Tuesday’s primary election in Spokane may seem like deja vu for County Commissioner Al French.
In 2022, the longtime Republican incumbent found himself trailing his Democratic challenger, Maggie Yates, after the first night of vote counting. He went on to win the race and two more years in office.
Two years later, French again finds himself trailing after the first count of votes. Democrat Molly Marshall has 50.7 percent of the vote, French has 49 percent.
“I felt the momentum. I think our team felt the momentum because we’ve been boots on the ground, working hard, trying to canvass people and we had a good feeling about tonight,” Marshall said.
“This is not unusual territory from my standpoint,” French said. “We’re pretty much where we thought we’d be on Election Day. The real race is between now and November 5.”
French says he’s confident the vote count the rest of the week will favor him, if past experience repeats itself.
French and Marshall agree that public and personal safety will likely be the most important issues of the campaign going forward.
“Number two is taxes,” French said. “They’re just being taxed to death and I’ve pledged not to raise taxes next year. I haven’t the last several years and they’re not getting any help from the state and the feds.” He also mentioned adding jobs as an issue he will run on during the next three months.
Marshall has been vocal in questioning what she views as French’s lack of action in combatting the spread of PFAS chemical contamination in West Plains wells. She also helped to successfully make the case for a building moratorium in the city’s Latah Valley neighborhood while officials address concerns about public safety.
The other two commissioners up for re-election, Democrat Chris Jordan and Republican Josh Kerns, are unopposed.
On the Spokane County Superior Court, the field for Position 11, currently held by Judge Timothy Fennessy, will narrow from four to two. Fennessy and Andrew Van Winkle are advancing to the November election.
There were also five funding propositions on the ballot.
In Cheney, 76 percent of voters approved a funding levy that would fund emergency medical services. Property owners would have/will paid/pay 50 cents per $1,000 in assessed value.
The Airway Heights Police Department may get their proposed levy increase of one dollar per thousand dollars of assessed value to pay for public safety. The measure has 53 percent approval.
In Fire District Four, which covers northern Spokane County from Mead to Elk and Deer Park, residents appear to be voting to restore the property tax rate to one dollar and fifty cents — a rate they approved in 2021. It has 60 percent approval.
To meet maintenance and operation needs, Fire District 9 asked residents to bump up their existing levy by about 80 cents per $1,000 in assessed value for the next three years. District 9 covers the areas just north of the city of Spokane. Voters there have apparently decided to approve the levy; it has 67 percent approval.
And in Fire District 13, which serves Newman Lake, asked voters for an extra 30 cents per thousand in assessed value — bringing the levy to $1.10 per thousand dollars. A majority of voters — 59 percent — have agreed to raise their taxes.