The Grant County Courthouse in Canyon City.

CANYON CITY — Following a four-way primary contest in May, the race to become the next Grant County judge pits a sitting county commissioner against a former county judge.

As the top two vote-getters in the primary, Jim Hamsher and Mark Webb qualified for a runoff on the Nov. 5 ballot to see who will succeed Scott Myers, who is stepping down at the end of this year.

Hamsher was first elected as a Grant County commissioner in 2016 and is wrapping up his second term on the county court. He did not seek a third term in the post and will step down at the end of the year, whether he wins to race for county judge or not. (His Position 2 seat on the court will be filled by Mitch Wilson, who won the job outright in the May election.)

Hamsher previously served for more than a decade as a councilor, mayor and city administrator in Prairie City, and ran unsuccessfully for county judge in 2018.

Webb is running for a second six-year term as county judge, having previously held the post from 2007-2013.

Webb is the executive director of the Blue Mountains Forest Partners forestry collaborative. He also sits on the state’s Environmental Quality Commission, the rulemaking and policy board for Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality, and has served on the Oregon Sustainability Board. 

A search of state court records on both candidates turned up a single criminal conviction in Hamsher’s past.

In 2001, a jury found Hamsher guilty of pointing a firearm at another, a misdemeanor, while acquitting him of a menacing charge. He was placed on probation for 18 months, fined $250 and required to do community service, according to court records.

Hamsher said he was trying to protect himself from a drunken man who broke into his home in the middle of the night by pointing an unloaded pistol at the intruder.

“I believe any resident should have the right to protect themselves or their property in Oregon,” he said. 

“I’m a big supporter of the Second Amendment.”

Webb faced a recall campaign during his previous stint as county judge.

The campaign was launched in 2009 after the county court voted to restructure the road department in the face of declining timber revenues, which had funded much of the department’s work. The voters sided with Webb, keeping him on as county judge by a margin of 62% to 38%.

After leaving office at the end of his term, Webb filed legal challenges to six pieces of legislation either passed or proposed in the county.

A judge ruled that three measures — giving the county management authority over state and federal lands within its borders, requiring state and federal agencies to manage public and private lands in accordance with a county natural resources plan, and pushing back against national and state gun control laws — were invalid. 

The same judge ruled that Webb lacked legal standing to challenge the validity of measures declaring Grant County a United Nations-free zone, directing county officials to petition Congress for title to public lands and declaring all roads open unless closed by the county.

Webb said his goal in each case was to ensure the legislation was lawful.

“I asked the circuit court to review the legal validity of these measures because I believe it is in the best interest of the county to know if they are consistent with state law and the U.S. Constitution,” he said.

“If they are, we should act on and enforce them. If they aren’t, we should know this and act accordingly.”

Grant County judge is the top administrative position in county government. The judge presides over meetings of the county court and votes on legislative matters with the two county commissioners. The judge also has some limited judicial responsibilities involving conservatorship, estate administration, guardianship and marriage. 

The base salary for county judge is $92,784 a year.

The Blue Mountain Eagle asked both candidates to provide some basic biographical information, explain why they’re running for the office of county judge, and address two of the most pressing issues facing Grant County: wildfire preparedness and the threatened shutdown of the malheur Lumber Co. sawmill in John Day.

Here are there responses, arranged in alphabetical order:

Jim Hamsher

AGE: 59



OCCUPATION: Grant County Commissioner



EDUCATION: Prairie City High School Graduate;
Leadership Plenty Institute, Leadership Training Certificate (16-week course); Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services, Senior Officials Workshop for All-Hazards Preparedness;
League of Oregon Cities, Elected Officials Training

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Grant County Commissioner;
Prairie City Mayor/City Administrator and City Council Member;
Chairperson, League of Oregon Cities Small Cities Council;
League of Oregon Cities Board of Directors;
Land Conservation and Development Commission Local Advisory Committee;
GEODC Board of Directors;
National Association of Counties Public Lands Steering Committee;
Association of Oregon Counties steering committees on Governance and Revenue, Natural Resources,
Health and Human Services, Public Safety,  Veterans, and Federal Land Management;
Oregon Department of Transportation Southeast Area Commission on Transportation;
Grant County Natural Resource Advisory Committee Liaison;
Grant County Wolf Depredation Advisory Committee Liaison;
Prairie City Budget Committee;
Grant County Budget Committee;
Grant County Road Services District Board Member;
Grant County OSU Extension and 4H Service District Budget Committee;
Grant County Fair and Rodeo Committee President;
Grant County Cow Kids/Junior Rodeo Committee;
Prairie City Senior Center Board Member;
Greater Prairie City Community Association

CANDIDATE STATEMENT: As a lifelong resident with over two decades of dedicated service to Grant County, I am ready to lead as your County Judge. I bring honest, proven leadership, real experience, and practical, common-sense solutions to prioritize the needs of all our citizens for a stronger, more prosperous future together.

ON THE ISSUES: 

• Wildfire preparedness: Grant County has endured a devastating fire season, with over 320,000 acres lost on public and private lands. This includes the loss of valuable timber and grazing areas crucial to our ranchers. Fires have harmed wildlife, forced evacuations, increased health risks from smoke, and strained local businesses. We must prioritize active forest management and sustainable practices to protect our economic future and support those affected.

• Malheur Lumber: The closure of Malheur Lumber or other wood processing jobs would deeply impact our county’s economy. Losing these jobs threatens our local businesses, schools, and the families who depend on them. As your Judge, I am committed to keeping our mills open and preserving jobs by supporting and advocating for common-sense active forest management regulations at the federal and state levels. Recent shutdowns underscore the need to address workforce, housing, and regulatory challenges to sustain our families and protect Grant County’s future.

Mark Webb

AGE: 65

OCCUPATION: Executive Director of Blue Mountains Forest Partners, Fence Contractor, Wildland Fire Fighter

EDUCATION: Reed College, BA Philosophy; University of Notre Dame, PhD Philosophy

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Grant County Judge (2007-2013); Environmental Quality Commission (current); Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (current); Community Counseling Solutions (a Community Mental Health Provider, current); Grant County Senior Citizens Advisory Council (current); many other state and federal boards and committees during my tenure as County Judge

CANDIDATE STATEMENT: I’m running for County Judge because I care deeply about Grant County and this position offers one of the best ways to make Grant County a better place to live. I’m the best choice because I’m honest, informed, solution-oriented, experienced, and committed to working on behalf of the whole county.

ON THE ISSUES:

• Wildfire preparedness: Since 2007 I’ve worked with the Malheur National Forest and other partners to fund and implement treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk. These treatments are working. More recently I’ve engaged with other local partners to implement similar treatments on private lands. As county judge I’d continue to engage as I’m doing now and use my position to pursue opportunities that support more work across public and private working lands in Grant County.

• Malheur Lumber: An insufficient workforce is the primary cause of the looming shutdown. To avoid this, Malheur Lumber must automate more manufacturing processes and secure outside funding to cover associated costs. Given how critical mill capacity is to wildfire risk reduction and the local economy, as county judge I’d advocate as I’m doing now and use my elected position to pursue all possible sources of funding at the state, federal, and private-sector level to accomplish this.