Deschutes County Commission candidates raised over $1 million in cash and in-kind contributions ahead of the May primary election.
The record-setting fundraising comes as four commission spots appear on the ballot, three of which are wide-open seats. Voters in Central Oregon’s largest county have overhauled local political offices in recent years. They elected to make county seats nonpartisan in 2022 and then approved adding more commissioners in 2024.
An increase in political diversity in Deschutes County is likely making these races more competitive and attracting more money to local politics, according to Chandler James, an assistant political science professor at the University
Our editorial team includes several staff writers, each contributing their specialized knowledge to enhance the depth and breadth of our event and story coverage.