Lincoln County has secure ballot collection boxes at seven city halls and in the courthouse parking lot in Newport. Ballots postmarked by 5 p.m. or collected before 8 p.m. May 19 are valid. (Quinton Smith/Lincoln Chronicle)By SHAYLA ESCUDERO/ Lincoln Chronicle
Challengers in the race for the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners are out raising incumbents on the May 19 primary election ballot.
For the first time in Lincoln County history all three positions on the Board of Commissioners are up for election following 18 months of contention, divisive meetings, and the sudden death of Commissioner Claire Hall in January.
Many of the 12 candidates are running in response to the dysfunction.
In turn, it has also become one of the most visible and sometimes contentious campaigns in county history with plenty of in-person and online forums and public appearances. Candidates are active on social media, some buying plenty of advertising, and one is even the subject of deep background searches. So far, voter turnout in the county is 15 percent with a week left in the races.
Although they are not running as a slate, a political action group formed to organize many in-person events, endorsing incumbent Walter Chuck for Position 3, Cristen Don for Position 2 and Cathie Rigby for Position 1. The May and Done PAC has mostly contributed to their campaigns through in-kind contributions and is spearheaded by Deborah Kozar Duus of Newport, a supporter of Hall during the attempted recall campaign against her.
The Lincoln County Democrats organization also weighed with endorsements in but were unable to endorse in the crowded Position 1 race because it goes against its rules when there is more than one registered Democrat running in a single race.
Meanwhile, Ross Smith of Gleneden Beach, a major supporter of Commissioner Casey Miller and of Hall’s recall, has gone to great lengths to check the backgrounds of candidates and ended up with a deeper investigation of Rigby, his main opponent – and a website to detail his findings.
Challengers winning money race
Challengers are giving incumbents a run for their money – literally.
Former Sheriff Curtis Landers has raised more than $9,000 in cash contributions for his campaign challenging Chuck while candidates in the race for Miller’s seat have received more than $17,000 in cash contributions.
Candidates have a variety of sources including financing their campaign from political action committees and loans.
Cristen Don, who is running against four other candidates for Hall’s position, has raised the most cash contributions totaling $11,345, according to the latest finance filings with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office.
Position 1
Five candidates are vying for Position 1 held by Miller. There’s Cheri Brubaker of Waldport, who has worked as a field representative for Val Hoyle; Nicholle Moody of Depoe Bay, who owns a cab company; restaurant manager Carter McEntee of Newport; casino employee Dru Earls of Lincoln City; and Cathie Rigby of Newport, a grants manager for the city of Newport.
Because Earls is not registered with the secretary of state he may only spend $750 on his campaign. And while McEntee is registered with the state, he has reported no 2026 campaign contributions or expenditures so far.
Rigby has generated an especially competitive campaign, raising more than $10,000 in cash contributions to Miller’s $3,100. Her campaign has also garnered the most political drama as she has been the subject of background checks which included the hiring of a private investigator and a website that questions the validity of her master’s degree and issues with her application to fill Hall’s seat.
Brubaker’s campaign has mainly been financed by a $5,000 personal loan and $2,626 in cash contributions. Some of her contributors include Newport city councilor Cynthia Jacobi, Monica Kirk of Depoe Bay, a supporter of Hall during the attempt to recall her, and Chris Chandler of Newport, who applied to fill Position 1 before abruptly dropping out after being chosen as a finalist.
Miller’s campaign has raised $3,100 in cash contributions – nearly a third of his contributions from Smith, who spearheaded the background investigation of Rigby and set up a website detailing the results and purchased ads for it and for Miller.
Smith sued the city of Lincoln City in 2018 over violations of Oregon’s Open Meetings laws and received a formal apology and $6,000. He often attends county commission meetings and was a prominent voice in Hall’s recall campaign.
