State senator-elect Chris Telfer (R-Bend) was the biggest winner among state senate candidates seeking a seat with a major incumbent challenger in the 2008 election, according to official voting tallies released by the secretary of state Friday.

Telfer managed to grab 42,061 votes in her race to replace outgoing State Sen. Ben Westlund (D-Tumalo), who won the state treasurer’s race.

The following is a list of the top 5 state senate candidates that received the most votes (major-party candidates with major-party opposition only):

1.      State Senator-elect Chris Telfer (R-Bend) 42,061
2.      State Sen. Ginny Burdick (D-Portland) 41,916
3.      State Sen. Jason Atkinson (R-Central Point) 39,265
4.      State Sen. Jeff Kruse (R-Roseburg) 38,366
5.      State Sen. Mark Haas (D-Washington County) 35,847

Of course, the biggest winners were the eight state senators who ran uncontested. They were State Sen. Joanne Verger (D-Coos Bay), State Sen. Suzanne Bonamici (D-NE Washington/NW Multnomah Counties), State Senator-elect Diane Rosenbaum  (D-Portland), State Sen. Margaret Carter (D-Portland), State Sen. Jackie Dingfelder (D-Portland), State Sen. Doug Whitsett (R-Klamath Falls), State Sen. David Nelson (R-Pendleton), and Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day).

According to Oregon’s latest census numbers, the average population in an Oregon State Senate district is 124,916. According to the secretary of state’s voter registration numbers, there is an average of 71,798 registered voters per senate district.  With the secretary of state reporting that 85.7 percent of registered voters participating in the 2008 election, each senate district saw an average of 61,508 registered voters cast a ballot.