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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sheriff

Election Results

Candidate Votes Pct
Benton E. (Ben) Wolfinger (R) 5,489 43.11%
Keith Hutcheson (R) 3,795 29.80%
John Green (R) 3,450 27.09%

* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.

The Candidates

Benton E. (Ben) Wolfinger

Party:
Republican
Age:
63
City:
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Occupation:
Sheriff, Kootenai County

Education background: Earned associate of science degree in law enforcement from North Idaho College, and advanced and management certificates from the Idaho Peace Officers Standards and Training Academy.

Political background: Elected sheriff in 2012. Served as Coeur d’Alene City Councilman from December 2000 to January 2006. Served on the Governor’s Traffic Safety Commission for about 15 years.

Work experience: Wolfinger was hired as a deputy in 1983, at age 21, and has worked in or managed all aspects of the sheriff’s department since then. He has worked as a North Idaho College Law Enforcement Program Instructor and is past chairman of the Law Enforcement Advisory Committee.

Family: Married. Has two sons.

Keith Hutcheson

Party:
Republican

John Green

Party:
Republican
Age:
66
City:
Rathdrum area, Idaho
Occupation:
Attorney

John Green and his wife Elizabeth live near Rathdrum, where they built their house in the mid-2000s. They have four children and six grandchildren.

John has been in private law practice since 1993, working primarily in constitutional law, taxation and monetary issues, business law, and small company start-up and operation. He currently concentrates on constitutional issues and serves as general counsel and chief law enforcement advisor to the United States Bill of Rights Foundation.

John began his career as a Texas peace officer, including as a deputy sheriff in Harris County. He claims he wrestled both an alligator and a boa constrictor during his time wearing a badge.

John is licensed to practice law in Washington and Texas. He received his law degree from South Texas College of Law in 1986. He earned a bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Houston in 1982, and a basic police certification in 1977 from Texas A&M University. John also was certified as a law enforcement instructor and a jailer in Texas.

He touts 39 years of professional criminal justice experience, from patrol, investigation, supervision, jail and jail supervision, as well as criminal and civil law. He has worked as a trainer of and advisor to law enforcement officers and agencies.

“No one is above the law and I will honor my oath of office by protecting life, liberty, and property of all citizens,” he said. “I am seeking the office of Kootenai County Sheriff in order to put my education and experience to work to help make Kootenai County a safer place to live.”