Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Lisa Brown

A candidate for Spokane Mayor, City of Spokane in the 2023 Washington General Election, Nov. 7

Age: 68

City: Spokane, Washington

Education: Graduated from Robinson High School in Illinois in 1974. Graduated from the University of Illinois in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Graduated from the University of Colorado in 1986 with a doctorate in economics.

Work experience: Chancellor of Washington State University Spokane from 2013-17. Associate professor of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University from 2001-2012. Assistant and associate professor of economics at Eastern Washington University from 1981-2001. As a young adult, worked in fast food restaurants and bookstores, as well as a summer working at the Marathon oil refinery where her dad worked. Formerly served on the boards of YWCA, Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners, Greater Spokane Incorporated, the University District Public Development Authority and Innovate Washington.

Political experience: State Department of Commerce from 2019 to early 2023. Ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2018, losing to U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Elected as a state representative for the 3rd Legislative District, serving from 1993-96. Elected a state senator of the 3rd District, serving from 1997-2012. Served as Senate Majority Leader from 2008-2012.

Family: Married to Brian McClatchey. Has one adult son and one grandson.

Political donations: Reported raising about $464,000 as of Oct. 16, including major donations from the Washington state Democratic Central Committee, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, unions including the Laborers International Union of North America Local 238, and the Denny Heck for Congress campaign. Other notable contributors include former Spokane Mayor John Powers.

Race Results

Candidate Votes Pct
Lisa Brown 36,435 52.01%
Nadine Woodward 33,613 47.99%

Details & headlines

Related Coverage

Mayor-elect Lisa Brown announces initial cabinet appointments, elevates civil rights director to cabinet

Mayor-elect Lisa Brown announced plans Thursday to appoint two people to cabinet positions and retain a third in an interim position when she assumes office in January.

Spokane leader responsible for housing, homeless services resigns

Another cabinet member in Mayor Nadine Woodward’s administration has tendered her resignation in the weeks between the November election and the swearing in of a new mayor.

Lisa Brown announces mayoral transition team, opens website to community feedback

Spokane Mayor-elect Lisa Brown unveiled her transition team Tuesday, a deep roster of dozens of other elected leaders, nonprofit administrators, former city employees and others.

Spokane County certifies results nearly unchanged from election night

Spokane County formally certified the 2023 election Tuesday, making official results that became evident weeks ago.

Meidl: New mayor deserves a clean slate in leadership, but rank-and-file should give her a chance

Outgoing Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl is resigning at the end of the year to give incoming Mayor Lisa Brown a “clean slate,” he said in a recent interview. But he hopes the rest of the department will give the mayor-elect a chance.

Spin Control: Ballot count all but over, here are some takeaways from the 2023 election

We can pretty well stick a fork in the 2023 Spokane elections. Which allows us to look at some takeaways from those results. 

Spokane is wrestling with how much it can ask voters to raise taxes next year

Spokane city leaders are in the midst of debating a thorny political question: What’s the best way to ask voters for higher taxes?

Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl resigns, plans to leave post at end of year

Spokane police Chief Craig Meidl will resign from his position at the end of the year, he announced in a Wednesday news release.

Woodward focused on transition, budget as she prepares to leave office

Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward faced a litany of challenges during her four years in office: the pandemic, protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, record inflation, addressing employee wages that had stagnated during her predecessor’s tenure.

Woodward concedes to Brown in Spokane mayor race

Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward has conceded the election to mayor-elect Lisa Brown, who leads the incumbent by nearly 3,000 votes as of Monday night.