SPOKANE, Wash. — Voters in Spokane and Kootenai counties casts their ballots in races for local political office in the November 2021 general and consolidated elections on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Counties in Eastern Washington and Kootenai County in North Idaho released their first round of results shortly after 8 p.m. on Tuesday. A handful of key races were on the ballot, including candidates for Spokane and Spokane Valley City Council, Spokane Public Schools Board and Central Valley School District Board of Directors positions. In Kootenai County, voters cast their ballots for mayoral, city council and school board trustee races, among others.
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Here are the latest results for key races in the November 2021 primary and consolidated elections for Spokane and Kootenai counties:
Spokane County Results:
Spokane City Council: District 1, Council Position 2
As of Thursday, Jonathan Bingle is leading Naghmana Sherazi with 57% of the vote to replace Council Member Kate Burke, the most progressive member of city council, who did not seek re-election. The district represents Northeast Spokane. The other seat in this district is held by Council Member Michael Cathcart, currently the only conservative on city council.
Spokane City Council: District 2, Council Position 2
Betsy Wilkerson is running unopposed to keep her seat in District 2. She is the second African American woman to serve as a council member in Spokane.
Spokane City Council: District 3, Position 2
Current City Council Member Candace Mumm is term-limited and cannot seek reelection this year. As of Thursday, Zack Zappone has a slight lead over Mike Lish with 51% of the vote to replace her. This district represents Northwest Spokane. The other seat is held by Council Member Karen Stratton.
Spokane Valley City Council, Position 4
Brandon Fenton, who co-owns The Black Diamond bar in Spokane Valley, is running against Incumbent Ben Wick. As of Thursday, Wick is leading the race with 66% of the vote.
Spokane Valley City Council, Position 5
Spokane Valley City Council Position 5 Incumbent Pam Haley is running against business owner Wayne Fenton, who is Brandon Fenton's father. As of Thursday, Haley was leading with 69% of the vote.
Spokane Valley City Council, Position 7
Spokane Valley City Council Position 7 Incumbent Linda Thompson is running against Laura Padden, who is Washington State Senator Mike Padden's wife. As of Thursday, Laura Padden has a slight lead over Thompson with 52% of the vote.
Kootenai County Results:
Coeur d'Alene Mayor
Coeur d'Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer announced in April 2021 that he would not seek a third term. In announcing that he will not seek a third term this November, he said: “Eight years is good."
Joe Alfieri, a member of the Coeur d'Alene business community, is running against Jim Hammond for Coeur d'Alene mayor. Hammond is a former educator, Post Falls mayor, Coeur d'Alene city administrator and three-term state senator.
Hammond is leading the race as of Thursday with 50% of the vote.
Post Falls Mayor
Ronald J. Jacobson has been Mayor of Post Falls since 2018 and is currently serving his second term. A resident of Post Falls since 1980, Jacobson was first appointed to the city council in 1999 and elected to three terms on council and served as council president from 2012 to 2014.
Austin Hildebrand, who has lived in Kootenai County since the late 1990s, is running against Jacobson. Hildebrand made a name for himself in the Post Falls community as a brewer.
Jacobson is leading the race for mayor with 81% of the vote as of Thursday.
Coeur d'Alene School District Zone 1
Lisa May is seeking re-election for the Zone 1 Trustee position, which she has held since 2017.
May has served as founding board member of Coeur d’Alene Education Partnership, Chair of the Yes! Campaign for past school levy and bonds, president on the Long Range Planning Committee, and was elected to her current position School Board Trustee for Zone 1.
She is running against Allie Anderton, who is a mother with 15 years of experience volunteering in classrooms.
Anderton is leading with 52% of the vote as of Thursday.
Coeur d'Alene School District Zone 4
Two candidates are running for the seat previously held by board chair Jennifer Brumley, who announced that she would not seek reelection.
Lesli Bjerke is a retired elementary school teacher who runs a small business from her home after 25 years in education.
Lindsey Swingrover was born and raised in Coeur d'Alene. She has worked in education for the last 15 years, now serving as a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee and as PTO Secretary. Swingrover also has 10 years of experience as a nationally certified school psychologist in Coeur d’Alene.
The race between the two remains too close to call as of Thursday.
Coeur d'Alene School District Zone 5
Rebecca Smith has held the School Board Trustee Zone 5 seat since November 2019 after a unanimous appointment to the board.
Smith serves as Vice Chair of the board and is in her second year of work with the Long Range Planning Committee.
Glen Campbell, who retired in 2016 after 24 years at the University of Redlands as Manager of the Media Services Department, is running against Smith. He is currently an on-air personality for radio station KYMS 89.9FM.
As of Thursday, Smith is leading the race with 52% of the vote.