Rollins

LA GRANDE — Union County voters receiving their May 21 primary election ballots in the mail in early May may understandably think something is missing.

Some may be surprised to see that the race for Union County Sheriff is not on the ballot since incumbent Cody Bowen is running for reelection and is facing a challenge from Shane Rollins. Bowen and Rollins are the only candidates who filed for Union County Sheriff by the March 12 deadline.

Voters will not find the names of Bowen and Rollins on the May ballot because of Oregon constitutional law, according to Union County Clerk Lisa Feik.

Articles of the Oregon Constitution state, Feik said, that elections for county sheriff must be conducted in the November general election unless more than two candidates enter the race before the filing deadline.

When there are more than two candidates, a primary election vote must be conducted, Feik said. When a primary election for sheriff is conducted, the two candidates who receive the most votes will advance to the November election, even if one candidate gets more than 50% of the vote. The winner of the November election will serve a four-year term as sheriff beginning in early January.