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Graham, Hansen, Kaplan lead in Ashland council races By Morgan Rothborne Updated: Nov 08, 2022 10:07 PM A A Flags fly above Ashland city offices. [Mail Tribune/file photo] Tonya Graham, Eric Hansen and Bob Kaplan were leading in their respective Ashland City Council races in preliminary election results released Tuesday evening. Graham had 64.31% of the vote, with 9,232 votes counted, running on a campaign of a continuation and an improvement of Ashland City Council’s work over the past year. Her opponent, Ashland Housing and Human Services Commissioner Joy Fate, campaigned on affordability and renewed accountability in Ashland’s city budget. Kaplan won 61.72% of the vote with 9,151 votes counted in his race against Jill Franko, Ashland School Board president. Kaplan offered Ashland a global perspective, based on his career working in Latin America, while Franko campaigned on a lifetime of living in the Rogue Valley and a depth of local knowledge, on top of the perspective of a parent of young children. With 8,894 votes counted, Hansen had 60.94% of the vote, handing him an apparent victory over opponent Jim Falkenstein. Hansen told Ashland voters three decades of residence and 12 years running a small business in the city gave him the right perspective to do what’s best for Ashland. Falkenstein offered a unique approach to politics. With brash honesty and humor, he knocked on doors and told voters his years of making joke videos condensing Ashland City Council meetings could be handily turned to insider knowledge of Ashland politics. Reach Mail Tribune reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected] or 541-776-4487. Follow her on Twitter @MRothborne.