Douglas County & Local Government

Douglas County Courthouse - Constructed in 1891 in Roseburg, Oregon

Douglas County was created on Jan. 7, 1852, out of the portion of Umpqua County lying east of the Coast Range.  It was named Douglas County to honor U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois who was a congressional advocate for Oregon statehood.  In the county seat of Roseburg, the Douglas County Courthouse was built in 1929, with additions in 1956 and 1977.  Douglas County is composed of 5,071 square miles (3,240,360 acres).

Legislative and administrative functions of Douglas County are in the hands of the board of three commissioners.  Although these positions are non-partisan, these positions favor the Republican party.  In addition to the county offices, there are 62 government entities, including 12 cities, 14 education districts, and 23 fire stations; way too many to list here. Use the links in this section to learn more about Douglas County government and contact the three commissioners with concerns.

Find My......

Location & Forest Lands

The County extends from sea level at the Pacific Ocean to 9,182 foot Mt. Thielsen in the Cascade Mountains. It has the entire Umpqua River watershed within its boundaries, and it contains nearly 2.8 million acres of commercial forest lands.

Approximately 25% of Douglas County’s labor force is employed in the forest products industry which includes numerous sawmills and veneer plants, as well as one pulp and one particle board plant, and numerous shingle, shake, pole and other wood products plants. Agriculture is an important factor in the economy with field crops, orchards, and livestock as major products. The County Parks Department, the first in Oregon, has over 50 parks in the system. They range from large facilities with overnight camping to small boat launching access points.

Over 50% of the land area of the County is owned by the Federal Government. These lands are managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land management.

Douglas County Elected Officials

County Clerk

Phone: (541) 440-4325
Email: Clerk@douglascountyor.gov

County Sheriff

John Hanlin
Phone: (541) 440-4463
Email: Dcsoinfo@douglascountyor.gov

County Treasurer

Sam Lee, III
Courthouse Room CH320
Phone: (541) 440-4244

County Commissioner (Board Chair)

Chris Boice
Courthouse Room CH217
Phone: (541) 440-4201
Email: Chris.Boice@douglascountyor.gov

County Commissioner

Tim Freeman
Courthouse Room CH217
Phone: (541)-440-4201
Email: Tim.Freeman@douglascountyor.gov

County Commissioner

Tom Kress
Courthouse Room CH217
Phone: (541)-440-4201
Email: Tom.Kress@douglascountyor.gov

County Assessor

Heather Coffel
Courthouse Room CH206
Phone: (541) 440-4222
Email: assessment@douglascountyor.gov

County Surveyor

Ronald Quimby
Courthouse Room JB105
Phone: (541) 440-4272

District Attorney

Rick Wesenberg
1036 SE Douglas Avenue
Justice Building Room JB204
Roseburg, OR 97470
Phone: (541) 440-4388

Justice of the Peace - South Douglas (Canyonville)

Judge Machelle Briggs-Mayfield
249 N. Main St.
Canyonville, OR 97417
Mailing: P. O. Box 376
Canyonville, OR 97417
Phone: (541-839-4389

Justice of the Peace - Reedsport

Judge Kathleen Miller
600 Fir Avenue
Reedsport, OR 97467
Phone: (541) 271-4868
Fax: (541-271-4869
Email: ReedsportJustice@douglascountyor.gov

Our Party Platform

How do your beliefs compare to ours?

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that all Oregonians should have the opportunity, through hard work and perseverance, to build a more prosperous future for themselves, their families, and their communities, without the excessive burden of government.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Preamble

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that the U.S. Constitution and the Oregon Constitution are the highest laws of the land, and all other laws must be consistent with them.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 2 Law and Criminal Justice

“Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the safeguard of our liberties.” ~Abraham Lincoln, US President, Republican

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a short video explaining the historical foundation of checks and balances inherent in our Constitution.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that free market capitalism, private property rights, low taxation, minimal regulation, and limited government intervention are the foundations of a vibrant and prosperous economy…

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 3 Economy

“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” ~Ronald Reagan, US President, Republican

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for two short videos explaining free market capitalism and limited government.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that all children deserve an excellent quality and unbiased education and that parents and legal guardians have the primary right and responsibility to educate their children in the manner they choose.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 4 Education

“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” ~Abraham Lincoln, US President, Republican

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that Oregon’s natural resources, when managed responsibly, are vital to our state’s environment, economy, and prosperity, and that under the free market system with minimal regulation, individual property owners and local citizens are the best stewards of our natural resources.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 5 Natural Resources and Environmental Stewardship

“Nothing is more conservative than conservation.” ~Russell Kirk, conservative scholar

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a brief video explanation.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that the traditional family, formed through the marriage of one man and one woman, is ordained by God our Creator and is the foundation of our society and is optimal for raising children to be responsible, self‐sufficient, productive citizens.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 6 Family

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that foreign policy decisions must adhere to the United States Constitution, based upon the security, vital long-term national interests, sovereignty, and well-being of its citizens.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 7 Foreign Policy

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that legal immigration and assimilation, including the adoption of English as the official language, should be encouraged, and that securing our national borders is essential to ensuring the sovereignty and safety of our state.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 9 Immigration

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a brief video explanation.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that legal immigration and assimilation, including the adoption of English as the official language, should be encouraged, and that securing our national borders is essential to ensuring the sovereignty and safety of our state.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 9 Immigration

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a brief video explanation.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe with our nation’s founders that our unalienable rights are endowed by our Creator and that government without the consent of the governed is tyranny and that no government shall infringe upon our individual rights and freedoms nor upon the security of our private communications, transactions, or movements.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 10 Individual Liberty and Limited Government

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a brief video explanation.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that rules, regulations, and executive orders are subordinate to and must support the laws passed by the legislative bodies, and that they shall not impose undue burden or loss of freedoms to individuals, families, or commerce.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 11 Rules, Regulations and Executive Orders

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a brief video explanation.

 

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that all people have the unalienable right to defend themselves, others, their home, and property without fear of criminal or civil reprisal.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 12 Self-Protection

“The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals.” ~James Monroe, US President, Democratic-Republican

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for two brief video explanations.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that accountability and transparency in elections are essential to protect America’s election systems.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 13 Election Integrity

“It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.” ~Joseph Stalin, Marxist-Leninist dictator of the USSR

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a brief video explanation.

You might be a Republican if…

…you support a strong military as the means to maintain our nation, state, and counties’ freedom, and if you support Veterans, Gold Star Families, the Reserve Component (National Guard/Reserves), disabled veterans, military families, and the uniformed services who are currently serving our country.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 14 Veterans and Military Personnel

“No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause.” ~Theodore Roosevelt, US President, Republican

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for two short videos explaining the importance of the U.S. military strength today.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that limited, responsible, and transparent government at all levels is essential.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 15 Government Integrity

“It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.” ~Ronald Reagan, US President, Republican

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for two short videos explaining the consequences of big government.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that freedom of religion and the rights of conscience are unalienable rights ordained by God, our Creator and are the foundation of our society which no Government can limit or remove.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 16 Religious Liberty

“Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.” ~Samuel Adams, Founding Father and architect of the principles of American Republicanism

Do you want to understand this position better? Click below for a brief video explanation.

You might be a Republican if…

…you believe that it is an essential role of limited government to provide for public safety through effective preparedness and reduction of disaster impact, both natural and man-made, on the civilian population, infrastructure, private property, and the economy; and to maximize the speed of recovery, prioritizing citizens first and environmental considerations second, and with special attention to the needs of vulnerable populations.

Oregon Republican Party 2021 Platform Section 17 Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation