Columbia County Tribune

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Who’s on the ballot in Columbia County? The full Nov. 3 list

Every candidate on Columbia County’s Nov. 3 ballot, from governor to the McNulty Water PUD, with what each told voters in the official pamphlets, plus the four local measures and where to drop your ballot.

Sam Mello
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COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ballots are out, four of Columbia County’s seven cities have a contest for mayor, and the governor’s race is on the same sheet. Here is everyone on the ballot in Columbia County for the Nov. 3 general election, with what each candidate told voters in the official pamphlets.

Ballots went out starting Oct. 14. They must be postmarked by Election Day or in an official drop box by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Registration closed Oct. 13.

Mailing it? Tuesday, Oct. 27, is the last day the Oregon Secretary of State recommends returning a ballot by mail. After that, use a drop box, or ask a post office clerk to postmark it by hand (more on that here). You can follow your ballot by text or email at oregonvotes.gov/track.

Local candidates’ profiles below come from the Columbia County Voters’ Pamphlet, which prints what candidates submit. Not every candidate filed a statement; those who didn’t are listed by name only. State and federal profiles come from the state pamphlet’s Columbia County edition. Websites are listed where a candidate gave one.

Mayor

St. Helens

  • Jennifer Massey (incumbent). Mayor; 22 years as an industry executive, 20 as a business owner, 27 as a steamfitter with UA Local 290. Prior government: mayor, St. Helens Budget Committee, Scappoose Bay Advisory Council. statement, p. 8. Website: JenniferMasseyforMayor.com
  • Steve Toschi. Mostly retired; 30 years in civil law practice; juris doctor. Prior government: St. Helens Budget Committee for three years, Planning Commission 2021 to 2023. statement, p. 8. Website: stevetoschi.com; Facebook: Steve Toschi for Mayor

Rainier

Two-year term. The seat is open because Mayor Jerry Cole won the Columbia County Commissioner Position 2 race outright in the May primary with 52.37 percent of the vote, according to the county’s certified results, and takes that office in January.

  • Michael Kreger. Resigned from the City Council on Oct. 22 and remains on the mayoral ballot. No statement filed.
  • Vanessa Meza. Home care aide; previously WinCo Foods. statement, p. 11
  • Garye Twichell. No statement filed.

Clatskanie

  • Deborah Hazen. Freelance writer, consultant and historian; former reporter, editor and publisher of The Clatskanie Chief; former Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce president. Prior government: chair of the county Board of Property Tax Appeals and the County Museum Commission. statement, p. 6
  • Shaun Ripplinger. No statement filed.
  • Glenn Rhodes. Teacher and coach, Clatskanie Middle High School; previously taught in Washougal and Longview. Central Washington University, B.A. in education. statement, p. 6

Vernonia

  • Charlie Kibben. Retired U.S. Army colonel, 1984 to 2013; Vernonia small business owner 2020 to 2023; Vernonia Senior Center board president 2020 to 2025; Vernonia Christian Church elder. Doctorate in leadership and management, University of Phoenix. statement, p. 12
  • Susan Wagner. Retired; eBay business owner since 1997; former Community Action Team contract coordinator; county flood recovery volunteer; special education assistant in the Vernonia and Monument school districts. statement, p. 12

Unopposed: Joe Backus, Scappoose; Alexander Reed, Columbia City; Mandie Alali, Prescott. None filed a statement.

City Councils

Council seats are elected at large unless noted. Seats open this year, per each city’s election notice: St. Helens, two four-year seats (city release); Scappoose, three four-year seats (city notice); Clatskanie, three four-year seats (city notice); Vernonia, two four-year seats (city notice); Rainier, Positions 1, 3, 4 and 5, four-year terms (city notice); Columbia City, two seats. The top vote-getters fill the open seats.

St. Helens

  • Sarah Stephenson. Small business consultant; HR professional. B.S. in psychology, Portland State. statement, p. 9. Candidate page: paccpac.com/sarah, hosted by Progressive Action for Columbia County, a political action committee that endorsed her in August.
  • Mark Gundersen (incumbent). City councilor; aid-and-assist liaison at Columbia Community Mental Health since 2014; 20 years as a commercial printing press operator. B.S. in sociology, Eastern Oregon University. statement, p. 9
  • Daniel A Grant. Lead pastor, Resonate Jesus; previously assistant pastor, ESL teacher and missionary. Master’s in missiology, Northwest University. statement, p. 10
  • Jeremy Evans. Actuary in the life insurance and annuity industry; B.S. in mathematics, Portland State; Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. statement, p. 10
  • Nicholas Hellmich. Qualified mental health associate and assistant manager, Columbia Community Mental Health; former financial counselor at Community Action Team and branch manager at Wauna Credit Union. statement, p. 11

Scappoose

Three candidates for three seats, all incumbents, per the city notice.

  • Jeannet Santiago (incumbent). No statement filed.
  • Kim Holmes (incumbent). Executive director, Circular Action Alliance Oregon; former owner of 4R Sustainability and vice president at the Plastics Industry Association. Prior government: city councilor 2022 to 2026, Parks and Recreation Committee vice chair 2019 to 2022, 50-Year Plan Advisory Committee 2022 to 2025. statement, p. 7
  • John E Riutta (incumbent, appointed 2025). Product development and compliance manager; former market development manager at Leupold & Stevens. MBA, University of Oregon. statement, p. 7

Clatskanie

Five candidates for three seats. Incumbents are identified per the city notice. No statements filed.

  • Tyler Gentry.
  • Robert (Bob) Emminger (incumbent).
  • Scott Hadlock.
  • Amanda Owen (incumbent).
  • Russell Finney Leggroan (incumbent).

Vernonia

Four candidates for two seats. David Paul Sterner died Sept. 24, after the deadline to withdraw, so his name remains on the ballot. If he finishes in the top two, the seat would be declared vacant and filled by council appointment.

  • David Paul Sterner. No statement filed. Died Sept. 24.
  • Gary Brown. Service manager at the local Caterpillar dealership for eight years; 35 years with a Caterpillar dealership in the Sacramento area, 20 in management. statement, p. 13
  • Joseph Dombek. Retired chiropractic physician, 25 years in practice, 10 of them in Vernonia; former fisheries biologist on the Bering Sea. B.S. in microbiology, Penn State. statement, p. 13
  • Richard Traver. No statement filed.

Columbia City

Two candidates for two seats. Sitting Councilor Gordon Thistle filed for reelection and then withdrew. No statements filed.

  • Logan Mackenzie Gilbert Renner.
  • Mike Rasczewski.

Rainier (by Position)

Rainier elects by position. No statements filed.

  • Position 1: Scott T Cooper, unopposed.
  • Position 3: Jeremy Howell, unopposed.
  • Position 4: Al Guist, Susan Hulsopple and Charleen Ratkie. Ratkie was appointed to the council in October 2025, per the city’s news page.
  • Position 5: Robert duPlessis, unopposed.

Prescott

Prescott elects by position. No statements filed.

  • Council Position 1: Larry Hudnall and David Larson.
  • Council Position 3: Gina Harrington, unopposed.
  • Recorder: Jewel Lee, unopposed.
  • Treasurer: Keli D Von Pinnon, unopposed.

County Offices

All three are uncontested.

  • Debbie Klug, county clerk (incumbent). Rose through the clerk’s office as deputy recorder, administrative assistant and deputy clerk; background in real estate. statement, p. 5
  • Brian Pixley, sheriff (incumbent). With the sheriff’s office since 2010 as deputy, sergeant, lieutenant and sheriff; Scappoose police officer 2006 to 2010; sheriff’s deputy 2003 to 2006. B.S., Eastern Oregon University. statement, p. 5
  • Mary Ann Guess, treasurer. No statement filed.

State and Federal

These races cover far more than Columbia County, so only the candidates who filed statements in the state voters’ pamphlet appear here. The full state pamphlet for Columbia County is online. Your ballot will show one House district, 31 or 32, depending on where you live.

