Voters in Aumsville, Gates, Lyons, Mill City, Stayton, Sublimity, and in unincorporated areas of Marion and Linn counties all will be deciding psilocybin measures on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Oregon voters passed Measure 109, which created a program for administering psilocybin products, such as psilocybin-producing mushrooms and fungi, to individuals aged 21 years or older. Before the issue passed by a 55% to 45% margin, the manufacturing and consumption of psilocybin was illegal under both federal and state law.
Measure 109 also allowed cities and counties to place referendums on local ballots to prohibit or allow psilocybin-product manufacturers or psilocybin service centers in unincorporated areas. Measure 109 prohibited psilocybin service centers within the limits of an incorporated city or town.
Aumsville (Measure 24-470), Gates (Measure 24-497), Lyons (Measure 22-197), Mill City (Measure 22-198), Stayton (Measure 24-480) and Sublimity (Measure 24-464) all chose to put up ballot measures that, if approved by the voters, would prohibit psilocybin-related businesses within their city limits. In addition, Linn County (Measure 22-200) and Marion County (Measure 24-465) would prohibit psilocybin manufacturing and locating service centers in unincorporated parts of each county.
Several council and mayoral races are before the voters in November but uncontested:
Aumsville: Councilor Angelica Ceja seems primed to take over as mayor. Incumbent Derek Clevenger chose not to seek re-election to another two-year term as he pursued a legislative seat in House District 17, and Ceja was the lone candidate to take out mayoral papers.
Ceja’s four-year council term expires at the end of the year as do the terms of Della Seney and Nico Casarez. Seney and Casarez are running for re-election, but no other candidates have come forward.
The leading write-in candidate would win the Ceja seat, said Colleen Rogers, city clerk, although she noted that more precisely the three candidates with the most votes would be elected, regardless of whether they had filed or were write-in candidates.
Lyons: Lloyd Valentine is running unopposed for another two-year term as mayor, with Jessica Ritchie running unopposed in seeking another four-year term as councilor. Councilors Diane Hyde and Mike Wagner do not face the voters again until 2024. Councilor Troy Donohue is not seeking re-election, and the final council member will be appointed by the remaining councilors.
Sublimity: Jim Kingsbury is running unopposed for another two-year term as mayor, while Councilors Tass Morrison and Brian Schumacher are running unopposed for new four-year council terms. Councilors Mike Taylor and Jim Crowther do not face the voters until 2024.
