Updated Statement on May 19 Election Results and Next Steps

Once election results are certified by the county elections office and received by the City of Salem, the City Council receives a canvass of votes and makes proclamation of the election results.

• The Polk County Clerk provides city election information to the Marion County Clerk, who then compiles the information and provides it to the City Recorder. The Canvass of Votes is prepared by Marion County Clerk and includes the vote count for city elective offices.
• The Proclamation of Election Results announces the election results for the election.

The Canvass of Votes and Proclamation of Election Results for the election results will be on the Council meeting agenda for June 22, 2026.

The deadline for the City Recorder to submit a list of names for the general election to the County elections official is September 3, 2026.

Ward 8 City Council Election

The results of the nominating primary determine which candidate(s) advance to the general election in November. If no candidate has received a majority of the vote in the primary election (50% +1), the top two qualifying candidates will be placed on the ballot for the November general election. The candidate with the most votes in the general election will be elected.

Polk County has indicated they may be conducting a recount of the election results on June 25th for the Ward 8 position. Interested persons should contact the Polk County Clerk's office for more information about the potential recount.

The last time a Salem City Council election advanced to a runoff occurred in November 2022 for the Councilor Ward 4 position. The two candidates were Dynee Medlock and Deanna Gwyn.

Ward 6 City Council Election

The Marion County elections official has certified that Ms. Vega received a majority of the votes for the Ward 6 city council seat. Now that election results have been certified, the City Recorder is required to issue a certificate of nomination to the qualifying candidates and authorize their names to appear on the ballot for the November general election. The City Recorder will be reviewing information concerning Betsy Vega's candidate qualifications and will make a determination after June 22, 2026.

• If Ms. Vega's candidacy is determined to be eligible to receive the nomination, the City will declare that Vega is the sole nominee for the Ward 6 council seat in the general election. Her name will then be included in the list of names provided by the City Recorder to the County elections official by September 3, 2026.
• If Ms. Vega's candidacy is determined to be ineligible to receive the nomination, the City Recorder will not issue the nomination certificate.
• • ORS 254.165 and SRC 11.120 provide that if a candidate nominated at the primary election becomes ineligible, candidates for the office shall be nominated by individual nominating petitions in the same manner as provided for the primary election. In effect, any qualified voter in Ward 6, who has resided in Ward 6 continuously from November 3, 2025, may file a nominating petition for the general election, in the same manner as any prospective candidate for the primary election.
  • The City will issue a statement outlining the process for prospective candidates to file petitions for the Ward 6 city council seat for the November 2026 election.