Rigby by far has garnered the most cash in the race for Position 1, raising a total $10,605 according to the latest filings with the state. More than half of the funds come from Color PAC, a statewide organization supporting progressive Black, Indigenous and People of Color. She also received $750 from Cascades to Coast AFL-CIO, which represents union workers. The remaining funds are made up of smaller, miscellaneous contributions.
Smith has been critical of Rigby’s campaign from the source of her contributions, degree accreditations, and personal finances from when she lived in Utah.
After a basic background check of all the commission candidates, Smith said Rigby became a focus when multiple flags came back including bankruptcies. Smith then went to find the information first-hand, including hiring a private investigator, submitting public records requests and creating a website with the information. Smith told the Lincoln Chronicle that he was motivated by his support for Miller but also a pursuit of truth.
“I want honest elected officials who will serve the public fairly, address the accountability problems people see in county government, and help restore trust — and I think either Miller or Brubaker is better positioned to do that,” Smith said.
The main contention has been Rigby’s educational background. On the county’s voter’s pamphlet, Rigby wrote that she had a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Utah. The background and education portion of the pamphlet is required by the state and candidates who file false or incorrect information risk a penalty from the Secretary of State’s office.
Nicholle Moody, left, and Cathie Rigby are both seeking the Position 1 on the Lincoln County commission and share a moment before the start of Newport’s Loyalty Days Parade on May 1. Rigby and her supporters wore graduation caps to highlight her college work after opponents discovered she did not have a master’s degree as claimed. (Nicholle Moody photo)Rigby completed coursework but was not awarded a master’s degree. After Smith notified Rigby that a background check of her degree had come back inconclusive, Rigby contacted the University of Utah and was instructed to apply for a 2026 graduation after reviewing her records, according to the college.
Initially Rigby put out a public statement that she had a master’s degree “as far as I am aware “and later told the Chronicle she did not know about the accreditation issue until April.
But rather than lose support, the campaign drama may have launched her further into the spotlight. Her campaign even made light of the situation during Newport’s Loyalty Days parade May 1 where she and her supporters wore graduation caps.
“While I wait for the final paper certificate to be issued, I stand firmly in the truth: I did the work, I met the expectations, and I completed the program in the timeline I stated. My cohorts and my professors know this, and I know this,” Rigby told the Chronicle. “The paperwork will catch up, but the substance of my education and the effort I put into earning my master’s degree in public policy have never been in question.”
Position 2
Four candidates are seeking to fill the last two years of Hall’s position – Lincoln City councilor Marci Baker, cattle rancher Joe Steere of Siletz, real estate agent Eddie Townsend of Newport and former Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife employee Cristen Don of South Beach.
Don has out raised every candidate in all three races with a total of $11,345 in cash contributions, mostly from an accumulation of local contributions including a Hatfield Marine Science Center employee and a Newport crabber, while $2,500 comes from individuals out of state.
Baker and Steere certified to the Secretary of State’s office that they plan to spend less than $5,000 on their campaign. Townsend did not register with the state and is limited to spending $750 or less.
Position 3
Two candidates are vying for Position 3 – Chuck, who was appointed to the seat in February 2025 and former Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers of Newport.
Chuck’s campaign is mainly funded by $4,750 in loans and $3,410 in cash contributions. His largest cash contribution is $1,000 from crabber Robert Eder and a mix of smaller contributions from local politicians including Jacobi, Benton County Commissioner Gabe Shepard, and former Lincoln County commissioner Doug Hunt.
Landers has outraised Chuck, pulling in $9,207 in cash contributions. His largest contribution is $1,000 from the Oregon Sheriffs PAC. Some of his cash contributors include Smith, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Lt. Lyle Mattson, and Linda Snow, a volunteer cold case investigator in the district attorney’s office.
- Shayla Escudero covers Lincoln County government, education, Newport, housing and social services for Lincoln Chronicle and can be reached at [email protected]
To read the Lincoln Chronicle’s story on the county commission campaign and Q-and-A with 12 candidates, go here
I unequivocally support Cathie Rigby for Position 1 despite my early donation to another campaign that was mentioned in the article.
