Spokane County Primary 2023: How to register to vote, where to drop off ballot, who's running for office (2024)

Some of the key Spokane County races include the city of Spokane mayor, Spokane City Council president and multiple Spokane City Council seats.

Key Dates

Important notes:

Register to Vote

How do I register to vote in Washington?

Voting by Mail FAQ

What if I miss the deadline to register online or by mail?

Washington offers same day registration services through election day. After the 8-day deadline, you must register (or update) in person at a voting center. Contact your local county elections office for details.

For more information on how to register to vote, click here.

Spokane Mayor Candidates

Tim Archer served as the Spokane Firefighters Union President for 20 years and as a Precinct Committee Officer. He also served in the United States Army as an active guard and reserve officer prior to his time as a firefighter.

Additionally, Archer has participated in multiple community service projects, including coat distribution at Operation Warm, a Muscular Dystrophy Association Fundraiser and the Legislative Action Committee, among others.

If elected, Archer says his main focus will be working to "make Spokane miserable for criminals," providing a safe environment for law-abiding citizens and serving at the will of the people of Spokane.

More information about Archer can be foundhere.

Lisa Brown has served as a Washington official for nearly 30 years. She began her career as a Washington state representative from 1993-1997 and a state senator from 1997-2012. After her time in the state legislature, she served as the chancellor of Washington State University-Spokane from 2013-2017. Most recently, she served as the director of the Department of Commerce from 2019-2022.

Brown is a former board member of YWCA Spokane, the Empire Health Foundation, the Downtown Spokane Partnership, Greater Spokane Incorporated and more.

If elected, Brown says her main focus will be improving public safety, streets, affordable housing and economic opportunities.

More information about Brown can be found here.

Patrick McKann is a construction worker and small business owner in Spokane. He is also the vice president of population health at a low-income health clinic.

McKann is a member of the traffic-calming subcommittee for the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood council and the Altamont Loop/Ben Burr Trail Neighborhood. He's also a member of the Spokane Urban Nature conservation group. He is a Math is Cool teacher at Libby Elementary School and a youth soccer coach.

If elected, he says his main focus will be offering all neighborhoods "nationwide-proven traffic calming tools," tackling infrastructure problems that come with growth, expanding parks and creating new parks and wildlife habitat.

More information about McKann can be found here.

Kelly Stevens has worked for the city of Spokane streets department since 2021. She worked for the city's solid waste department from 2019-2021. Prior to her time working for the city, she was an account specialist at Ecova from 2011-2019 and an office operations supervisor at the U.S. Census Bureau from 2009-2010.

Stevens served on the board of directors for SpokeFest for four years and was a committee chair for the Windermere Marathon for two years. She's also volunteered as a court monitor at Hoopfest for several years.

If elected, she says her main focus will be leading the city to reaching the goals that are most important to voters.

Incumbent Nadine Woodward was first elected as Spokane's mayor in 2019. Prior to her time in office, she spent 28 years working in local television.

Woodward currently serves on boards for the Downtown Spokane Partnership, Visit Spokane, Greater Spokane Incorporated, the WSU Advisory Board, WorkSource Spokane and the University District PDA.

If re-elected, she says her main focus will be public safety, housing, homelessness, economic development and mental health advancements.

More information about Woodward can be found here.

Spokane City Council President Candidates

City Council President candidate Andy Rathbun announced a concession early on Election Day. Therefore, Kim Plese and Betsy Wilkerson will both advance to the general election.

Kim Plese is the former owner and president of Plese Printing and Marketing, a position she held for more than three decades. She ran for Spokane County Commissioner District 1 in 2022 but was defeated by Chris Jordan.

Plese is a volunteer and former board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs. She also served as the board president for Executive Women International Spokane. She has also worked with the Spokane Homeless Connect, the Spokane Veterans Forum, Women Helping Women and more.

If elected, she says her main focus will be addressing the homelessness crisis with accountability, providing more social services, increasing ability to keep downtown and neighborhoods safe by supporting law enforcement and reducing red tape for small businesses and housing growth.

More information about Plese can be foundhere.

Betsy Wilkerson was appointed to the Spokane City Council in 2020 after then-council member Breann Beggs was elected as the city council president. She is also the owner of Moore's Assisted Living Center in Spokane.

Wilkerson is the president of Junior League and the chair of the Carl Maxey Center. She is the president of the Women Helping Women fund and serves of the boards for the Innovia Foundation and the St. Luke's Community Advisory Board.

If elected, she says her main focus will be strengthening community safety, taking on homelessness and housing with urgency and prioritizing small businesses.

More information about Wilkerson can be found here.

Spokane City Council Candidates

More information about all city council candidates can be found by clicking the links below.

District 2, Position No. 1

District 3, Position No. 1

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