Sue Rieke Smith appointed to fill vacancy in Oregon House District 26

The Washington, Clackamas and Yamhill boards of county commissioners held a joint session on June 6 to appoint Sue Rieke Smith to fill a vacant seat for Oregon House District 26. Rieke Smith will fill the vacancy after the appointment of now-Senator Courtney Neron in May.

House District 26 includes Washington County voters in the cities of King City, Sherwood and Wilsonville as well as the urban unincorporated neighborhood of Bull Mountain and portions of Clackamas and Yamhill counties.

Rieke Smith served as superintendent for both the Tigard-Tualatin and Springfield public school districts, retiring from Tigard-Tualatin in 2024 after a 25-year career in education. Earlier in her career, she served as a trauma and public health nurse, a teacher and principal. She attended Pacific Lutheran University and earned a doctorate in educational leadership and policy at the University of Oregon in 2015. She is currently a resident of King City, Oregon.

Oregon law requires that a legislative vacancy be filled by county commissioners representing the district in which the vacancy exists. State law also requires anyone appointed to fill the vacancy must have been a member of the same political party as the former legislator for at least 180 days prior to the vacancy.