Governor

  • Tina Kotek (Democrat, Working Families), incumbent. Website: TinaforOregon.com
  • Christine Drazan (Republican, Libertarian). State senator; former state representative. Website: ChristineForOregon.com
  • Brett Smith (Pacific Green). Inventor, welder and small business owner. Website: brett-smith.us

U.S. Senate

  • Jeff Merkley (Democrat, Working Families), incumbent.
  • David Brock Smith (Republican). State senator; former state representative and county commissioner. Website: DavidBrockSmithforOregon.com
  • Chris Henry (Progressive, Pacific Green). Truck driver; former aircraft mechanic.

U.S. House, District 1

Oregon Senate, District 16

The district covers all of Columbia, Clatsop and Tillamook counties and parts of Multnomah, Washington and Yamhill. The seat is open.

  • Rachel Armitage (Democrat). Held this seat by appointment in 2022; K-12 education; former Oregon Community Foundation program officer. Website: SenateDistrict16.com
  • Courtney Bangs (Republican). Substitute teacher; former agriculture teacher and FFA adviser; Clatsop County commissioner. Website: CourtneyBangs.com
  • Melisa Finkle (Independent). Client care surveyor; criminal justice degrees.

Oregon House, District 31

  • Darcey Edwards (Republican), incumbent. Principal broker, Edwards Realty Trust. Website: DarceyForOregon.com
  • Tom L Forest (Democrat). Software engineer; MIT, B.S. in management. Website: GoingDeepForOregon.org

Oregon House, District 32

  • Cyrus Javadi (Democrat, Independent), incumbent. Dentist. Website: CyrusForOregon.com
  • Max Sherman (Republican). Retired agriculture teacher, 35 years; farmer. Website: VoteMaxSherman.com

Utility and Conservation Districts

  • Columbia River PUD, Subdivision 5: Neal Sheppeard (incumbent), retired after 35 years in public works; appointed to the board in 2020 and elected in 2022 (statement, p. 15), versus Donald Clark, no statement filed. Andy Krieck (Subdivision 1) and Craig J Melton (Subdivision 2) are unopposed.
  • Clatskanie PUD: Jeannie Mustola (Subdivision 3, incumbent since 2020), Clatskanie Parks and Recreation District pool manager and former Wauna Credit Union lender (statement, p. 15); Don Hooper (Subdivision 4). Both unopposed.
  • McNulty Water PUD: Richard Anyan for Subdivision 2. No one filed for Subdivision 1.
  • Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District, Zone 1: Paul M Gibbons, Clatskanie veterinarian at PippinDoc, in practice since 1994 (statement, p. 16), versus Rachell Meyers, no statement filed. Brenda Vassau (At-Large Position 2), Jason C Busch (Zone 2) and A Alex Devin (Zone 3) are unopposed.

Measures

There are no statewide measures on this ballot, according to the Secretary of State.

How to Vote

Return your ballot by mail, postage prepaid, postmarked by Nov. 3, or use any official drop box in Oregon by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Columbia County’s drop sites are open 24 hours:

  • Columbia County Courthouse, 230 Strand St., St. Helens
  • Scappoose City Hall, 33568 E. Columbia Ave.
  • Clatskanie Library, 11 Lillich St.
  • Rainier City Hall, 106 W. B St.
  • Vernonia Public Library, 701 Weed Ave.
  • Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD, 12525 Oregon Highway 202, Mist

Track your ballot at oregonvotes.gov/myvote. Questions go to Columbia County Elections at 503-397-7214 or elections@columbiacountyor.gov; the county says furlough days may slow its response.

Local names appear as filed with the county. Profiles summarize what candidates submitted to the county and state voters’ pamphlets, which print statements as submitted. The Tribune did not independently verify candidates’ claims about their backgrounds. The county’s filed-candidates report is dated Sept. 2, after the Aug. 28 deadline to withdraw.

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