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Voters across Lane County are deciding the fate of ballot measures and candidates for a range of local, state and federal office positions Tuesday, May 19. Races to watch in Tuesday’s elections include four seats up for grabs on the Eugene City Council, three county commissioner seats, primaries for Oregon House and Senate, and a rare contested race for a Lane County Circuit Court judge position. Keep checking here throughout the night for updates and analysis as results come in at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. All of Lookout Eugene-Springfield’s 2026 primary election coverage is free to read.
10:05 p.m.
A second round of ballot returns was just published by the Lane County Clerk’s Office shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday night.
The new batch of returns did not appear to change any of the results from the 8 p.m. release.
About 61,000 ballots were counted in the 8 p.m. tally. The 10 p.m. update brought the total vote count to nearly 78,000 across Lane County.
As of Tuesday night, about 92,500 ballots had been returned to the clerk’s office, according to ballot return data.
9:45 p.m.
Lane County Measure 20-373, dubbed the Lane County Watersheds Bill of Rights by supporters, appeared headed for defeat in election returns Tuesday.
The measure was trailing 63.3% to 36.7% in initial returns released at 8 p.m. The measure would have established legal rights for Lane County residents to take corporate, government and other entities to court for damages to watersheds and natural ecosystems.
“It’s a sad day for watersheds, and for those of us who want to protect them and want to protect our kids and grandkids,” said Michelle Holman, a chief petitioner for the measure.
9:10 p.m.
Voters in Eugene and the Veneta area were passing levies to support library services in early election returns. But schools, fire protection and parks and recreation levies were proving less successful.
In Springfield, a five-year levy to support the Willamalane Parks and Recreation District was trailing 52.3% to 47.5%.
A countywide levy for 4-H and Oregon State University Extension Service programs was trailing 52.4% to 47.6%.
A Siuslaw School District bond was trailing 64% to 36%.
A Lane Fire Authority tax levy was trailing 53.3% to 46.7%.
And a South Lane County Fire and Rescue levy was trailing 60% to 40%.
8:50 p.m.
The hats are out in Springfield.
The race for the Springfield Commissioner seat isn’t technically over, but the two leading candidates are talking like it is.
“I’m just grateful,” challenger and Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon told Lookout Eugene-Springfield from his campaign watch party. The logo of his hat had become a campaign trademark for him out on the trail. “I’m grateful to the voters who put their trust in me and continue to support me, and I’m grateful for all the volunteers that came out and helped me and the campaign staff that worked so hard.”
David Loveall, the incumbent commissioner, told supporters he congratulated VanGordon.
“Here’s the good thing: we live in America,” Loveall said. “I spent six years of my life defending the freedom to vote in the U.S. military. The people’s voice is the voice that we want to prevail. We want everyone’s voice to be heard.”
8:35 p.m.
Eugene voters appeared poised to pass a tax levy to support the public library. Ballot Measure 20-381 was leading 62.1% to 37.9% in initial returns. The levy would raise an estimated $4.3 million per year for the Eugene Public Library for the next five years.
8:30 p.m.
Across Oregon, voters were handily rejecting proposed hikes to the state’s gas tax, payroll tax and vehicle registration and title fees that would have gone toward funding the maintenance and operations of public roads and bridges. Oregon Democrats had initially passed the funding package during the 2025 Legislative Session, but it was referred to the ballot, and Democrats wary of running in the November general election alongside the tax increase package successfully maneuvered during this year’s short session to move the vote up to the May 19 primary ballot.
8:20 p.m.
Some close races in initial returns. In the race for Lane County Circuit Court judge, challenger Katina Saint Marie is leading incumbent Amit Kapoor 51.2% – 48.2%.
The race for the East Lane seat on the Board of Lane County Commissioners is tight, with Jake Pelroy leading incumbent Heather Buch 49.9% – 47%. Bob Zybach has 4.9%. If neither Pelroy nor Buch clears the 50% mark, they will advance to a runoff election in November.
On the Eugene City Council, Jennifer Smith is leading John Barofsky 52.5% – 47% for the Ward 3 seat. In the Ward 5 race, incumbent Mike Clark has 43% of the vote, Athena Aguiar has 36% of the vote and Jasmine Hatmaker has 20%. The top two would advance to a November runoff if no candidate receives 50%.
8:15 p.m.
The first round of ballot returns has been released and is published on our website.
A reminder that none of these races are final. The 8 p.m. vote count included nearly 61,000 ballots. But the Lane County Clerk’s Office said it had received just shy of 72,000 ballots earlier in the day on Tuesday. And many voters were still returning their ballots to drop boxes in the final hours of voting. The next round of returns is expected to be released at 11 p.m. It’s possible some of these races could still be too close to call overnight.
7:50 p.m.
Lookout Eugene-Springfield Opinion Editor Elon Glucklich here. As we wait for initial ballot returns at 8 p.m., here are three races I’ll be tracking closely:
David Loveall vs. Sean VanGordon, Springfield Commissioner. Loveall, the subject of controversies, censure votes and lawsuits in his time on the Board of Lane County Commissioners, faces a tough competitor in Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon. Both have name recognition in the community. And with fairly similar policy platforms, this race may be a personal referendum on Loveall.
John Barofsky vs. Jennifer Smith, Eugene City Council, Ward 3. The race to succeed retiring councilor Alan Zelenka pits a Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce-backed candidate in Barofsky against Smith, a union leader with the backing of the Democratic Party of Lane County and other progressive groups. City Council races are non-partisan, and while both candidates are registered Democrats, it’s a local test case of the establishment-versus-progressive intra-party races unfolding in races across the country.
Measure 20-373, the Lane County Watersheds Bill of Rights. The grassroots effort to enshrine rights of nature in Lane County law could set off a flurry of legal challenges if it passes. But if it does becomes law, it would give county residents the right to challenge corporate, government and other entities in court for damages to watersheds and natural ecosystems.
7:35 p.m.
With the first batch of returns nearing at 8 p.m., Lane County Commissioner David Loveall thanked his supporters for door-knocking and encouragement.
“I think the number one question people have asked me is: ‘Why do you want to do this again?’ and you know, obviously a lot of us have read the headlines,” Loveall said, speaking into a microphone at the Washburne Cafe. “We kind of know what’s going on, but I’ll tell you what, I learned something in the military, and I’ve told a lot of people in this room this, is that you don’t get shot at unless you’re over the target.”
– Ben Botkin
7:30 p.m.
Voter turnout was at 25.25% across Lane County for the May 19 primary election, according to data published by the Lane County Clerk’s Office Tuesday. It wasn’t immediately clear when during the day the figure had last been updated, and lines of vehicles could be seen at multiple ballot drop box locations across the county late Tuesday afternoon. Ballots dropped at drop boxes or the county clerk’s office by 8 p.m. will be counted.
7:15 p.m.
A steady stream of people gathering at the Washburne Cafe in downtown Springfield as Commissioner David Loveall chats with his supporters, shakes hands and visits. Loveall, first elected as commissioner in 2022, faces a challenge tonight from Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon and William Monsoor. Loveall’s previous race was a nail-biter: he defeated former commissioner Joe Berney by just 98 votes out of nearly 15,000 cast four years ago.
– Ben Botkin