Medford, OR – Josephine County Commissioner John West appears set to be recalled after preliminary results from a special election showed more than 62% of voters in favor of the recall. The final results are expected to be certified by January 13th, which will confirm the outcome and trigger the next steps in the process.
If the recall is certified, West will be removed from office, and his seat will remain vacant until a new commissioner is appointed. The appointment will be made by the two incoming commissioners, Chris Barnett and Ron Smith, who will take office next month. Barnett and Smith will select a temporary replacement to fill West’s seat until the next general election in November 2024. The person elected during that race would then serve a full term starting in January 2026.
Despite the overwhelming support for the recall, West has mounted a legal challenge, claiming the process leading to the election was flawed. In early December, he filed a lawsuit against Josephine County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels, seeking to block the recall election. West’s legal team argued that the signatures on the recall petition were not properly verified, and that Henkels had not followed the correct procedures as required by law.
Specifically, West’s attorney argued that Henkels had used a statistical sampling method to verify the signatures, rather than conducting a full review of each one. The law, West’s team claims, requires every signature to be individually verified.
However, Henkels defended her actions, stating that she was following the legal guidelines set forth by the state. Her attorney, Aaron Landau, argued that the law allows for statistical sampling to verify the signatures, and that the process was carried out in accordance with the rules.
In a ruling issued Wednesday, Josephine County Circuit Court Judge found in favor of Henkels, allowing the recall election to proceed. The judge also dismissed West’s motion for a temporary restraining order and ruled that the election would not be voided. According to the court, Henkels had acted within her authority when using the statistical sampling method to verify the petition signatures.
West has indicated that he plans to appeal the judge’s ruling, prolonging the legal battle over the recall. However, unless his legal challenge succeeds, the results of the election are expected to stand, and the recall will move forward.
As the situation continues to unfold, political observers in Josephine County are closely watching the potential shift in county governance. The appointment of a new commissioner, combined with the election of Barnett and Smith, could lead to significant changes in the county’s leadership and policy direction in the years ahead.