Rep. Pam Marsh nearly 30 points ahead of challenger

By Bert Etling, Ashland.news

Oregon state senate incumbent Jeff Golden of Ashland held a 4% lead, 52-48%, as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Oregon Secretary of State website, with 28,143 votes to Medford Mayor Randy Sparacino’s 25,901, a difference of 2,242 votes in the District 3 contest.

State Rep. Pam Marsh, also of Ashland, held an overwhelming lead of 19,690 to 10,882, or 64 to 36%, in the balloting for District 5.

As of Tuesday evening, neither Golden nor Marsh were ready to say they’d won. Both noted that this year more ballots than in past years will be counted in days after Election Day, as mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 8, can now be counted, instead of having to arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Email Ashland.news Executive Editor Bert Etling at betling@ashland.news or call or text him at 541-631-1313. Reporter Holly Dillemuth contributed to this story.