City Council, District 3 (Northwest)
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Karen J. Stratton (N) | 6,336 | 54.92% |
| Evan Verduin | 5,201 | 45.08% |
* 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
Karen J. Stratton
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 66
- City:
- Spokane, WA
- Occupation:
- Incumbent councilwoman
Her words: "My father used to say, if you really want to know what people think and what people want, you need to go to them. And I believe that. To me, the vibrancy and the pulse of the city is in the neighborhoods."
Her pitch: Stratton says more work needs to be done to improve the quality of life in the northwest neighborhoods, particularly West Central. The former Spokane city clerk says she'll continue to advocate on behalf of municipal employees, efforts that have often put her at odds with Mayor David Condon's office. She defended the city's approach to providing services for the homeless in her four years on the Spokane City Council, but said she'd advocate for more partnerships in the community between city social workers, educators, mental health care providers and others to provide more and longer-term services for those living on the streets.
Education: Graduated from Marycliff High School in 1977. Earned bachelor’s degree in communications and general studies from Eastern Washington University in 1989.
Work experience: Worked at Washington State University Spokane and the Community Colleges of Spokane. Served as a clerk in the city clerk's office.
Political experience: Incumbent councilwoman. Appointed to complete term of Steve Salvatori. Former aide to Mayors Jim West and Mary Verner in 2014. Former legislative aide in the Washington state House.
Family: Married. One adult son. Her mother, Lois Stratton, was a legislator in Olympia as a Democrat from 1979 to 1993, and her father, Alan Stratton, was a member of the Spokane City Council from 1965 to 1975.
Neighborhood: Audubon-Downriver
Evan Verduin
- Age:
- 42
- City:
- Spokane, WA
- Occupation:
- Architect
His words: “A super majority in any form of government, especially a legislative body, is less open to compromise and more likely to advance partisan agendas, the end result being the citizens of Spokane lose. We need more balance on our council and not partisan agendas being passed by super majorities to grow the size of government.”
His pitch: A young, fresh voice who doesn’t subscribe to the polarized nature of politics, and who will focus on encouraging development closer to the city’s core and easing burdens facing developers attempting to renovate old buildings.
Notable experience: Architect, owns a design firm. Vice president of the city’s Plan Commission.
Education: Graduated from Northwest Christian High School in 2002. Earned bachelor’s degree in architectural studies from Washington State University in 2007. Earned master’s degree in architecture from Washington State University in 2009.
Neighborhood: Five Mile
Complete Coverage
Shawn Vestal: Stupidity on Facebook shouldn’t disqualify Condon ally
In a quick, quiet vote last night, four members of the City Council voted to punish a political opponent for daring to criticize them. Or – if you take a more charitable view – the council voted to uphold standards of basic civility.
Spokane City Council limits participation in weekly public forums
On Monday Spokane City Council voted 5-2 to limit open forum speakers to once a month.
Mapping the Vote: Council races suggest conservative/progressive split in city
For more than a generation, Spokane city politics divided mainly on geographic lines. Tuesday’s election suggests those lines may be disappearing and new coalitions are redrawing the electoral maps.
Mapping the Vote: Spokane Council Dist 3
Karen Stratton built her lead over Evan Verduin in the heart of Spokane Council District 3.
Spokane candidates on the lack of a city planning director
The city has been without a planning director since Scott Chesney was ousted last November.
Does Spokane have a sprawl problem? Spokane candidates speak
Yes. No. Depends who you ask, like we just did for you.
Candidate fact check: Has crime really fallen under the Condon administration?
With three days to vote, the wave of campaign literature continues unabated. But how true are the claims made by these mailers and door-hangers?
Spokane candidates talk about the city’s spokesmen and spokeswomen
Their answers vary, some say just two, others say it’s up to the mayor.
Speed cameras in school zones? Spokane candidates weigh in
The city is in the midst of a pilot program testing the use of traffic cameras to catch speeders in school zones. We asked candidates in Spokane city races what they thought of the cameras.
Candidates speak about Spokane’s lawsuit against agrochemical giant Monsanto
In August, the city of Spokane filed a lawsuit against the international agrochemical giant Monsanto, alleging that the company sold chemicals for decades that it knew were a danger to human and environmental health.
Should the police ombudsman have more power?
Most say more. The mayor says the position’s as strong as possible considering state law restrictions.
Condon and Lichty on the Mayor Vs. City Council
Condon says things are pretty good. Lichty says not so much.
Spokane candidates on the Mayor Vs. the City Council
Everything’s golden, or This. Means. War.
Spokane candidates on their political heroes
Even politicians have heroes.
Spokane candidates on bike lanes
Most like them. One does not. Like A LOT.
Editorial: Verduin would restore balance to City Council
Architect Evan Verduin will be better advocate for small business concerns.
In race for Spokane City Council, Stratton and Verduin say they’re not proxies for Stuckart and Condon
Incumbent Spokane Councilwoman Karen Stratton is backed the council president. Her opponent, Evan Verduin, is supported by the mayor.
ON THE ISSUES: Evan Verduin, candidate for Spokane City Council, District 3
Part of a series of Q&As with Spokane City Council candidates
ON THE ISSUES: Karen Stratton, candidate for Spokane City Council, District 3
Part of a series of Q&As with Spokane City Council candidates