Couples can share a profession. Or share an interest in politics. James and Christine Dashiell have both of those things covered.
Christine is running unopposed for Corvallis City Council’s Ward 5 seat, while her husband, James Dashiell, is the Pacific Green Party candidate for Benton County commissioner, Position 1.
Their partnership began with a different kind of reading material outside of local government documents and agenda packets.
(Photo: Second Floor Kalapuya Building Ballot drop box, 4500 Research Way, Corvallis Kalapuya Building, 2nd Floor)
They met through their profession, with both having worked (or work) for TOKYOPOP, a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime and manga. Had to look up manga, and so you don’t, manga are Japanese comics and graphic novels that range from everyday life and romance to more elaborate fantasy adventures.
Christine translated the Japanese dialogue, while James handled lettering, fitting the English words into speech bubbles and illustrated pages.
Their projects included the English-language edition of The Seven Deadly Sins, which, together with its sequel, has more than 55 million copies in print worldwide, according to publisher Kodansha.
Public office pursuits are now a part of their shared interest as well, just in different arenas. While Christine is running unopposed for a city-level position, putting her on a sure path to office, James faces a contested race for a county-level position.
On his campaign page, James emphasizes environmental stewardship, housing, and a community willing to look after its neighbors.
“Politics are all about people. Our needs, our relationships with our community, and our visions for the future,” he wrote.
His priorities also include reducing waste, protecting water sources, and working with businesses to cut disposable restaurant packaging.
In April 2025, he submitted written testimony opposing Republic Services’ landfill expansion. His concern went beyond whether the landfill grows, and he urged the county to consider the environmental legacy that future residents could inherit.
Like most candidates, housing is also a focus. His website advocates building new homes and repurposing existing buildings, with residents helping to identify opportunities… or as we like to call it, community input.
Those themes continue in his May 2026 Pacific Green Party questionnaire, where he also supports universal health care, ranked choice voting, and independence from corporate campaign contributions.
Separate races, with a similar story… and a solid illustration of two people hoping to translate a community’s voice into an elected position.
If you like election odds, there’s a 100% chance that at least one of them is going to win.
This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com
More recent stories:
→ Donate
We’ll still keep it ad-free and paywall-free even if you don’t. 100% of donations go to expanding local reporting, giving back to community causes, and minor operating expenses. Read more about our values and mission here.
Do you have a story for The Inquirer? Email: editor@corvallisnow.com
