City Council, Position 6
Election Results
Candidate | Votes | Pct |
---|---|---|
Ben Wick | 5,852 | 50.63% |
Sam P. Wood | 5,706 | 49.37% |
* 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
Ben Wick
- Age:
- 42
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from East Valley High School in 2000. Graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in computer science in 2004.
Work experience: Works in IT, purchasing, shipping, receiving and production scheduling at Spokane Industries. Also owns the Spokane Valley Current and Liberty Lake Splash.
Political experience: Serving his second term on City Council, currently serving as Spokane Valley mayor. (Spokane Valley City Council chooses a mayor from its council members.)
Family: Married to Danica Wick. Has four children.
Campaign fundraising: Raised $15,900 as of Oct. 11, 2021. Wick has given himself $5,300 in in-kind contributions. Contributors include Katie McKay ($1,000), the political action committee of the Inland Northwest chapter of Associated General Contractors of America ($1,000), contractor and Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney's husband Max Kuney ($500) and Spokane Valley City Councilmembers Brandi Peetz ($114.50), Tim Hattenburg ($55) and Linda Thompson ($62.50).
Sam P. Wood
In his words: “We have to keep taxes and government regulations at a minimum, and be proactive about our relationship with small business.”
His pitch: “I truly believe that rational people, even if they disagree, can come together and find common ground to agree on, and then progress can be made and, in turn, better governance.”
Experience: Serves as chairman of the Carnhope Irrigation District board and on the Spokane Valley Planning Commission, as well as the board of SCOPE. Owned and operated Woodshed Pizza until 1998; owns and operates Wood and Wood Realty and is a real estate appraiser.
Education: Earned bachelor’s in communications from Eastern Washington University in 1996.
Complete Coverage
Restroom rules to be deliberated in Spokane Valley Tuesday
Spokane Valley City Council to discuss gender preference bathroom access
Wick buys Splash, Current
Former councilman Ben Wick is looking forward to new his new job as publisher of Liberty Lake’s Splash community newspaper
Ben Wick Q&A: A more diverse council, Painted Hills decision on his mind
For departing Spokane Valley City Council member Ben Wick, the fifth time was the charm. Wick ran in the first Spokane Valley election, against 51 other people, then applied three times to fill vacant City Council positions before finally being elected in 2011.
Wood defeats Wick for Spokane Valley City Council seat
Spokane Valley City Councilman Ben Wick has last his re-election bid to Sam Wood. Wood has a 99-vote lead over Wick in the latest count of ballots, which was released Monday afternoon. Wood has 50.3 percent of the vote to Wick’s 47.3 percent. The difference falls just outside the amount that would force an automatic recount. The candidates would have to be within a half percentage point for the election office to perform a recount.
Wick sees lead over Wood shrink in Spokane Valley Council race
Ben Wick’s lead shrank to 111 votes over challenger Sam Wood in the race for Spokane Valley City Council. Other incumbents maintained their comfortable leads.
Incumbents hold leads in Spokane Valley council races
Incumbents hold leads in Spokane Valley council races
Editorial: Endorsement: Retain Wick on Spokane Valley council
City needs his perspective on transportation, especially Bridging the Valley effort
Spokane Valley candidates offer different views on transportation
He’s half the age or younger than the other Spokane Valley City Council members, but that doesn’t seem to bother Ben Wick, 33.