HEPPNER — Incumbent Roy Drago Jr. and challenger Gus Peterson are heading toward a November runoff for Position 1 on the Morrow County Board of Commissioners.

Peterson in unofficial election results May 21 garnered a little more than 29.7% of the vote, or 641 votes, and Drago finished a close second, with 632 votes for 29.3% of the total.

Port of Morrow Commissioner Kelley Doherty came in third, with 22.9%, or 493 votes, and Richard Drake was last with 18%, or 388 votes.

With no candidate earning more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers go on the ballot in November.

Drago said he would have been happy with whatever the outcome was.

“I have no career beyond this politically, so I could either do it for another four years or I can go to being retired,” he said. “If they want me to continue to do the county’s work, I’m happy to do so.”

Peterson said in a text the results, to him, show a “divided and apathetic” citizenry in Morrow County.

“No one candidate got more than 30% of the vote (as I write this, anyway) and turnout was extremely low,” he said. “I know that there is no realistic world where turnout is 100% or one where we are all in unison but we can try to get closer to that. And I hope that I can manage to bring us closer to that.”

He thanked the people who have trusted him with their votes.

“I look forward to working with everyone to make Morrow County a better place,” he said, then referenced a Vince Lombardi quote about perfection and excellence: “Let’s grow together, and in the pursuit of perfection, get a little bit closer to excellence.”