Recall Outcomes

As we predicted months ago, Commission Chair Jeff Hazen handily retains his seat on the county commission .
Unfortunately, as we also predicted, the Commission Samuelson recall is too close to call with just four votes in favor of recalling the district 5 commissioner. The close numbers trigger an automatic recount with results due within ten days.

If Samuelson is recalled the commission must appoint her replacement within 45 days from the
confirmation of the election results.

Recall supporters are reluctant to say that this was a vote on LNG but I would have to say that because of the way the ballot questions were worded this is a huge victory for Bradwood Landing specifically. District 1 covers Warrenton and a slice of Astoria. District 5 covers a broad swath
from Jewell clear out to Arch Cape. To see such a positive response to the decisions made by the commission regarding Bradwood is a strong indicator of support when you consider that the voter turnout exceeded the predictions of the county election department for a special election. The turnout was higher than the previous special election regarding allowing pipelines in areas zoned for open parks and recreation which anti-LNG forces attempted to use in this recall election. It is quite clear that this strategy backfired with voters expressing some level of disgust with that tactic. That is particularly true in District 1.

It's interesting to note that just days before the election people got their property tax bills in the mail. Even with property values dropping everyone saw an increase in their taxes based on assessed value. The county instituted a policy of increasing the percentage to the legal limit of 3% every tax year regardless of actual need. Since assessed value is generally lower than real market value and certainly lower than what a homeowner might receive in the sale of a home or property then the taxes assessed annually will increase every year. At a time when local people are struggling just to hang on to their homes this policy on the part of the county likely created a backlash that impacted this recall. This would be particularly true in Samuelson's district which contains some of the most expensive property in Clatsop County.

The other factor affecting the Samuelson recall campaign would include the revelation that the commissioner contacted the Sheriff when she discovered that one of his staff had signed the recall petition. Regardless of the intent this was a miss-step in an otherwise well conceived and hard fought campaign and worked against her public image with those who would perceive this as an inappropriate use of her position quite similar to the charges leveled against former Commissioner Richard Lee in his recall from office.