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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mary Verner

A candidate for Spokane Mayor, City of Spokane in the 2011 Washington General Election

Party: Democratic

Age: 67

City: Spokane, WA

Education: Graduated from Houston Academy in Dothan, Alabama, in 1973. Earned bachelor's degree in medical anthropology from Davidson College in 1988, master's degree in environmental studies from Yale University in 1992 and law degree from Gonzaga University in 1992.

Political experience: Appointed Deputy for Wildfire & Administration at Washington Department of Natural Resources in 2013 and continues in that role. Served as the mayor of Spokane from 2007-2011 and Spokane city councilwoman from 2004 to 2007. Member and past chairwoman of City of DuPont Tree Board and the DuPont Heirloom Orchard Committee. Member of the Board of National Institute of Building Sciences.

Work experience: Interim CEO, Spokane Tribe Enterprises from 2012 until 2013. Executive Director of the Upper Columbia United Tribes from 2002-2007. Served as director of natural resources for the Spokane Tribe of Indians for about 10 years. Adjunct professor at Whitworth University

Family: Single. Grown daughter and 18-year-old son. Two grandchildren.

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More about Mary Verner

Race Results

Candidate Votes Pct
David Condon 30,768 52.36%
Mary Verner (D) 27,991 47.64%

Details & headlines

Related Coverage

Verner presents mix of budget solutions

Spokane Mayor Mary Verner gave a preview Wednesday of a 2012 budget she says would be painless for residents who obey the law. Verner proposed to close a tentative $6.6 million revenue shortfall with a combination of administrative actions and $1.4 million in new revenue that would require council approval.

Spokane group collecting signatures for city medical marijuana initiative

Spokane citizens could soon have their say on the controversy growing locally and statewide on the enforcement of marijuana laws. Citizens for a Sensible Spokane, a group that supports legalization of the drug, is collecting signatures for an initiative to make possession of marijuana by adults the city’s lowest law enforcement priority. The proposal is similar to one approved by Seattle voters in 2003.

Condon running for mayor of Spokane

Spokane Mayor Mary Verner finally has an obstacle in her re-election bid. David Condon, the deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said Monday that he will enter the race for Spokane  mayor.

Condon announces mayoral bid

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Verner seeks rule change to overlook lowest bidder for contracts

Spokane Mayor Mary Verner has shifted her position on new rules allowing the city to overlook the lowest bidder for city contracts when companies have poor records following the law. Verner opted not to sign the ordinance, which was approved on a 5-2 vote on April 4. The absence of her signature doesn’t constitute a veto, which could have been overridden, and the rules will become law.

Bargaining support on agenda for Spokane City Council

With the possibility of new rounds of negotiations in which city leaders could ask for more wage and benefit concessions, the Spokane City Council may give its union employees a pat on the back. The council on Monday will consider a nonbinding resolution stating that the city supports collective bargaining for its workers.

Sixth annual Komen race has Spokane awash in pink

About 9,000 people painted downtown Spokane pink Sunday in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Now in its sixth year, the event will raise roughly $500,000. Seventy-five percent of the money will be distributed to breast cancer awareness programs or mammography testing in Eastern Washington. The other 25 percent goes to the national Susan G. Komen for The Cure Foundation, the world’s largest breast cancer organization.

City of Spokane short $6.6 million in ’12

For the fourth straight year, Spokane leaders are forecasting a multimillion-dollar shortfall in the next annual budget. The city predicts a $6.6 million gap between expected revenues and expenses in the city’s 2012 general fund budget, Budget Director Tim Dunivant said in a briefing Wednesday to the Spokane City Council. The general fund pays for fire, police, parks, library and other services funded mostly by tax collections.

Rally to feature NAACP leader

The head of the nation’s largest civil rights organization will lead a march in Spokane on Sunday to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who was killed April 4, 1968. Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, will speak at the Demand Justice and Promote Peace event, which will include a march from the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to Riverfront Park.