Two conservative activists have further expanded the field for the two seats on the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners up for election in May.

HollyJo Beers is making another run at county office by challenging incumbent Position 2 Commissioner John Shafer, who is running for a second term.

Beers lists “not employed” under her occupation, but has been associated with the Oregon Three Percenters, a right-wing group. She’s also been involved in anti-COVID-19 lockdown and vaccine mandate protests among other demonstrations. A former Pilot Rock city councilor who also lived in Milton-Freewater, Beers now resides in Pendleton, according to her filing paperwork.

The other new candidate is Jesse Bonifer, an Athena business owner and city councilor running for the open Position 1 seat on the Board of Commissioners. Like Beers, Bonifer has been involved in the Three Percenters and helped organize a campaign to pass the Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance in 2020.

Commissioner George Murdock holds the Position 1 seat. He is retiring from the board, leaving the seat open. Bonifer joins Susan Bower, the owner of Eastern Oregon Business Source in Pendleton, Cindy Timmons, the co-owner of Marv’s Glass Shop in Milton-Freewater, and Alvin Young, the manager of Elmer’s Irrigation in Hermiston, as a part of the field vying for the seat.

If the Position 2 race stays at just two candidates, Shafer and Beers won’t be on the ballot until the Nov. 8 general election. With the candidate pool for Position 1 now at four, all candidates will be listed on the ballot for the May 17 primary election. Regardless of the results, the top two-vote getters advance to a run-off during the general election.