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Carmela Conroy to remain chair of Spokane County Democratic Party after election this month

Carmela Conroy, chair of the Spokane County Democratic Party, speaks on Nov. 29 during a county canvassing board meeting to certify the results of the November election. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
Carmela Conroy, chair of the Spokane County Democratic Party, speaks on Nov. 29 during a county canvassing board meeting to certify the results of the November election. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
By Colin Tiernan colint@spokesman.com(509) 459-5039

Carmela Conroy, a retired U.S. consul general and former deputy prosecutor, will continue to lead the Spokane County Democratic Party for the next two years.

Precinct committee officers within the county Democratic Party elected Conroy as chair during their reorganizational meeting Dec. 3. Tikor Consulting CEO Steve Kirby will serve as vice chair.

Giacobbe Byrd, Spokane City Councilwoman Lori Kinnear’s legislative assistant and a former staffer for U.S. Senator Patty Murray, will be second vice chair. Labor organizer Blair Anundson and OB-GYN doctor Bernadine Bank will serve as state committee members, representing the county party at statewide gatherings.

Conroy became chair of a fractured party in February, following Nicole Bishop’s resignation. Conroy grew up in Spokane Valley but spent much of her life as a diplomat representing the U.S. in a handful of countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Norway.

During President Bill Clinton’s administration, Conroy worked in Tokyo for Ambassador Tom Foley, the longtime U.S. congressman for Eastern Washington who served as speaker of the house from 1989 to 1995.

Conroy’s re-election as chair comes just a month after a historic election for Spokane County Democrats.

Democrats Chris Jordan and Amber Waldref won election to the new, five-member Spokane County Commission. Those victories give liberals representation on the board that sets county budgets and writes county laws for the first time in over a decade. Jordan will represent District 1, which includes most of west Spokane. Waldref will represent District 2, which covers the city’s eastern half.

Vicky Dalton’s re-election as Spokane County auditor was a big win, too, Conroy said.

Looking forward, Conroy said she hopes the party can recruit more precinct committee officers, commonly referred to as PCOs. Spokane County has more than 400 voting precincts, and roughly half of the party’s PCO seats are empty.

PCOs act as neighborhood-level organizers of political parties. They also elect party leaders, aid in fundraising efforts and collectively decide the party’s direction.

Improving voter turnout and increasing public awareness of local government issues are two of the party’s other top priorities, Conroy said.