Spokane Valley City Council Position 1
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Kelly | 12,774 | 58.12% |
| Kristopher Pockell | 9,205 | 41.88% |
* 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.
Results by Precinct
The Candidates
Mike Kelly
- Age:
- 61
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from Parkrose High School in Portland, Oregon, in 1982. Attended Mount Hood Community College and Brigham Young University for a total of two years.
Work experience: Serves as chief financial officer for KT Contracting Company in Salem, Oregon. Owns Millennial Property Management in Keizer, Oregon; Millennial Capital Investors in Spokane Valley; and co-owns vehicle repair shop AMC Holdings in Salem, Oregon. Owns or co-owns real estate holding companies in Spokane Valley; Vancouver, Washington; Leonardtown, Maryland; and several around Keizer, Oregon. Has worked as a financial adviser and investment counselor, a paralegal, business consultant and a certified tax preparer. Once owned an insurance agency and a trucking company.
Political experience: Currently a Republican precinct committee officer. Appointed to the Spokane Valley Planning Commission in March 2024. Unsuccessfully ran for state Senate representing Washington’s 4th Legislative District in 2024.
Family: Married to Kristi Kelly. Has three step-children and six grandchildren.
Fundraising: Has raised more than $11,000 as of July 11, 2025, including a $7,000 personal loan. Top donors include retired Valley residents Marvel Travis and Janet Brown, Spokane attorney Brandon Casey of Casey Law Offices and Ben Lund of Lund’s Carpet Cleaning.
Kristopher Pockell
- Age:
- 38
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from Central Valley High School in 2006. Earned a bachelor’s degree in software development in 2018, and a master of business administration degree in 2021, both from Western Governors University.
Work experience: Worked as a machinist at USWP Manufacturing, Mackay manufacturing and Romney Motion before returning to higher education. Spent three years as a software engineer at AssetWorks LLC before joining OpenEye in 2019. Now serves as a software engineering manager for OpenEye. Co-owns and operates Elixir Sauce Company, established in 2021.
Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for a Spokane Valley Fire District commission seat in 2015, and for a state Representative seat in Washington’s Fourth Legislative District in 2024.
Family: Married to Rebekah Pockell.
Fundraising: Has raised nearly $22,500 including a $5,000 loan himself as of Oct. 1, according to the PDC. Contributors include himself, who have $10,000 to his campaign; Mill Creek resident Paula Grigsby; Washington Realtors Political Action Committee; Neil Muller, vice president of Acrisure Northwest; and Spokane Valley Mayor Pam Haley.
Complete Coverage
Kelly, Pockell take different positions on policing, housing in Spokane Valley council race
The candidates to replace longtime Spokane Valley City Councilman Rod Higgins have different takes on how the city should grow and how to keep it safe.
Incumbent, familiar candidates advance to general election in two Spokane Valley City Council races
Initial results in the only two Spokane Valley City Council races on the primary ballot this year indicate more than a few familiar faces will advance to the general election this November.
Voters decide tax asks Tuesday and who advances in a number of local elections
Tuesday is the last chance for Washington voters to help winnow candidates in local elections.
Four experienced candidates are vying to be the sole guaranteed new face on Spokane Valley City Council
Incumbent Rod Higgins, the longest-serving member of the council, opted not to run for reelection to Position 1 earlier this year due to his age and a desire to get fresh perspectives and voices on the council.
Spokane Valley voters to decide if additional law enforcement is worth paying more in sales tax
Primary ballots were dropped in the mail in Spokane County on Wednesday, which means the Spokane Valley City Council’s yearslong effort to strengthen public safety will soon be in the hands of the city’s residents.
With filing week over, election season in Spokane County asks if voters want to shake up their cities
Medical Lake residents will be asked whether to re-elect a mayor determined to see the city grow and further developed, or a former mayor worried growth is outpacing the city’s capacity to pay for it and could start to price out current residents.
Contests for Spokane Valley City Council shaping up (and other updates for candidate filing week)
While a couple days remain for interested candidates to throw their hats in the ring, it’s already clear the Spokane Valley City Council will look a little different next year.
GOP chair files for Central Valley School Board as candidate filing week starts
Four years ago, after Rob Linebarger and Pam Orebaugh emerged as the top two candidates in a primary election for a Central Valley School Board seat, Linebarger stepped aside, saying Orebaugh was the better choice, especially compared to a write-in candidate they opposed.
State Rep. Mike Volz leads list of choices for Spokane County treasurer, but final pick has more steps
State Rep. Mike Volz is – so far – the top-rated choice of the Spokane County Republican Party to be the next county treasurer.
Who will replace Michael Baumgartner? Spokane County GOP releases names, questionnaires for potential new Spokane County treasurer
The candidates being considered for a nomination to be Spokane County’s next treasurer include a pair of treasurer’s office employees, some previous contenders for public office and a few political newcomers.