Mayoral candidate Kitty Piercy outlasted Ward 8 City Councilor Nancy Nathanson on Tuesday night for Eugene’s highest position, while incumbent Ward 7 City Councilor Scott Meisner was unseated in a contentious primary race.
Piercy, a former state representative, had a majority 51.4 percent of the vote, according to Lane County Elections’ unofficial final tally, besting Nathanson, the other front-runner, who pulled in 45.9 percent of the vote. Candidates in non-partisan races with more than 50 percent of the primary vote automatically advance to the general election, in which they will run unopposed.
The race was tight from the beginning of the night, with initial returns showing Piercy with about 49 percent of the vote, compared with Nathanson’s 47 percent. The trend continued throughout the evening as local candidates and their supporters awaited returns at the Lane County Fairgrounds, watching Piercy inch ahead with each return.
As the results came in, Piercy expressed her excitement.
“We’re close, you can’t get much closer,” she said.
Piercy said her volunteer supporters, who “gave unstingingly,” helped make the race.
“I actually attribute it to a very, very, very well-run campaign,” she said. “That enormous effort has gotten us where we are and I’m privileged.”
Ward 3 City Councilor David Kelly, who represents the University area, said he was excited by the results.
“I think (Piercy) will be a mayor who can bring the disparate factions of this city together,” he said.
Ward 1 incumbent Bonny Bettman beat challengers Tom Slocum and Adam Walsh, receiving about 67 percent of the vote. Slocum received about 22.3 percent of the votes, while Walsh pulled in about 10.7 percent.
Bettman said she was pleased with the early returns, although she didn’t take her race for granted.
“I’m really honored to enjoy the support of voters in my ward,” she said.
Bettman said voters respond well to her values.
“I really bring my values to play in every single decision, and I think those values resonate very well with people in my ward,” she said.
Walsh, a University student, said he was disappointed with the returns, adding that his entry into politics has been a positive experience.
“It’s been a good experience so far,” he said. “It’s been nice to give the people in Ward 1 another option.”
Walsh said he hopes the City Council works to reach out to University and Lane Community College students.
“I’d really like to see the council be a bit more visible,” he said.
Ward 2 incumbent Betty Taylor received about 58.7 percent of the vote, passing challenger Maurie Denner, who received about 41.3 percent.
Taylor said she was pleased with the early returns giving her a lead over Denner.
“It’s pretty much about what I expected, except half of my ward is new because of redistricting, so it’s hard to be sure,” she said.
In Ward 7, Bethel School District Board Member Andrea Ortiz surpassed incumbent Meisner with 59.4 percent of the vote compared with Meisner’s 40.6 percent.
Ortiz said she was excited by the upset.
“I really didn’t have any expectations,” she said. “I felt like the little train that could.”
Kelly said he also was pleased.
“I’m very excited to see Andrea Ortiz coming onto the council,” he said. “She will add a very people-oriented, community-oriented view.”
Ward 8 candidate Chris Pryor, who ran unopposed, received 100 percent of the vote.
ASUO President-elect Adam Petkun, who attended the event to meet local candidates, said the election is important because the candidates who are elected will help decide city and statewide issues that affect the University, such as housing standards and funding for higher education.
“Whatever the election is, there’s definitely going to be an issue that affects (students),” he said.
Fewer Lane County voters participated in the primary election than in 2000, with only about 48.4 percent of ballots cast, down nearly 9 percent from that qualifying election.