Benton County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census,the population was 95,184. Its county seat is Corvallis. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton,a U.S. Senator who advocated American control over the Oregon Country. Benton County is designated as the Corvallis,OR Metropolitan Statistical Area,which is included in the Portland–Vancouver–Salem,OR–WA Combined Statistical Area. It is in the Willamette Valley.
Albany is the county seat of Linn County,Oregon,and is the 11th most populous city in the state. Albany is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties,just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is predominantly a farming and manufacturing city that settlers founded around 1848. As of the 2020 United States Census,the population of Albany,Oregon was 56,472.
Linn–Benton Community College (LBCC) is a public community college in Linn County,Oregon. The college offers more than 80 degree programs and certificates.
The Corvallis Gazette-Times is a daily newspaper for Corvallis,Oregon,United States. The newspaper,along with its sister publication,the Albany Democrat-Herald of neighboring Albany,Oregon,is owned by Lee Enterprises of Davenport,Iowa.
ChristineKotek is an American politician serving as the 39th governor of Oregon since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party,Kotek served eight terms as the state representative from the 44th district of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2007 to 2022,as majority leader of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013,and as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2013 to 2022. She won the 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election,defeating Republican nominee Christine Drazan and independent candidate Betsy Johnson.
Gregory Hector Macpherson is a Democratic politician in the US state of Oregon. From 2003 to 2009,he served as the state representative from District 38,which includes most of Lake Oswego and portions of southwestern Portland.
Frank Morse is an American politician served as a member of the Oregon State Senate for the 8th district from 2003 until 2012. He was first elected in 2002,defeating Democrat Barbara Ross,and was re-elected in 2006 and 2010. In September 2012,Morse resigned his office,stating that it was "time for new energy" in the position.
Elizabeth Katharine Johnson is an American aviator,entrepreneur,and politician who served in the Oregon House of Representatives from the 1st and 31st House districts from 2001 to 2005,and in the Oregon Senate from the 16th district from 2005 to 2021,as a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to her tenure in the state legislature she served on the Port of St. Helens board and worked in the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Lorentz Scott Bruun is an American Republican politician from the US state of Oregon. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives representing District 37,which encompasses some of the southern suburbs of Portland,Oregon,including part or all of the cities of Durham,Lake Oswego,Rivergrove,Tualatin and West Linn,as well as the hamlet of Stafford and parts of unincorporated Clackamas County. Bruun did not seek re-election in 2010 and was the Republican nominee for Oregon's 5th congressional district in 2010,losing to incumbent Democrat Kurt Schrader.
Sherrie Sprenger is a business owner and Republican politician from the US state of Oregon. A native of Linn County,she served in the Oregon House of Representatives for the 17th District from 2008 to 2021.
Betsy L. Close is a Republican politician who served in the Oregon State Senate. Close was sworn into office in October 2012,replacing Frank Morse,who retired before his term ended. Prior to serving as Senator,Close served four terms as state representative and taught in Albany,Oregon,and Washington state.
Annabelle Jaramillo is a retired Latina American politician from the state of Oregon. She served on the Board of Commissioners of Benton County for five terms,from 2001 to 2021. Jaramillo was one of the first Latinas to hold elected office in Oregon. While in office,she was a strong advocate for minority and LGBT civil rights.
Daniel Adam Rayfield is an American politician and attorney serving as the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives representing the 16th district,which includes Corvallis and Adair Village.
Shelly Boshart Davis is an Oregon Republican politician and small business-owner. She serves in the Oregon House of Representatives for District 15,representing parts of Linn and Benton counties,including the cities of Albany,Millersburg,and Tangent.
District 15 of the Oregon House of Representatives is one of 60 House legislative districts in the state of Oregon. As of 2021,the boundary for the district includes portions of Benton,Marion,and Linn counties and is centered around Albany. The current representative for the district is Republican Shelly Boshart Davis of Albany.
The 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 8,2022,to elect the governor of Oregon. The incumbent governor,Democrat Kate Brown,took office on February 18,2015,upon the resignation of John Kitzhaber. She was subsequently elected in the gubernatorial special election in 2016,and was re-elected to a full term in 2018. Due to term limits,she was unable to run again in 2022.
Christine Renee Drazan is an American politician who served in the Oregon House of Representatives from the 39th district from 2019 to 2022,as a member of the Republican Party. During her tenure in the state house she served as the minority leader from 2019 to 2021. She was the Republican nominee in the 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election,which she lost to Democrat Tina Kotek.
The 2022 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 8,2022,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Oregon.
Jami Cate is an American Republican politician and farmer serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives. She currently represents the 11th district,which covers parts of Linn County and Marion County,including the cities of Lebanon,Sweet Home,and Jefferson.
Del Riley was an American county clerk. He was elected to serve Linn County,Oregon from 1967 to 1987,and advocated for and implemented the early stages of Oregon's vote-by-mail system,which was eventually expanded to 100% of votes cast in all elections in the state. In early life,he served in World War II,and was a Purple Heart recipient.
