Lane County, Oregon

Lane County Commissioner, District 5 (East Lane)

2 candidates are tracked for Lane County Commissioner, District 5 (East Lane), headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Jake Pelroy and Heather Buch. Candidate information follows official Lane County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Nonpartisan runoff. In the May 19, 2026 primary neither candidate reached a majority; per Lookout Eugene-Springfield's final count, Jake Pelroy led with 48.29% (12,050 votes), incumbent Heather Buch had 46.71% (11,654 votes) and Bob Zybach had 4.79% (1,196 votes) and was eliminated. Pelroy and Buch advance to the November 3, 2026 general election.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Heather Buch, is on the ballot.

Oregon › Lane County › Lane County Commissioner, District 5 (East Lane)

Jake Pelroy

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Increasing sheriff's-office patrol staffing for public safety.
Serving as a watchdog on water, garbage and energy prices rather than raising taxes.
Restoring timber harvesting on O&C federal lands to help fund county services.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Pelroy is a political consultant who founded Pelroy & Associates in 2012 and co-founded the Lane County Garbage and Recycling Association, per his campaign site. He grew up in Veneta, served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an intelligence analyst from 2005 to 2010 with three deployments to Iraq, and graduated from the University of Oregon in 2014, per his campaign site. No campaign website was found as of September 12, 2026.

Heather Buch

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Public safety funding
Housing production and affordability
Access to and affordability of health care as federal programs are cut

Per the per KLCC.

Biography

Heather Buch is the sitting Lane County Commissioner, per her campaign site. As Commissioner she helped lead the effort to open the South Lane Clinic in Cottage Grove, which provides primary and dental care, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotLane County Sheriff

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Lane County Commissioner, District 5 (East Lane) in 2026?

When is the Lane County Commissioner, District 5 (East Lane) election in Oregon?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Oregon are on the Oregon election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Lane County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Lane County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Oregon election office, or see the full Lane County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Lane County ballot

13 tracked races in Lane County, Oregon. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Lane County Assessor Oregon Senate District 4 Oregon Senate District 6 See all 13 Lane County races

Candidate profiles

Jake Pelroy, full profile Heather Buch, full profile Official Oregon election office