ENTERPRISE – In the race to be chairman of the Wallowa County

Commission, incumbent Michael Hayward of Joseph won hands down over his

challengers.

Hayward garnered 3,106 votes while challengers Dale L. Potter of

Enterprise and Daniel Putnam of Flora received 564 and 525,

respectively.

“I’m pleased with the outcome,” said Hayward, “I want to thank the voters of Wallowa County for supporting me in this election. The challenge for this commission is that Commissioner Ben Boswell is leaving after 16 years. Those are some very big shoes to fill. We all three will have to step up to fill that gap – especially in the area of human services.”

Boswell lost in the primary election to Hayward.

Boswell’s commission position No. 2 will now be filled by Susan Roberts of Enterprise.

Roberts, with 2,140 votes, handily beat her challengers, Jean M. Grandi who received 1,111 votes and Ken Wick who received 1,031. Grandi and Wick are also of Enterprise.

“I appreciate the support that the voters of Wallowa County gave me,” Roberts said. “I’ll do my best to represent them and the county. I am certainly open if someone wants to visit with me about anything.”

In the race for Wallowa County sheriff incumbent Fred Steen beat challenger John Campbell 2,430 to 1,779. Sheriff Steen was not available for comment.

At 90.2 percent of the registered voters, the 4,499 votes cast set the record percentage for Wallowa County.

The highest previously was 86.75 percent in 1996. In the 2004 election voter turnout was 82.87 percent.