One incumbent easily won a Spokane Valley City Council race and another incumbent is in trouble.
Arne Woodard won 55% of the vote in defeating Lance Gurel for another term on the council.
“I really do think they see me with a servant’s heart, which I truly have, and I am their servant, not one to lord over them. I think that’s what’s really being said," Woodard said."
His seat mate, Brandi Peetz, is in a very close race with Michelle Rasmussen to keep the seat she won four years ago. With about 12,000 votes counted, Rasmussen leads by four. That race may not be decided for several days as ballots continue to be counted.
In the third race in Spokane Valley, Tim Hattenburg defeated chiropractor Bo Tucker to win an open seat. Hattenburg took 54% of the vote. Hattenburg has run unsuccessfully for office before. He credits his experience in the community and his time serving as a trustee on the Spokane County Library District board for helping voters become familiar with him.
“I actually had people say, ‘You’re the library guy,’ which was a really neat compliment because it’s hard not to like libraries," he said. "All of that combined really made a difference and I just can’t thank our team enough for getting out there. There were days we had 20 or 25 people go out and we’d hit 700 or 800 doors a day.”
In nearby Liberty Lake, voters may be ready for a leadership change. Councilman Shane Brickner is leading the incumbent, Steve Peterson, in the race for mayor. Brickner has 56% of the vote after the first night of counting.