DECISION 2026: Deschutes County commissioners vote 2-1 to send districting map to voters this fall
(Update: Adding video, comments)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County commissioners voted 2-1 on Wednesday to approve a new districting plan that would change how commissioners are elected. The proposal is now set to appear on the ballot for the November general election.
Commissioners Tony Debone and Patti Adair voted in favor of the plan, while colleague Phil Chang cast the dissenting vote. The decision follows months of public debate regarding the map, which would divide the county into five distinct districts for future commission seats.
The approved map establishes five specific districts to replace the current at-large system. Under the plan, two seats are designated for Bend, while Redmond, Sisters and the Sunriver and La Pine area are each assigned one seat.
Supporters argue this structure ensures geographic diversity on the board, while critics have raised concerns about potential gerrymandering. The Deschutes County Mapping Adviser Committee (DMAC) spent several months developing the proposal within established legal parameters and guidelines.
Phil Henderson, a member of the advisory committee, spoke in favor of the board's decision to move the matter to the public. "Well, I really am. I'm happy that the commissioners are giving the voters in Deschutes County a chance to vote on this issue," Henderson told us after the vote.
Other members of the committee suggested the final recommendation did not represent a unanimous viewpoint.
Carol Loesche, who also served on the mapping committee, noted that the commission's vote was expected but did not capture the full range of committee sentiment. "As part of the process. I'm not surprised with how the vote came down.
You can watch the full meeting here:
"However, it didn't truly reflect all of the DMAC People," Loesche said.
Community members who attended the meeting offered differing opinions on the impact of districting. Terrebonne resident David Cosper expressed support for the change as a way to refine the selection process.
"I think that gives us an opportunity to get the commissioners SELECTED that we need to. And then, move on to the map after that. I think that's the right decision," Cosper said.
Some residents emphasized that the new map could help different regions feel more involved in county governance.
Jim Barnett, a resident of Sisters, spoke about the necessity of fair representation across the county.
"I think it really matters whether or not everyone in the county feels that they're equally represented. And I feel like the map and the districts are the best way to achieve that goal," Barnett said.
However, the decision also met with resistance from those who prefer the current at-large system. Eva Eagle, who lives outside Sisters, argued that the new districts add unnecessary complexity to the election of the five commissioners.
"I think it's the wrong decision. I think it was really important to have the selection of the five commissioners. Not complicated by dividing the county into the district," Eagle said.
The districting plan will appear on the ballot for voters to consider during the 2026 election cycle. This vote represents the first of several procedural steps required to implement the new map.
