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Open seat · November 3, 2026

Douglas County Commissioner, District 1

An open seat on the three-member board that runs Douglas County, decided countywide.

Last verified September 1, 2026. We re-check every Monday through the election.

The candidates

  1. Jake BockenfeldRepublican

    Won the Republican primary 55–44.

    1 of 2 on the ballot

  2. Irene BonhamDemocrat

    2 of 2 on the ballot

Full candidate profiles — background, positions in their own words, and campaign finance from the state's TRACER system — go up after the Secretary of State certifies ballot content on Friday, September 4. Every candidate in this race gets the same questions and the same space.

Candidates and ballot order from Douglas County unofficial primary results, verified September 1, 2026.

Who votes in this race

Every registered voter in Douglas County. Commissioners run in a district but are elected countywide, so this race is on every Douglas County ballot.

What the job is

The Board of County Commissioners is the county's governing body. It sets the county budget, approves land use and development in unincorporated Douglas County, and oversees county departments. Whether the board stays at three seats or grows to five is itself on this ballot.

Also on your ballot

Douglas County: 3 to 5 commissionersA citizen initiative to expand the Board of County Commissioners from three seats to five. It reached the ballot on 20,434 signatures; commissioners rewrote the ballot title on Aug. 28 and proponents filed a protest on Aug. 31.

Key dates

Fri, Oct 2

Ballots start going in the mail, and all 23 drop boxes open

Mon, Oct 26

Last day to request a ballot be mailed to you

Tue, Nov 3

Election Day

All 23 county drop boxes are open 24 hours a day from October 2 through 7 p.m. on Election Day. See where to drop your ballot →

How to vote in Douglas County →

Frequently asked

Who is running for Douglas County Commissioner, District 1 in 2026?

Jake Bockenfeld (Republican), Irene Bonham (Democrat).

Who votes in the Douglas County Commissioner, District 1 race?

Every registered voter in Douglas County. Commissioners run in a district but are elected countywide, so this race is on every Douglas County ballot.

When do I get my ballot?

Douglas County starts mailing ballots October 2, 2026. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, and your ballot has to be physically received by 7 p.m. that day — a postmark does not count.

Back to the full election guide

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