Cathie is the candidate most likely to defeat Commissioner Casey Miller. Last year, Cathie was one of three finalists interviewed by Casey Miller and Claire Hall, alongside Walter Chuck and Ryan Parker, for the vacancy on the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners after Kaety Jacobson’s departure. The interview was an early chance for Cathie to share her experience, expertise, and vision with Lincoln County. The interview covered nine topics: STRs at 9 min, Emergency Preparedness at 21 min, homelessness at 33 min, Budget and Fiscal Priorities at 44 min, Economic Development at 57 min, Community Engagement at 82 min, Affordable Workforce Housing at 97 min, County Infrastructure and Services at 110 min, and Intergovernmental Collaboration at 120 min.
It’s clear why Newport hired her and why her all of her colleagues I spoke with at the city plan to vote yes for Rigby.
Here is the full interview:
https://lincolncoor.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2657/media?fbclid=IwdGRjcARxAzFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe3eQNZK3gpdecmBZnmgkAsiY_bd803b0mBRjgojjgRajYLsNkzh9IJOSOowU_aem_1xe-sPe4jYsh7C6qu7d08Q
The issue over listing a master’s degree in the voters’ pamphlet statement, and the response “as far as I am aware” when asked about it later on, should be an important enough issue for voters to consider another candidate for the position.
I’m a lifelong Democrat, let me get that out of the way first. I received a postcard from the Lincoln County Democrats recommending five candidates for commissioner. I am not considering any of those candidates. I believe those candidates will just continue the dysfunction in the commissioner’s office. I also don’t appreciate the notation on the postcard saying “please vote blue to restore sanity to Lincoln County government”. I am considering changing my party after 50 years of belonging. This is not the Democratic Party I joined 50 years ago. RIF
I was already discouraged at Curtis Landers’ involvement with the ambush of Claire Hall at a Depoe Bay town hall last year. I will definitely not be voting for Landers.
Cathie Rigby is getting my vote. She has served Lincoln County well. I’m also voting for Walter Chuck and Cristen Don. The three of them will work well together in support of all Lincoln County residents.
In addition to Casey Miller and Cheri Brubaker, I also support Dru Earls for Position 1. While Miller is the most qualified in my opinion, any of these candidates would address the dysfunction at the county, and would put the citizens’ needs over the private interests of County Counsel Kristen Yuille and Acting County Administrator (and HR Director) David Collier.
Also, the county’s employee union overwhelmingly endorsed Lincoln City Councilor Marci Baker (Position 2) and former Sheriff Curtis Landers (Position 3) to represent them. They have had to live under Yuille and Collier for years now, and they know who will protect them from their harmful leadership. The union tied 50/50 on endorsing Commissioner Miller. He would have won their endorsement if several employees supportive of him had been able to vote, but they were tied up with work commitments.
One small correction: Dru Earls (Position 1) does have an ORESTAR account (24935). He does not yet have a certificate filed to limit his expenditures, nor does he list any transactions yet. I actually mistakenly said the same thing in a Facebook post.
Casey Miller must go. He has been a complete agent of chaos, throwing county government into disarray for almost two years with his ridiculous antics. He may have started out with good intentions in favor of government transparency, but it morphed into a pathological obsession with process rather than getting anything done.
I lost a lot of respect for former sheriff Landers after he endorsed extremist Rick Beasley for commission in the last election.
I support Rigby, Don and Chuck. They are the most qualified to bring sanity back to the circus created by Miller and the right-wing activists hopping on his destructive bandwagon.
The fact that you are identifying left and right politics and for non-partisan positions and resorting to name-calling says a lot. For those that either haven’t been paying attention or can’t be objective, it may appear that Casey Miller has caused turmoil and wants to turn simple items into lengthy discussions, but he has basically been exiled by the same people that were hired to support the Board. They do it for their own gain and those of us that work along-side them see it daily…including Walter Chuck. The enemy of your enemy is rarely your friend.