SALEM, Ore. — The race for the Zone 3 seat on the Salem-Keizer School Board remains too close to call following the May 20 election, with only a razor-thin margin separating the two leading candidates. As of the most recent count by Marion County election officials, Angelo Arredondo Baca holds a slim lead of 73 votes over Jennifer Parker, out of more than 43,000 ballots cast.
Because the margin falls within the threshold for an automatic recount under Oregon law, election officials have begun the process of reviewing ballots to determine a definitive outcome. Final certified results are expected by June 16.
Both Arredondo Baca and Parker are alumni of South Salem High School, though they represent different visions for the school board’s future. Arredondo Baca, a university student and office assistant, has campaigned on a progressive platform, earning endorsements from the Oregon Working Families Party. His background includes experience in student leadership and community service.
Parker, an employment service manager, entered the race with support from the conservative political action committee Marion + Polk First. Although she has no prior experience in elected office, she positioned herself as a candidate focused on workforce readiness and traditional educational values.
While the Zone 3 race remains undecided, progressive candidates have secured victories in the other three contested races. Lisa Harnisch won in Zone 1, Karina Guzmán Ortiz took Zone 5, and Mel Fuller emerged victorious in Zone 7. The outcomes signal a leftward shift in the board’s overall composition.
The newly elected board members are expected to take office this summer and could play a pivotal role in shaping policies on curriculum, equity initiatives, and budgeting in Oregon’s second-largest school district.
The Zone 3 recount will determine whether progressives will claim full control of the board or share governance with at least one conservative voice. Until then, the race remains one of the most closely watched local contests of the year.
