Ex-county councilor Quiring O’Brien to run for auditor

Former Clark County Councilor Eileen Quiring O’Brien announced Thursday she will run for county auditor in the next election.

After serving as auditor for nearly 28 years, Greg Kimsey announced last week he won’t seek another term in office and will finish out his current term Dec. 31.

A longtime Republican, Quiring O’Brien served as the District 4 county councilor from 2017 to 2019 and as the at-large councilor from 2019 to 2022. A month after being sworn in as the District 5 representative in January 2022, Quiring O’Brien announced she was immediately stepping down from her role as council chair but would continue serving until March 1. At the time, she said she and her husband would be moving out of state to spend more time with family.

“I’ve dedicated more than 30 years of my career in public service to my community. Before serving here in Clark County, I had the privilege of representing Oregonians as both a state representative and a state senator. Those years taught me how to scrutinize budgets, evaluate agency performance and demand clear, honest reporting,” Quiring O’Brien said in Thursday’s news release.

She served in Oregon’s House of Representatives from 1995 to 1997 and state Senate from 1997 to 2001.

Quiring O’Brien said it was an honor to serve on the county council and that her service was grounded in fiscal responsibility and integrity.

“As auditor, I will continue that commitment by strengthening oversight, improving clarity in reporting, and ensuring county operations are conducted openly and honestly,” she said in the news release.