CANYON CITY – The polls in Oregon’s primary election closed at 8 p.m. across the state.

Locally, the vote count is under way in the Grant County Clerk’s Office at the Courthouse in Canyon City.

Watch this site for unofficial election returns, which will be posted as soon as they are available Tuesday night.

County voters will help decide national and state offices on the Nov. 4 ballot, and also will have a say in the fate of Oregon’s 12 ballot measures.

The most contentious race in Grant County is the battle for the sheriff’s post. Sheriff Glenn Palmer is the only candidate listed on the ballots, but he has faced an energetic write-in challenge from former Oregon State Police investigator Mike Durr.

The preliminary results in that race are expected to show the tally for Palmer and a tally for all write-in candidates, but it will a little longer to complete a hand count specifying the Durr write-in votes.

Grant County voters will also be watching their House District 59 race, which pits Republican John Huffman of The Dalles against Democrat Mike Ahern of Madras.

Several county officials are unopposed in their bid for re-election. They include Grant County Commissioner Scott Myers, County Treasurer Kathy Smith, and County Clerk Kathy McKinnon.