James Rafferty (Josephine County Commissioner Board Position 2, Oregon, candidate 2026)
James Rafferty (also known as Jim) is running in a special election to the Josephine County Commissioner Board Position 2 in Oregon. Rafferty is on the ballot in the special primary on May 19, 2026.[source]
Rafferty completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
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Click here to view Ballotpedia's local election coverage in Oregon by county in 2026.
Biography
James Rafferty provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on March 26, 2026:
- High school: Sequoia High School Redwood City California
- Military service: United States Air Force, 1965-1969
- Profession: Business Owner
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign website
Elections
Nonpartisan primary
Special Nonpartisan primary election for Josephine County Commissioner Board Position 2
The following candidates are running in the special primary for Josephine County Commissioner Board Position 2 on May 19, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Michael A. Burdge (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Matt Eide (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Chad Hansen (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Mark Jones (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Indra Nicholas (Nonpartisan) | ||
James Rafferty (Nonpartisan)  | ||
| Mark J. Seligman (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Matt Spurlock (Nonpartisan) | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Endorsements
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Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
James Rafferty completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rafferty's responses.
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I'm a 100% Constitutional Conservative. I'm Not a politician, bureaucrat or opportunist, nor do I need a job. If elected I will serve Josephine County citizens, and the voters Ethically, Honorably and Faithfully.
I've lived in Josephine County 37 years. Owned & Managed my businesses 33 years. Administering; Finances; Ordering; Shipping & Receiving and Customer Service. Over the years I have developed my multi-tasking, problem-solving, and my organizational skills.
I am very congenial and Unbiased. I'd would work well with co-commissioners as well with other elected officials, staff, and specifically the general public.
My platform: "Too Offer Josephine County citizens, More Opportunities to be Heard"
As your commissioner I will present myself in dignified manor in my decor, manners and speech. Knowing that I don't just represent Josephine County but I also, represent the citizens who are the bosses.
I will also, on my own and at my expanse, submit myself to having a Background Check & Drug and Alcohol Test. As Employers you have a Right to Know. I will report the findings to you., via my Handouts & www.w4acg.com.
I Think, Josephine County could benefit as Jackson County has, by having a Justice of the Peace Court.
Please View My shared Web Site www.w4acg.com
thank-you contact telephone number 458-229-2332- "Communication Between Citizens and Board of County Commissioners"
I will encourage the Board to once again start holding bi-monthly evening business meetings, alternating between Wolf Creek and Cave Junction locations.
I think our citizens would like the opportunity to be directly heard. So I will suggest to the Board a plan that could encourages citizens to discus their concerns and or grievances to a single commissioner. So the citizen wont feel the need to come to the Grants Pass Court house.
A single commissioner would actually go out into the community for the purpose of listening to the citizen then report back to the Board. - "The raising cost of Government" As government expands so does the cost to maintain it! County Governments are Generally Funded by: a)Property Taxes b) Levies c) Donations d) some have bonds (we don't) As an elected commissioner I will purpose to the board to Roll back or Donate 30% our salaries, for the general fund budget. If all 3 members of Board of County Commissioners does it. The amount could be adding over $ 88,000 given to the General Fund budget. Thus allowing the BCC to fund departments when their needing more funding. Maybe like the sheriff's department.
- "The growing homeless population" It's very evident that the homelessness is getting out of hand in Josephine County. Especially in our rural business locations. And the cities of Cave Junction and Grants Pass. Grants Pass is trying to solve it by having the homeless placed in a camp, of sorts. Not sure what Cave Junction is doing. However, I view this as a Oregon State Legislative issue. We elect the Senators and Representatives mainly to protect Oregon and it's citizens through legislation. We pay them, lets get them to do their collective jobs. It's a major issue. Not the counties problem to solve, but we may be forced to do so!
"The Illegal dumping of Trash"
Josephine County is Irresponsibly becoming a Dump Site, specially in our rural locations. Why?
