its district.

However, the vote was also held in Hood River as the College district serves both counties.

The overall vote was 53.44 percent yes and 46.56 percent no with 11,715 votes in favor and 10,206 against it.

Here’s the breakdown in each county:

Wasco County 6,024 voted against. 5,182 voted in favor.

Hood River County: 6,533 voted in favor. 4,182 voted against.

The Hood River vote was able to swing a victory for the bond.

The bond is a continuation of the bond amount that has been in place since 2012 when voters approved the funding for both The Dalles and Hood River campuses.

Health District Vote

Voters to the south shot down the White River Health District bond that would have cost 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value for properties falling within its district.

Essentially, White River Health District asked voters to continue to pay the 50-cent rate as the operating levy for the Deschutes Rim Health Clinic ran out in June of 2024.

The bond was defeated by 350 votes as 764 people voted against it.

Chrissy Zaugg who ran unopposed for Wasco County Clerk won her election 6,894 votes.

Incumbent Elijah Preston who ran unopposed won his bid for Wasco County Treasurer with 6,719 votes.