Vargas Leads Medford Ward 2 Council Race

Early returns show Beto Vargas ahead of two rivals in the three-way contest for a Medford City Council seat.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a civic building facade and stone staircase against a distant evergreen ridge, evoking local council election counting. — Early returns show Beto Vargas leading a three-way race for Medford City Council Ward 2, with results still provisional as ballots are counted. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Beto Vargas led the three-way race for Medford City Council Ward 2 in early results posted Tuesday night to the Oregon Secretary of State's website. Kevin Stine and Nick Card also held early leads in their respective council contests.

Why it matters

Four council seats were up for grabs, and the early returns give residents of Medford an early read on who may shape the city's council. Results can shift as additional ballots are counted, so the outcomes remain provisional.

Early returns show Vargas with 49% of the 5,287 Ward 2 votes cast, ahead of Michael Williams at 28% and Chris Ryan at 22%. Stine's 137-vote lead in Ward 3 is narrow, and final certified totals remain pending.

The players

Beto Vargas

Vargas is a candidate for the Medford City Council Ward 2 seat who led the three-way race in early returns.

Kevin Stine

Stine is a candidate who held a narrow early lead over Abigail Mace in the Ward 3 council race.

The details

Early election results were posted to the Oregon Secretary of State's website Tuesday night, showing Vargas ahead in Ward 2 and Stine and Card holding leads in their races. Brian Sjothun ran unopposed for a council seat, and Jessica Ayres decided not to seek reelection.

Tuesday night, November 3, 2026: early election results posted to the Oregon Secretary of State's website.

Oregon Count Process

Early returns posted through the Oregon Secretary of State's website are unofficial and precede the certified totals that finalize local council races. Early leads in close contests like Ward 3 can narrow as remaining ballots are counted.

Residents of Ward 2 and the other contested wards will see their council representation determined once final certified totals are published. Early leads may change as remaining ballots are tallied.