Salem mayoral debate outlines key issues ahead of 2026 election

Various hands holding civic tools, a Willamette ID card among them. Art by Adrian Axtell.

The Salem Chamber of Commerce hosted a mayoral debate on Jan. 12 featuring incumbent Mayor Julie Hoy and City Councilor Vanessa Nordyke. The debate came ahead of the May 19 primary election, when Salem voters will select their preferred candidate in the city’s nonpartisan 2026 mayoral race. Salem’s nonpartisan primary functions as a first round; a candidate who earns more than 50% wins immediately, while the top two advance to a November election if no one reaches a majority.

Homelessness, public safety, economic pressures and the city’s long-term financial outlook were the main focuses of the debate. Although neither candidate referenced Willamette University directly, several issues raised during the debate have implications for students due to the university’s proximity to downtown and reliance on city services, such as a mentioned payroll tax and downtown organization. 

The debate opened with two-minute statements from each candidate. Hoy highlighted the city’s recent financial turnaround, stating that Salem moved from a projected $23.4 million deficit to a $3.9 million positive fund balance for 2026. Hoy credited city staff and community partners for the shift. She also emphasized public safety as her primary focus, referencing the city’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard collaboration on safety initiatives. 

Nordyke centered her opening remarks on affordability, housing and long-term service expansion. She described the city’s new crisis response team, composed of medical and mental health professionals, and noted that the program has the support of both the police and fire chiefs. Nordyke also highlighted the need for additional shelter capacity and long-term pathways for individuals experiencing homelessness. 

Both candidates were asked how they would address homelessness, drug use and mental illness. Hoy referenced recent personal observations of disorder downtown, including feces found outside a local bank and discarded items in residential entryways. However, no specific police cases or city-reported incidents were mentioned. Hoy stated, “We have to stop this behavior. We have to help those who need our mental health assistance and addiction services.” 

Nordyke agreed that enforcement is necessary but placed greater emphasis on service expansion. She mentioned the city’s crisis response team and stressed the need for additional shelter capacity. “Nobody should be living on our streets. … We need to enforce our camping ban and clean up the garbage,” she said.

The candidates were also asked about the Salem-Keizer Transit District’s proposed 7% employer payroll tax. Both opposed the measure. Hoy stated that the tax would place additional strain on local businesses and argued that the city has other priorities that require attention. Nordyke attested that she opposes payroll taxes that do not go to a public vote, a reference to her previous vote against the city’s payroll tax in 2023. 

The candidates differed in their approaches to business development. Nordyke encouraged a “buying local” initiative whilst Hoy emphasized continuity in the city’s existing partnerships. 

Although the debate did not include direct references to Willamette University, several of the discussed topics affect students who live, work or commute through downtown Salem. 

Staff from Willamette’s Office of Civic Engagement emphasized that city decisions shape the conditions students experience off campus. “We are not a city unto ourselves,” said Tommy Van Cleave, the assistant dean for civic engagement. “The policies that the mayor and the city council pass [will] impact us for sure.”

Van Cleave noted that while relatively few students are registered to vote in Salem, local budget decisions still influence university programs. He pointed to the city’s recent budget shortfall as an example, explaining that reductions to services such as the library, parks or City of Salem’s senior center, Center 50+, would have affected ongoing partnerships between Willamette and the community. “Just because you don’t vote here doesn’t mean you’re not consuming resources of the city or that you’re not a part of it,” he said. 

Brooke Proctor (ʼ26), a lead catalyst for the Office of Civic Engagement, echoed that most Willamette students are not originally from Salem but highlighted the importance of Center 50+ to student learning. Center 50+ was noted as one of the few city-run organizations students regularly work with from campus. “It’s really good to connect students and seniors,” Proctor said. “It strengthens students’ awareness of the city as a whole.”

The Office of Civic Engagement also collaborates with the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan voter engagement organization. While the office does not register students directly, it provides guidance on absentee ballots, out-of-state registration and state-specific voting requirements. Van Cleave noted that some states require absentee ballots to be notarized, and that Willamette maintains a network of campus notaries so students can complete this step at no cost. 

Both Van Cleave and Proctor emphasized that students can participate in local politics even if they are not registered to vote in Salem. Van Cleave encouraged students to attend city council meetings and follow upcoming decisions, stating, “Go to city council meetings. Know what is on their docket. Know the really important decisions that they’re making.”

The 2026 primary election will determine a winner, or which candidates advance to the general election in November.