OTEC opens nominations for Union County board seat in 2026 election

Union County members of Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative have a direct say in who helps run the utility, and this year's opening matters because one of the three board seats on the ballot represents Union County. The winner will help shape the cooperative's business and policy decisions, the kind that can ripple into electric bills, service reliability, wildfire mitigation and other major utility choices.

OTEC said the Union County seat is now held by incumbent Jeff D. Clark. Also on the 2026 ballot are Position 2 for Baker County and Position 3 for Harney County, underscoring how the cooperative's board is built around local districts rather than a single at-large race.

The cooperative describes itself as a member-owned, locally controlled utility, which makes the election more than a formality. In a co-op structure, member-owners choose the directors who guide the organization’s direction, approve priorities and help determine how the utility plans for future needs across its service area. Directors serve three-year terms, so the board changes on a rotating basis rather than all at once.

Members who want to run must contact OTEC by May 7 for nominating committee information, qualifications, applications and petition packets. Candidates who choose the petition route must turn those petitions in by June 7. That gives potential contenders a short window to decide whether they want to step forward, gather signatures and qualify for the ballot.

Ballots are expected to be mailed at the start of July, and election results will be announced at OTEC’s annual meeting on Aug. 6, 2026, at the cooperative’s Baker City headquarters. For Union County co-op members, that calendar sets the pace for the next phase of local utility governance, with the district’s board seat now open for anyone prepared to run and the deadline to start the process arriving quickly.