Election 2025: Challenger leads in Ilwaco mayor race; Incumbent port commissioners trailing
Published 9:51 pm Tuesday, November 4, 2025
PACIFIC COUNTY — Voters on the Long Beach Peninsula are raring for change, according to initial election results released on Tuesday night.
With 3,808 ballots having been counted across Pacific County thus far, a host of incumbents are trailing in their re-election contests, including a trio of officials on the peninsula.
Mike Cassinelli, seeking a fourth four-year term as Ilwaco mayor, currently has just 21.7% of the vote against challenger Eddie Hillard, who leads with 77.3%.
Two incumbent port commissioners are also well behind their challengers in the initial tally. Bill Derion, seeking another six-year term on the Port of Peninsula Commission, has just 28.7% of the vote compared to 70.5% for challenger John Oakes.
Butch Smith, the chair and longtime member of the Port of Ilwaco Commission, has just 28.1% of the vote while challenger Guy Glenn, Jr. leads with 70.5%.
School board
Meanwhile, the Ocean Beach School District Board of Directors will welcome at least two new members to its board in January, while the lone incumbent up for election holds a narrow lead over her challenger.
Carolyne Perez was appointed to the board in early 2024 representing the Ocean Park-based seat, and is seeking election this year to serve out the remaining two years of the seat’s term. She currently leads with 52.3% of the vote against challenger Joan Porter, who holds 47.3%.
None of the other two board members up for election sought another four-year term. In the race for the seat representing the Long Beach and Seaview area, Erik Svendsen leads with 62.7% of the vote compared to 36.8% for Samantha Hernandez Ortega.
In the other race, for the seat representing the Ilwaco and Chinook area, Faith Forster leads with 55.2% of the vote compared to 43.7% for MaryAnne Murray.
The county auditor’s office estimates that the next tabulation update will come by 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7. At least 1,710 ballots are still left to be counted, which does not include later arriving ballots that were placed in a drop box by 8 p.m. or that were postmarked and sent in the mail by Election Day.
This story will be updated.