Could it be that some citizens are just Irresponsible? I don't think so! Or could it be of all the regulations of what trash can be accepted or is it simply the cost. Not everybody can afford a trash pick-up service. So what is the answer?
If elected, I will give it try, by purposing to the Board to negotiate with the Southern Oregon Sanitation, Inc. to reopen the Kerby Landfill or another landfill location,
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Rafferty's campaign website stated the following:
What I believe could be Josephine Counties Top Issues:
1) The raising cost of Government
As government expands so does the cost to maintain it!
County Governments are Generally Funded by:
a) Property Taxes
b) Levies
c) Donations
d) some have bonds we don't
As an elected commissioner I will purpose to the Board to Voluntarily Roll back or Donate 30% of our salaries, to the general fund. By doing this it might set the example for other elected officials and maybe even the department heads would do the same. Not to mention the possible effect on the public.
If all three (3) members of Board of County Commissioners Voluntarily, do it. The total amount could be adding over $ 88,000 to the General Fund budget every year, for the complete term in office. Thus allowing the BCC to fund departments when thay are needing more funding. Maybe like the sheriff department.
What, I do think is, we do not need to increase FEE's or have tax levies, to bail the county out..
The tax payers must live on the revenue they receive, So, why, shouldn't our county Government.?
2) Communication Between Citizens and Board of County Commissioners
I will suggest to the board to implement my plan of "Town Hall Type Meetings" throughout the county. The process I've already explained in my Platform handouts and on this site, so I wont repeat it here. . .
I will suggest to the board, in all the future public attended business meetings; at Anne Basker Auditorium; that the order of the public to address the Board BE changed! (the current method is like being in class and wanting permission to leave the room, by raising one's hand) I also believe this process is degrading too the citizens.
Therefore if elected; I will propose to the Chairperson of the business meeting to announce to the followint to the audience: "all those who would like to address the Board at this time PLEASE form a line on the back wall of the room; In the order you wish to be heard".
What this could accomplish is three-fold;
One; Improve the communication gap. And maybe then more citizens would attend the commissioners weekly business meetings.
Two; It would also allow the commissioners chair to observe as well as the other commissioners who are present too have a better idea of the number of citizen who wish to speak.
Three; This could also allow the citizens even more freedom to openly address the Board by lining up in a specific order to present their comments, or a concern, or even a grievance to the hole Board. Then perhaps, being allowed too give unused time to the next speaker in line.
3) Illegal dumping of Trash
Josephine County is Irresponsibly becoming a Dump Site, specially in our rural locations. Why?
Could it be that some citizens are just Irresponsible? I don't think so! Or could it be of all the regulations of what can be accepted or is it simply the cost. Not everybody can afford a trash pick-up service. So what is the answer? There might not be one!
But if elected, I will give it try, by purposing to the Board to negotiate with the Southern Oregon Sanitation, Inc. to reopen the Kerby Landfill or another landfill location.
The cost to the county could be mush less then what the county now pays to cleanup the county. Yes the counties cost could be past on to the property owner. But having, a location where to dump trash; Legally! And; Perhaps at a nominal fee could also give the citizens and others peace of mind and perhaps a cleaner county.
3) The growing homeless population
It's evident that the homelessness is getting out of hand in Josephine County. Especially in our rural business locations. Also in the cities of Cave Junction and Grants Pass.
Could part of the reason be that Oregon is a Sanctuary State? If so then what?
Grants Pass is trying to address this by having the homeless placed in a camp of sorts. Not sure what Cave Junction is doing.
However, I view this as a Oregon State Legislative issue. We elect the Senators and Representatives mainly to protect Oregon and it's citizens through legislation. If, it was Oregon's legislation that made Oregon become a Sanctuary State, then lets, legislate Oregon out of being a Sanctuary State!
It's not the counties problem to solve, but we may be forced to do so!
— James Rafferty's campaign website (April 2, 2026)
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate Josephine County Commissioner Board Position 2 |
Footnotes
