In a partial answer to one of the biggest remaining questions from the Nov. 5 election, state Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Happy Valley) this afternoon extended her slim lead over incumbent U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez DeRemer in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District.
With the addition of about 30,000 votes late Wednesday afternoon, Bynum’s lead grew from 6,975 votes to 8,037. Bynum still holds 47% of the vote to 45% for Chavez DeRemer.
The 5th District, the most evenly balanced of Oregon’s six congressional districts, shows about a 5 percentage point registration advantage for Democrats, although Chavez DeRemer, the former mayor of Happy Valley, overcame that advantage in 2022, when she beat Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner.
The 5th District’s registered voters are distributed as follows: 225,722 in Clackamas County; 141,964 in Deschutes; 98,690 in Linn; 39,276 in Marion; and, 37,749 in Multnomah.
As of 5 pm on Nov. 6, according to turnout figures, there appears to be a significant percentage of ballots left to count in Clackamas County, where Bynum is leading by 6 percentage points, and Marion County, where there are far fewer ballots but Chavez DeRemer is leading by nearly 30 points.
County clerks will continue to add to the count in coming days from ballots in but not counted and those postmarked by Election Day but not received. Clackamas County will next update its count at 5 pm on Nov. 7.