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Early vote returns show incumbents ahead in Eugene City Council contests and Jennifer Smith narrowly leading the race to fill the council’s only open seat.
The eight-member council is Eugene’s representative legislative body, responsible for proposing and passing local laws, setting policy, and hiring the city manager, independent police auditor and presiding municipal court judge. Each councilor represents about 20,000 residents.
Eugene city councilors are elected in nonpartisan races to four-year terms by residents of their ward, with half the seats on the ballot every two years. This year, wards 3, 4, 5 and 6 are up for grabs. There is an incumbent running in all races but one, Ward 3, where Smith and John Barofsky hope to replace outgoing councilor Alan Zelenka.
The first batch of votes at 8 p.m. shows Smith narrowly ahead of Barofsky; Ward 4 Councilor Jennifer Yeh well ahead of challenger Tom Stedman; Ward 5 Councilor Mike Clark narrowly leading his two opponents, Jasmine Hatmaker and Athena Aguiar; and challenger Tai Pruce-Zimmerman trailing far behind Ward 6 Councilor Greg Evans.
This year, campaigns across all four races have spent a combined total of about $171,000.
Councilors, who earn about $22,000 per year, also have the final say on Eugene’s $1.9 billion two-year budget proposed by the city manager, and they appoint members to city committees, boards and commissions.
If a council candidate wins more than half the total vote, they will be the only name appearing for that race on the November general election ballot. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the two candidates with the most primary votes will appear on the November ballot.
This story will be updated as results roll in and Lookout Eugene-Springfield reaches out to candidates.
Ward 3
Early vote returns put Smith narrowly ahead of Barofsky in the race to replace five-term Ward 3 councilor Alan Zelenka.
As of 8 p.m., Smith has secured 52.5% of the vote compared to Barofsky’s 47.1%. Reached by phone, Smith told Lookout Eugene-Springfield that she is “cautiously optimistic” about the initial results, though she knew the race would be close. Barofsky said he’s waiting to see the next batch of votes, but also remains optimistic.
Barofsky, an owner of Italian restaurant Beppe and Gianni’s, is running against Smith, the president of the union representing classified staff at University of Oregon, in the only council race this year without an incumbent. Read more about the candidates here.
Barofsky’s campaign highlighted his business and public service experience, focusing on housing, the use of public dollars and public safety; Smith’s more progressive campaign flexed her roots in labor and centered on affordability, climate action and human rights.
Barofsky’s campaign has spent almost $50,000 in 2026, more than three times Smith’s $15,000.
Ward 3 includes the UO campus and the Fairmount, Laurel Hill and South University neighborhoods.
Ward 4
The first batch of election returns Tuesday night showed Councilor Jennifer Yeh well ahead of opponent Tom Stedman in the race for Ward 4.
As of about 8 p.m., Yeh has secured 72.2% of the vote, compared to Stedman’s 27.2%.
Yeh, a development manager with Community Supported Shelters, is seeking her third full term on council. Stedman, a retired veteran and former CAHOOTS medic, has not formally fundraised or campaigned in the race to unseat her. Read more about the candidates here.
Yeh framed herself as a steady hand as the city navigates budget turbulence and transitions to a new city manager; Stedman’s campaign centered on shielding city employees, particularly blue-collar personnel, from budget cuts.
Yeh’s campaign has spent roughly $5,000 in 2026, well below any of the other council candidates in other races this cycle.
Ward 4 encompasses parts of northwest Eugene, encompassing the Harlow and Northeast neighborhoods.
Ward 5
Early returns Tuesday night placed Councilor Mike Clark ahead of Athena Aguiar and Jasmine Hatmaker in the race for Ward 5.
As of 8 p.m., Clark has secured 43.6% of the vote. Aguiar trails with 36 % and Hatmaker has 20.1%.
Clark, a mortgage specialist who tends to vote in the council’s conservative minority, is seeking his sixth term. He faces two progressive challenges in Aguiar, a grassroots activist, and Hatmaker, a mortgage advisor. Read more about the candidates here.
Clark’s campaign emphasized stabilizing the city’s budget and his willingness to vote against the council’s more progressive majority. Hatmaker’s campaign centered on small businesses and the needs of vulnerable communities like seniors and veterans, while Aguiar promised voters she’d protect the library and cultural services from budget cuts and fund a crisis response service like CAHOOTS.
Clark’s campaign has spent more than $20,000 in 2026. Aguiar’s campaign is just behind at about $18,200; Hatmaker’s campaign trails behind, at roughly $12,300.
Ward 5 includes parts of the Cal Young, Goodpasture Island and Santa Clara neighborhoods in north Eugene.
Ward 6
Councilor Greg Evans has a commanding lead against challenger Tai Pruce-Zimmerman in the race for Ward 6, early vote returns show.
As of 8 p.m., Evans has secured 70.4% of the vote, compared to Pruce-Zimmerman’s 28.6%.
Evans, a retired Lane Community College educator, is seeking his fourth term on council. Pruce-Zimmerman, a chess statistician and Bethel neighborhood leader, hopes to unseat him. Read more about the candidates here.
Pruce-Zimmerman suspended and then reactivated his campaign after Evans, who did not initially plan to run for reelection, decided to reverse course.
Evans’ campaign emphasized his experience bringing economic development to his ward; Pruce-Zimmerman’s centered on his advocacy for the Bethel neighborhood and knowledge of the budget.
In 2026, Evans’ campaign spent more than five times the amount of Pruce-Zimmerman’s — about $43,000 compared to about $8,000.
Ward 6 is the northwest corner of Eugene, an area encompassing Bethel, Highway 99 and parts of the industrial corridor east of the Eugene airport.
