Claire Hall

Claire Elizabeth Hall (September 27, 1959 – January 4, 2026) was an American politician and journalist who served on the Lincoln County, Oregon County Commission from 2005 until her death in 2026. She came out as transgender in 2018, and was the first elected official to transition while in office.

Early life Hall was born in 1959 in Portland, Oregon. She suffered from gender dysphoria at a young age, but was afraid to express it for fear of how her family or society would react. She studied communications at Pacific University, and received a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

After graduating, she worked for the Portland Public Schools radio station (KBPS) as a producer. In 1987, she moved to Newport, where she worked as a reporter for the Newport News Times and a news director for several Newport radio stations.

Political career Hall was first elected as a county commissioner in 2004, defeating Republican candidate Karen Gerttula. While in office, she was an advocate for helping Oregon's homeless population, building more affordable housing, and regulating short-term and vacation rentals in the county. She served on the Governor's Council on Alcohol and Drug Programs, the Oregon Ending Homelessness Advisory Council, A review by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, released in October 2025, also concluded that the county commission might have violated the law by exempting certain county departments from a hiring freeze without public meetings.

Although Hall's commissioner position was nonpartisan, the recall campaign became politically polarized, with Lincoln County Republicans supporting her ouster and Lincoln County Democrats campaigning against it; Hall also faced several transphobic comments from recall supporters.

After a fall in September 2025, Hall was hospitalized for a fractured hip, shoulder, and several ribs. She attended commission meetings remotely but suffered from worsening health issues, and died on January 4, 2026 at the age of 66.