Deschutes County, OR. — The Deschutes County District Mapping Advisory Committee (DMAC) has voted to advance a proposed county commissioner district map to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), marking a significant step in the effort to transition from at-large to district-based representation.
During its Nov. 12 meeting, the committee voted 4–3 to recommend Map C as the district configuration to send forward. Members Bernie Brader, Matt Cyrus, Ned Dempsey, and Phil Henderson supported the motion, while Andrew Kaza, Carol Loesche, and Melanie Kebler opposed it. The committee also recommended that district numbers be assigned by random drawing.
County staff will formally present the committee’s findings and recommended map to the BOCC on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 9 a.m. in the Barnes Sawyer Conference Room at the Deschutes Services Building, 1300 NW Wall St. in Bend. The agenda will be available at deschutes.org/meetings once posted.
If approved by the Board, the proposed map will be placed before voters in the May 2026 primary election. If voters adopt the map, it will take effect beginning with the 2028 election cycle.
Background
Voters approved Measure 9-173 in November 2024 to expand the county board from three to five commissioners. In response, the BOCC held multiple meetings to consider shifting from five at-large seats to district-based positions.
A majority of the Board appointed a seven-member advisory committee to draft potential district maps. Commissioners Patti Adair and Tony DeBone each appointed two members, while Commissioner Phil Chang appointed three.
Beginning in early September, the DMAC held weekly work sessions over 11 weeks. Members evaluated draft maps using Board-approved guidelines, Deschutes County voter registration figures, 2020 census data, racial and ethnic population data, and post-2022 building permit trends to ensure the districts were as equal in population as practicable.
Additional information about the DMAC process—including minutes, draft maps, and community comments—is available at deschutes.org/dmac.
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