Jackson County commissioners unanimously approved a $611 million budget Wednesday.

Medford Mayor Randy Sparacino sailed to an apparent victory Tuesday night in the Republican primary race for Jackson County commissioner.

Sparacino received 77.74% of the vote in the initial ballot count by the Jackson County Elections Office at 8 p.m.

“I’m fairly surprised at the strong showing,” Sparacino said.

David Arrasmith, currently the Jackson County assessor, received 17.28% of the vote, and Logan Leverette Vaughan came in a distant third with 4.29%

Sparacino received 12,336 votes, Arrasmith, 2,742 votes, and Vaughan, 681.

Denise Krause, the only Democrat on the ballot for county commissioner, will be Sparacino’s challenger in the November election, receiving 12,069 votes.

The candidates ran for the commissioner seat now held by Dave Dotterrer, who decided not to seek reelection.

Krause works as a consultant at Health Data Analytics LLC and was the chief petitioner in the Jackson County for All campaign, which had three measure on the ballot Tuesday night.

She said previously that she would examine county finances to highlight how basic services are funded, and she told the Times there should be an effort to solve regional problems.

The county, she said, could do a better job of getting various communities to work together on issues such as homelessness, rather than communities working separately or at odds with each other.

“Jackson County has an us-versus-them attitude,” she said.

Sparacino, who is in his first term as mayor, had received an endorsement from Dotterrer.

Sparacino said he was apprehensive before election day, saying it’s difficult to predict how a campaign is going.

“You never really know what’s going to happen,” he said. “I feel fairly confident at where the results are now.”

Sparacino said that if he’s elected to the commissioner seat in November, his focus will be on public safety, particularly getting a new jail, promoting Jackson County businesses and helping developers build the housing the community needs.

Formerly Medford’s police chief, Sparacino said he hopes his 30 years in public service will help achieve goals that will help the county as a whole, including building a jail and a mental health facility, and spurring economic development.