Commissioner Pam Treece has raised $530,777 to Commissioner Nafisa Fai's $424,313 in the race for Washington County chair, as first reported by OregonLive. Ballots mail Oct. 14 for the Nov. 3 election.

The fundraising gap reflects different donor bases. Treece's top contributors include Columbia CEO Tim Boyle and Swickard Auto Group CEO Jeff Swickard at $25,000 each, plus Nike co-founder Phil Knight at $20,000. Fai's largest donors are labor unions AFSCME Council 75 and SEIU Local 49, each at $15,000.

The race has been reshaped by the resignation of Chair Kathryn Harrington, who made an obscene gesture toward Fai during a recorded Sept. 15 board work session. The fallout reached Hillsboro directly. Mayor Beach Pace called for Harrington's resignation, telling the Hillsboro News Times on Sept. 18: "We asked for her resignation, so no," when asked whether Harrington stepping back from duties was enough. The entire Hillsboro City Council issued a joint statement saying concerns about Harrington's conduct dated back more than a decade.

Treece joined Commissioners Jason Snider and Jerry Willey in a joint statement urging Harrington to resign. She also returned a $10,000 donation from Harrington and dropped her endorsement, according to OPB. Fai did not sign on. She told the Hillsboro News Times she had "not called for her resignation … focused on the people's work and moving our county forward and leaving the decision to resign or not to resign to Kathryn Harrington." Harrington resigned under public pressure after nearly eight years as chair.

Both candidates support limits on large-scale data center development. Fai said she would convene a data center workgroup if elected. Treece said the board would soon review her proposal supporting state and local moratoriums.

The winner will lead the five-member Board of Commissioners and oversee a $2 billion county budget. Neither candidate won a majority in May. Fai took 39.1% of the primary vote and Treece 33.1%. As we reported Oct. 2, the two split on housing and immigration policy.

Voters will decide Nov. 3.