HEPPNER — Morrow County could have a couple of weeks with only a single county commissioner.

Unofficial results of the Nov. 29 election to recall Commissioners Jim Doherty and Melissa Lindsay have both leaving office. The recall on Doherty is ahead 1,319 votes to 1,169, while Lindsay’s recall is tight, 1,248 in favor of recall, 1,237 against.

Morrow County Clerk Bobbi Childers said she expected to receive additional ballots.

Doherty said he didn’t believe new votes would keep him in office. Lindsay’s election, however, could go either way, he said.

Childers said she would count additional ballots after 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, and then post results on the county’s election webpage.

The possibility of recall and replacement

The issue of Lindsay’s possible recall brings up the matter of her replacement.

Lindsay, who lost an earlier election to remain on the board of commissioners, is serving a term that ends Jan. 3, 2023. A new commissioner, having won his election, takes her place at the end of her term.

Jeff Wenholz and David Sykes won election to the board to begin terms in January.

Doherty, having won his election in 2021, is serving a term that was scheduled to end in 2025.

The certification of the recall election, however, is Dec. 21, nearly two weeks before the new commissioners are seated.

If Doherty and Lindsay are recalled, then, this leaves the retiring Don Russell, whose term ends Jan. 3, as the last commissioner standing from the current officials.

Governor could make appointment

Justin Nelson, district attorney and county counsel, explained Oregon’s governor is supposed to appoint a new commissioner if there is only one commissioner on the board.

“Then you have those two, and those two can select a third,” he said.

He added that Gov. Kate Brown has been notified of this possibility.

“Hopefully, they can appoint someone and get this done if it does happen,” he said.

Nelson did, however, say state government sometimes can move slowly. The governor’s office, he said, usually takes applications and considers applicants before making a decision. But it can’t process applications until the commissioners leave office, Nelson said.

“The hard part is that it becomes a bind for our county government,” he said. “We want our quorum. We want a majority of votes here for action to be done.”

The board can’t make decisions without a meeting of two of its three commissioners.

Nelson said he has “no guarantees” whether the governor’s office will be able to act quickly enough to keep Morrow County from being reduced to a single commissioner.

Doherty looks to bigger role

Doherty said he was extremely disappointed about the recall, but he added that he was not discouraged.

“I would have preferred a much higher turnout because it moves you away from the folks who wanted me out of office for the nitrate emergency, the firing of our administrator and/or the emergency management services challenges we were working through,” he said.

Also, he stated the thought “the sum total of the folks that wanted me out of office voted, so I take some solace in the notion that the other 6,000 voters or 11,000 residents in the county understand that I’m looking after them,” he said. “It is, after all, a recall election, so the folks that wanted to ‘throw the bums out’ voted.”

Doherty stood behind his record, stating he served his county well and faced “intense scrutiny.” In addition, he showed his support of Lindsay.

“I hope that the slim margin of votes that threaten to remove Commissioner Lindsay are reversed as the Dec. 6 mail-in deadline appears, he said. “She is the hardest working person in government that I know. She approached every challenge with a lens of fairness, fiscal responsibility and devout professionalism.”

This was not the end of his praise, as he also credited her for her standing behind her principles and showing integrity while in office.

As for his own future after leaving office, Doherty said he intends to work to reduce nitrate contamination in Morrow County.

“After many years and countless health issues and lives lost to this, if folks don’t diligently move forward we will unconscionably subject the next generation to more pain and sorrow,” he said. “At least the next generation without the ways, means nor knowledge of the few.”

His interests, though, extend outside of his county. Doherty stated he feels “called to serve the folks in the Northwest whom have far too long lacked someone to champion their future.”

He said his focus will be more regional, serving Northeastern Oregon.

“I think one must also use this moment for some introspection as it relates to those decisions fueling the recall,” he said. “I am comfortable with the decisions we made but perhaps more informative outreach to the community would have forestalled this.”

Lindsay’s take

Last week, Lindsay said the low turnout was saddening.

“I wish that people deeply understood the importance of this and all elections in their communities,” she said.

She added it was difficult to process unofficial results.

“With two very slim margins of apparently around 11 votes to my recent elections it is troubling,” she said. “The majority seem to not trust their vote is counted or the integrity of the process or not realize its importance. The noise of the agendas of the few and not the needs of the many have taken over the voice of the entirety. The future impact of silencing voices and punishing decision making are concerning.”

She said other elected officials may be recalled, also, and this is not good for anyone who serves with integrity.

“Elected servants whom give their passion, time resources and work to the best of their ability should not be in this situation,” she said. “Who will run in the future? I fear for the sanctity of office and those that try to make educated informed decisions, to their best ability. It appears we are headed toward a who-owns-you and how loudly they can spread the misinformation.”

She said recalls should be reserved for the worst situations — “malfeasance, self dealing, illegal and wholly detrimental activities, corruption.”

She also said she was disappointed about Doherty’s recall.

“We do not always agree, but Commissioner Doherty cared about all of the citizens of Morrow County,” she said. “He took on many things with a passion many didn’t try to understand.”

As for herself, she said the election’s outcome was not going to make a great impact.

“Win or lose look very similar for me, I will return to running a farming operation with my family and continue to serve my community, as I always have,” she said.

In the end, she said, she is proud of her service.

“I have fought for what I believed to be the best outcomes for the whole every time, this is the integrity I leave intact,” Lindsay said.

Other voices speak on the recall

Russell, prior to the election, said he was going to refrain from commentary.

After the election, he didn’t stray from his earlier stance.

“I’m trying not to have an opinion on the outcome of the election, he said.

He added Lindsay’s election was “very tight” and that new counts would change the final total.

“Will the numbers change enough to change the outcome? I don’t know the answer to that question and don’t want to speculate,” he said.

Mike Hughes, Boardman Fire Rescue chief, had little to say, too, though he had been critical of Doherty and Lindsay prior to the election, complaining the commissioners prevented him from using one of his district’s ambulances.

“I support the will of the voters, and I will work within the parameters of the voters’ decision,” he said.

He added he was hopeful a resolution to improve public safety in Boardman and Morrow County will come swiftly.