Two Washington County commissioners are competing for the chair seat that controls the county's $2.1 billion budget and directly governs Bethany, Cedar Mill, Oak Hills and West Haven-Sylvan.
Ballots were mailed starting Oct. 14 for the Nov. 3 runoff between Commissioner Nafisa Fai and Commissioner Pam Treece. Neither cleared 50% in the May primary. Fai led with 39.1% of the vote; Treece received 33.1%, according to the Hillsboro News-Times.
The chair appoints administrative officers, signs county contracts and presides over the five-member Board of County Commissioners, KGW reported.
The race drew wider notice after former Chair Kathryn Harrington gave Fai the middle finger during a Sept. 15 work session. Commissioners Jason Snider, Jerry Willey and Treece issued a joint statement calling for Harrington to resign or face censure, according to the Beaverton Valley Times.
Harrington stepped down Sept. 21. Her last day was Oct. 2, and Willey is presiding over board meetings until the new chair takes office in January, according to the Cedar Mill News.
Where they differ
Public safety is where the candidates diverge most. Treece has said she wants to build a new jail and county courthouse and invest more in the county's public safety team, according to KGW. Fai's campaign website calls for community safety teams of mental health professionals, medics and peer responders to handle calls that do not require law enforcement.
Immigration enforcement separates them in approach. In November 2025, Fai pushed the board to declare a state of emergency over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the county. Fai said she secured $4 million to prevent housing instability among affected families, according to the Hillsboro News-Times. Treece also opposes ICE operations locally, stating on her campaign website that she "strongly opposes ICE's illegal actions." If elected chair, Treece said she plans to work more closely with the sheriff's office and community organizations.
Data centers divide them in degree. Both Fai and Treece asked the county to create a task force on data center policy, according to Cedar Mill News. Fai proposed a moratorium on new data centers, though KGW reported the proposal never took shape. Treece said she is not in favor of more data centers "if we can avoid that," but noted the commission's authority covers unincorporated land, while recent large projects have been within Hillsboro.
Common ground on housing
Both candidates point to their cooperation on affordable housing. KGW reported their joint work led to the construction of hundreds of affordable units. Fai's campaign has emphasized streamlining the permitting process, while Treece has focused on growing the county's workforce and expanding shelter services.
Completed ballots must be postmarked or dropped at an official site by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Local drop sites include the Bethany Community Library at 15325 N.W. Central Drive, Suite J-8, and the Cedar Mill Community Library at 1080 N.W. Saltzman Road, according to the Hillsboro News-Times.
