Paul Anderes

Paul Anderes was first elected to Union County Commissioner Position 1 in 2018, after the voter-approved term-limits ordinance (2017-01) was already in effect. He has served as Board Chair through the 2025 term-limits litigation.

On January 22, 2025, Anderes opened the meeting at which county counsel Wyatt Baum presented three options for handling commissioner term limits. Anderes told the board he was 'not planning on running for his seat again' and asked Baum to clarify which circuit court would hear the validation petition. Baum answered that it would be filed in Union County Circuit Court, likely before Judge Powers as presiding judge. The motion -- 'the County request a special writ under ORS 33.710 requesting the court determine the legality of county measure Ordinance 2017-01' -- was made by Commissioner Seavert, seconded by Commissioner Scarfo, and carried unanimously.

In a September 22, 2025 OPB Think Out Loud interview, Anderes was asked whether he would seek reelection. His response: 'I'm not 100%, but I would say probably not.' He did not file for the May 2026 primary. Both La Grande Observer candidate-profile articles (April 3-4, 2026) confirm Position 1 is an open seat, with Mark Simmons and Cory Miller as the only filed candidates.

Anderes sits on the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation board alongside Wyatt Baum -- the county counsel who advised him to challenge the term-limits ordinance. This dual relationship has been flagged in reporting as a concurrent professional connection with no independent oversight.