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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane City Council District 1 (Northeast)

Election Results

Candidate Votes Pct
Michael Cathcart 7,909 56.18%
Lindsey Shaw 6,169 43.82%

* 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.

About the Race

The Candidates

Michael Cathcart

Age:
39
City:
Spokane, Washington

Education: Went to University High School. Graduated from Montana State University with a bachelor's degree in motion picture arts. 

Political experience: Elected to the the Spokane City Council in 2019, and currently serves as the Spokane City Council president pro tem. Ran unsuccessfully for Spokane County commissioner in 2022. Serves as Spokane’s representative to the Regional Broadlinc Public Development Authority, chair of the Public Safety Committee, chair of the Northeast Public Development Authority, chair of the police and fire pension boards, vice-chair of the Finance Committee, and a current member of the Budget Committee, Spokane Police Advisory Committee and Traffic Calming Committee. Formerly served as vice chair of the Spokane City Council Public Infrastructure & Environment Committee, council liaison for the Spokane Park Board, council liaison for the city’s Employees Retirement System, volunteer for the Spokane Lunar New Year Celebration, chair of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council, member of the city’s In-Fill Housing Steering Committee and a member of the Mayor’s Quality and Affordable Housing Taskforce.

Work experience: Spent five years as executive director of Better Spokane, a pro-business organization. Worked as an aide for former 6th Legislative District Sen. Michael Baumgartner. Former government affairs director for the Spokane Home Builders Association. 

Family: Married to Vina (Tran) Cathcart. Has a young son.

Political donations: Reported nearly $63,800 as of Oct. 3. Top donors include the Association of Builders and Contractors Political Action Committee, the Build East Political Action Commission, Spokane Realtors, the Spokane Homebuilders Association, manufacturing and engineering firm Pyrotek, and George, Jennifer, Theresa and Ryan Gee of the Gee Automotive Holdings company.

Lindsey Shaw

Age:
43
City:
Spokane, Washington

Education: Graduated from North Central High School in 1999. Attended Seattle Art Institute for Photography and Pima Community College in Arizona. Received the Gonzaga Women’s Leadership Certificate 2021 and the Gonzaga Servant Leadership Certificate in 2022

Work experience: Worked as a contractor with Gonzaga University as a community connector, on the Boundary Adjustment Board for Spokane Public Schools from 2020 to 2022, as well as the naming committee. Served as campus engagement coordinator at the Northeast Community Center 2021 to 2023 and participated in the AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America program in 2019.

Political experience: Served as Logan Neighborhood Council chair from 2019 to 2023, as clean up coordinator, as Community Assembly liaison for the Spokane Parks Development and Volunteer Citizen Advisory Committee, appointed to the Citizens' Transportation Advisory Board, and served in the Washington State Association of Head Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program's Washington State Parent Ambassador program in 2021.

Family: Married to Jason Shaw. Has two young sons.

Political donations: Reported raising $48,400 as of Oct. 3. Her top donors include the Seattle-based Alliance for Gun Responsibility, Don Barbieri and Sharon Smith of the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, the Spokane Firefighters Union PAC, progressive political organization FUSE Washington, the Washington Education Association and various other labor unions.

Complete Coverage

Spokane pumps the brakes on new drive-thrus on congested stretch of 29th Avenue

New drive-thru restaurants that haven’t submitted building permits will no longer be able to be built on a frequently congested stretch of East 29th Avenue after the Spokane City Council voted Monday to change the zoning in that area.

Inslee presents ‘incredibly visionary’ Spokane with award for relaxing land-use restrictions

In 2022, politicians and city staff in Spokane responded to the growing housing crisis by drastically relaxing land-use restrictions to allow for denser housing like fourplexes and townhomes to be built in all residential areas in the city.

New process created to review offensive landmarks and street names in Spokane, including Monaghan statue

Spokane now has a process to review potentially offensive landmarks and street names located on city property, spurred by concerns over the downtown statue of Ensign John Monaghan.

‘God help us’: Conservatives feel iced out by new, more progressive Spokane City Council

Conservatives have held less and less sway on the Spokane City Council since losing the majority in 2013, but after voters elected a more progressive slate of members in November the two remaining right-leaning council members who represent northeast Spokane feel they’ve almost entirely lost their influence.

Anonymity, limited testimony and an end to standing: Spokane City Council changes open forum rules

The Spokane City Council significantly changed its public testimony rules Monday night, including by banning audience members from standing to show support or displeasure.

Lili Navarrete appointed to two-year stint on Spokane City Council

Barbara Liliana Navarrete Lorenzo, better known as Lili Navarrete, has been appointed to fill an open seat on the Spokane City Council for the next two years.

Development, infrastructure and homelessness among priorities for Spokane City Council in 2024

The Spokane City Council returned to work Monday after an end-of-year recess, and its returning and newly elected members say they have big plans for the year ahead.

Dedicated bike lane plow and sweeper coming to Spokane

Spokane will soon get the city’s first purpose-built sweeper and plow to remove snow and debris from protected bike lanes, which are too narrow for most of the city’s equipment to navigate.

Spokane plans to clear bike lanes with new and ‘transformative’ snow plow

Spokane may soon have the city’s first purpose-built sweeper and plow to remove snow and debris from protected bike lanes, which are too narrow for most of the city’s equipment to navigate.

Spokane City Council makes 11th-hour changes to redistricting measure on February ballot

Spokane voters will still decide early next year whether the City Council should have less power in drawing council districts in the future, but the measure that will appear on local ballots has been slightly changed after a Thursday vote.

Spokane City Council approves mayor’s $1.2 billion 2024 budget with some adjustments

After months of at-times bitter deliberation, the Spokane City Council unanimously approved a $1.2 billion budget Monday with few changes from the proposal introduced by Mayor Nadine Woodward earlier this month.

Spokane City Council approves property 1% tax boost

Spokane will raise its property taxes again next year.

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.

‘Not the hill to die on’: Public can address Spokane City Council members after protest last week

After last week’s meeting was shut down during a protest over the Spokane City Council’s declaration of support for Israel and a rule limiting how speakers could address their elected leaders, Monday’s meeting proceeded without incident.

Voters approved Proposition 1 – and the elected politicians who oppose it. What now?

Spokane voters overwhelmingly approved major restrictions on camping in Tuesday’s election. But they also backed four of the five candidates who opposed those restrictions.

Woodward loses ground in second day of counting. Here’s what she would need to overtake Brown in mayoral race

The Spokane mayor race remains too close to call, though Lisa Brown’s lead over incumbent Nadine Woodward grew slightly Thursday with the latest batch of voting results.

Spokane voters criminalize homeless camps near places children gather

Frustrated with the growing issue of visible homelessness and urban blight, Spokane voters have criminalized encampments within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds and licensed child care facilities.

Wilkerson wins race for Spokane City Council president as liberals maintain control

Liberals maintained veto-proof control of the seven-person Spokane City Council, according to early results on election night.

Spokane City Council meeting shut down as pro-Palestinian protesters demand to speak

Pro-Palestinian protesters shut down a Spokane City Council meeting Monday over an October resolution in support of Israel and council rules they argue infringe on their First Amendment rights to petition their government.

Woodward releases final proposed 2024 budget. Some remain skeptical it will solve long-term problems.

The Spokane mayor’s office has released a final proposal for the city’s $1.2 billion 2024 budget, revising some of the projections and plans the administration suggested last month it could use to fill an approximately $20 million hole in the general fund.