The Spencer Creek Grange hosted Candidate Forums for Lane County District 5 (“East Lane”) Commissioner candidates ahead of recent primary races on May 1, 2014 and again on April 24th, 2018. District 5 voters were invited to attend and meet the candidates, hear what they had to say and collect campaign materials. At the conclusion of each forum, everyone gathered in the downstairs dining area for refreshments where members of the public had an opportunity to meet informally with each candidate.
For the 2014 primary, all 5 candidates for the position of County Commissioner from District 5 participated. The candidates were Joann Ernst, Kevin Mathews, Jose Ortal, Jack Schoolcraft and Faye Stewart.
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Faye Stewart | 6,998 | 50.05 |
| Kevin Matthews | 4,931 | 35.27 |
| Joann Ernst | 1,036 | 7.41 |
| Jose Ortal | 672 | 4.81 |
| Jack Schoolcraft | 303 | 2.17 |
In an election that saw a turnout of just over 30% of registered voters, incumbent Faye Stewart was able to avoid a November runoff with Kevin Matthews by 9 votes, out of about 14,000 votes cast for the East Lane Commissioner seat.
For the 2018 primary, 5 of the 6 candidates for the position of County Commissioner from District 5 participated. Participating candidates were Heather Buch, Kevin Matthews, Tim Laue, James Barber and Frank King.
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Heather Buch | 5,181 | 31.25 |
| Gary Williams | 5,088 | 30.69 |
| Kevin Matthews | 3,257 | 19.65 |
| Tim Laue | 1,574 | 9.5 |
| James Barber | 1,192 | 7.19 |
| Frank King | 234 | 1.41 |
37,288 ballots were cast in the 2018 General Election for the runoff between Heather Buch and Gary Williams, representing a 57% voter turnout. Below are the results of the November 6th General Election for the East Lane Commissioner seat.
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
| Heather Buch | 16,733 | 56.01% |
| Gary Williams | 13,010 | 43.55% |
