I'm Running for County Clerk. Here's What the Job Is, and Why I Want It.

I'm Jon Curtis, and I'm running for Deschutes County Clerk in Oregon in the November 3, 2026 general election, so I've thought about this question a lot.

What a county clerk does

In Deschutes County, the Clerk's Office:

  • Conducts elections: from ballots going out to results being counted.
  • Records real-property documents: the paperwork that shows who owns a home or land.
  • Keeps records and archives for the county.
  • Issues marriage licenses.
  • Processes passport applications.
  • Supports the Property Value Appeals Board, where property owners can dispute a valuation.

It's not a glamorous office. It's an accuracy office. When it works, nobody notices. When it doesn't, people lose trust in their elections or get stuck in paperwork.

Why I want the job

My background is practical, hands-on work. I'm a third-generation Bend local. I was a wildland firefighter with the Forest Service and helped lead physical training on Engine 335. I've managed housing, including five apartment properties in Madras and Bridge Meadows Redmond, where I handled repairs, move-ins and weekly community events, and helped residents find local programs that could help with rent. I've run small businesses and led a 15-person sales team, where I trained people who had never sold anything before.

What ties all of that together is helping people get through processes that feel confusing. That's most of what a Clerk's Office does.

What I'd focus on

My three priorities, from my voters' pamphlet statement:

  1. Secure and transparent elections, so every voter can trust the result and see how it's done.
  2. Easier digital access to public records and licensing, so people can get things done without losing a day of work.
  3. Clear, responsive communication with every resident, with plain-language answers and nonpartisan service for everyone.

So why run for it?

Because the offices people don't think about are the ones that touch their lives the most. I want this one to be accurate, open and easy to use.

— Jon Curtis

Learn more: jonathancurtis2026.netlify.app

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