Governor seeks additional applicants for DA vacancy

Published 10:50 am Friday, May 23, 2025

In January, Jefferson County District Attorney Steve Leriche announced he would be leaving the position after 26 years. That announcement began the often many months process of appointing a new district attorney, which has now opened for a second round of applicants.

The position, an elected post, is appointed by the governor when vacated mid-term. When a DA leaves their post, the state takes applications for the position, conducts interviews, conducts background checks. The decision to appoint an applicant is the governor’s.

Until a new district attorney is appointed, Leriche will continue to supervise the DA’s office in Jefferson County. The position will be up for election in May 2026.

Leriche noted when he announced his resignation that the process often takes many months, and a recent appointment in Klamath Falls took about a year.

Applications were originally opened in February, and only one person applied: Eric Nisley, a Madras attorney. Nisley was born and raised in Madras, previously serving for 20 years as the Wasco County DA. He has since worked within the Jefferson County District Attorneys office.

The governor’s office announced they were seeking additional applicants on April 29. The notice provides no details about why applications were reopened, and requests for comment were not responded to at the time of publishing. More details will be provided as available.