Kaarin Knudson, a mayoral candidate, speaks with community members who attended the mayoral candidate forum at Harvest Community Church on April 16, 2024. The forum, where candidates spoke about topics such as taxation, addiction and mental health crises in Eugene, and the recent HB4002, was organized by the Cal Young Neighborhood Association and Northeast Neighbors. (Alex Hernandez/Emerald)
Lane County ‘gerrymandering’ measure 20-362 results:
As of 8:28 p.m.
Lane County voters on Tuesday rejected County Ballot Measure 20-362.
Partial results Tuesday as of 8 p.m. showed the measure failing with nearly 75% of voters opposed.
The measure would have created an independent commission to review new Lane County Commissioner districts for the upcoming 2026 election that would review redistricting earlier than before.
After that, the new commission would have weigh redistricting every ten years.
Because the ballot measure failed, the final approval of any new districts proposed remains with county commissioners.
The commission would have consisted of 15 people who are registered voters in Lane County that meet certain eligibility requirements, like not being a candidate for federal, state, county and certain local offices.
According to the voters’ pamphlet, members of the commission would have been selected “by lot at a public meeting from a pool of candidates from each Commissioner district.”
Peter DeFazio, a former US Representative and Lane County commissioner, called the now failed measure “gerrymandering” in the voters’ pamphlet for Lane County voters.
“Gerrymandering under the guise of so-called ‘independent redistricting’ is misleading and an affront to genuine democracy. We already have an independent, all-volunteer citizen commission overseeing the charter work, and they unanimously opposed the proposal,” DeFazio wrote in the Oregon voters’ pamphlet. “The commissioners apparently think they can ignore our current citizen commission, and appoint one more to their own liking.”
Some supporters of the measure said that it would have eliminated any political interference by county commissioners in the redistricting process.
“Measure 20-362 is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and create a process where individuals with the most political interest in its outcome cannot participate,” Lane County Commissioner Ryan Ceniga wrote in the Oregon voters’ pamphlet. “I don’t want to continue the cycle of pointing fingers back and forth about gerrymandering. We need integrity and transparency in the redistricting process.”
Eugene mayor, city council and Lane County Commission election results:
The next round of updates from Lane County’s website will be live at 11 p.m. The Daily Emerald will be providing a call of these elections tomorrow, Nov. 6.
Eugene Mayor: Local architect and University of Oregon Instructor Kaarin Knudson is running unopposed. She has 96% of the vote.
Ward 1 City Council: Eliza Kashinsky is running unopposed. She has 97% of the vote.
Ward 2 City Council: Matt Keating is running for reelection unopposed. He has nearly 97% of the vote.
Ward 7 City Council: Lyndsie Leech is running for reelection unopposed. She has nearly 96% of the vote.
Ward 8 City Council: Randy Groves is running for reelection unopposed. He has 98% of the vote.
Lane County Commission: Laurie Trieger is running for reelection to Position 3, representing South Eugene, unopposed.
She has nearly 99% of the vote.
