Republicans will meet to choose Butler replacement
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Friday, January 11, 2008 12:26 PM PST
ONTARIO - The process to select a replacement to fill the Oregon House of Representatives seat of former District 60 lawmaker Rep. Tom Butler will begin this weekend in Ontario when the Republican precinct committee members from three counties that make up the district convene at the Holiday Inn.
The session starts at noon Saturday.
Vance Day, the chairman of the Oregon Republican Party will be in charge of the meeting, Brianne Hyder, Oregon Republican Party communications director, said.
Three candidates, each from a different county, are vying to represent District 60. The candidates are: Ontario attorney Cliff Bentz, Deon Strommer, Baker County and Tim Smith, Harney County.
Each candidate will be given time to speak and then there will be a question and answer period.
“All elected and appointed precinct committee people are invited to participate,” Hyder said, in an e-mail. There are 34 committee people eligible in Baker County, 13 in Harney County and 41 in Malheur County, she said. Although part of Grant County is in 60 District, it will not have any participation in the selection, Hyder said.
After each candidate speaks, the committees will rank the candidates according to preference, and the final decision hinges on a joint judgment by the Malheur County Court, the Baker County Commissioners and the Harney County Court. Butler’s resignation became official Jan. 4, and the whole process has to be done in 30 days of the resignation — Feb. 4, Hyder said.
This includes committee meetings and the commissioners making the final selection.
“If the process isn’t completed by then, the governor has the discretion to pick any Republican candidate he chooses,” Hyder said.
