Diana Jackson, Karim Delgado and Dorian Russell hold leads in all three Hillsboro City Council races, according to unofficial returns from the Nov. 3 election.

If the leads hold, the three would replace every outgoing seat on the seven-member council. All three ran as a progressive slate called the "Seeds of Change," calling for tighter restrictions on data center development and stronger farmland protections, The Oregonian reported.

The results remain unofficial. Ballots are still being counted, and Oregon law allows ballots postmarked on Election Day to arrive up to a week later, according to the Hillsboro News-Times. The city of Hillsboro said final results will be certified Dec. 10.

Ward 1: Jackson leads four-candidate field

Jackson led the four-candidate Ward 1 race with 44.8% of the vote as of 10 p.m. Nov. 3, the News-Times reported. Luis Garcia trailed with 25.2%. Incumbent Cristian Salgado, the only sitting councilor seeking election, had 16%. Sarah Marugg had 13.5%.

Jackson works as a legal assistant at a public defense firm and serves on the Hillsboro Planning Commission, according to her candidate questionnaire. She described herself as a nine-year Hillsboro resident, union leader and single mother.

Salgado was appointed in January 2025 to fill the vacancy created when former Councilor Beach Pace was elected mayor. The council unanimously censured Salgado on July 7 after he was accused of antagonizing the audience during a June 16 meeting on data centers by livestreaming on his cellphone, The Oregonian reported. Salgado denied a separate accusation of blowing a kiss to an audience member.

Ward 2: Delgado over Pantoja

Delgado led Ivette Pantoja 53.5% to 45.3% in the two-candidate Ward 2 race, the News-Times reported.

Delgado, a Marine veteran and Beaverton bar owner, campaigned on opposing corporate tax breaks that he said fail to deliver housing or community benefit, according to his campaign website. Pantoja, a Hillsboro School District board member, carried endorsements from Mayor Pace and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, The Oregonian reported.

The Ward 2 seat is held by Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair, who chose not to seek reelection. Sinclair is instead running for the District 4 seat on the Washington County Board of Commissioners, where she held a slim lead over former Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway as of Nov. 4, the Banks Post reported.

Ward 3: Russell ahead of Wallace

Russell had 49.9% of the vote in the three-candidate Ward 3 race, followed by Titonian Wallace Sr. at 35.3% and Kimberly Culbertson at 13.8%, the News-Times reported.

Russell serves as executive director of HomePlate Youth Services, a nonprofit serving young people experiencing homelessness. Russell grew up in Hillsboro and graduated as valedictorian from Liberty High School, The Oregonian reported.

The Ward 3 seat is open because Councilor Olivia Alcaire is term-limited.

What's at stake

The races drew nine candidates across three wards and exposed a divide over how Hillsboro manages its growth. The city unanimously adopted a moratorium on new data centers in July after public anger over 17 applications for property tax breaks, as The Oregonian reported at the time.

All three leading candidates endorsed by the Washington County Democratic Party called for permanent limits on data center incentives and protections for agricultural land. Their opponents generally favored balancing corporate investment with neighborhood protections, The Oregonian reported.

Winners will join the council in January. Unofficial results are posted on the Oregon Secretary of State's results page, with the next Washington County update scheduled for Nov. 6.