Spokane Mayor David Condon has reached his first tentative contract deal with a major city union. The Spokane Managerial and Professional Association mailed ballots to its 250 members this week on a proposed three-year contract, said Carly Cortright, the association’s president. The union’s leadership, which…
OLYMPIA -- The state Supreme Court upheld Initiative 1183, a.k.a. get the state out of the booze business, on a 5-4 vote. (Here's a link to today's story.) Or maybe it's better described a 5-3-1 vote, because Justice Tom Chambers disagreed with the majority on…
OLYMPIA -- Mike Gregoire, husband of Washington's two term governor, is recovering from cancer surgery after colon cancer was discovered during a routine screening. Gov. Gregoire said in a statement her husband, who is 66, is still in the hospital but is expected to make…
OLYMPIA -- State Democrats and Republicans sparred today over the scheduled banquest speakers for their upcoming conventions, trying to one-up each other with digs at the incoming guests. Democrats invited Newark Mayor Corey Booker to address their assembled delegates for a Friday evening banquet. This…
The most basic political position for either party is that of the Precinct Committee Officer, a job with no pay, limited authority, and the potential for significant demands on the office holder’s time. In theory, Democrats and Republicans should each elect a PCO for each…
Mulloy Hansen had been a Mormon missionary in France for just a few months in early 1967 when he got word he was getting a new roommate and partner to seek converts in a working class section of Paris. The 19-year-old Canadian teenager, who'd spent…
As candidates wander around their respective district, county or state looking for support, it’s up to us the voters to have an idea what to expect from them. They’re trying to cajole your vote with cheesy pictures in brochures or fancy camera work in commercial.…
OLYMPIA -- If your motor is racing because Washington's gasoline prices are going up, while most of the rest of the country's prices are going down, here's something that may tach it up further: There is now a state agency in charge of monitoring and…
Washington state and Idaho have some unusual, quirky and creative candidates. But so far none of them has produced a video like this one from Jeff Barth, a Democrat running to unseat a Republican congresswoman in South Dakota. Sure, at nearly 5 minutes, it's too…
Job creation may be the main talking point of the two main candidates for governor, but another topic is rivaling jobs as a top issue in the campaign. That’s thanks in part to outgoing Gov. Chris Gregoire, who has loudly backed the creation of new…
OLYMPIA -- An initiative that would allow the state to form as many as 40 charter schools over the next five years was filed today with the Secretary of State in an effort to get the proposal on the November ballot. They would be "public…
So much for magical thinking. The Occupy Spokane activist who challenged state Rep. Kevin Parker's reelection bid already has dropped out of the race. Wayne Kyle Spitzer, a Democrat, confirmed today that he decided against running for Parker's 6th District House seat. He filed paperwork…
OLYMPIA -- The number of vacant seats in the Legislature continues to grow, as Sen. Cheryl Pflug accepted a gubernatorial appointment Monday to the Growth Management Hearings Board. Pflug, R-Maple Valley, represents the suburban King County 5th Legislative District, first elected to the House in…
The Spokane County Republican Party plans to go to court this week in an effort to block the county commissioner campaign of Democrat John Roskelley. The county GOP filed a challenge to Roskelley's current voter registration on Friday, and asked Auditor Vicky Dalton to remove…
Attached to this post are the two proposed citizen intiatives filed recently with the city of Spokane clerk's office. The supporters of each initiative still need to gather signatures in order to force the issues onto the city ballot. Here is the story about the…
Washington’s Top 2 primary doesn’t just bring out a wealth of candidates. It brings out the creativity in some of those candidates as they list which party they “prefer.” Preference is a key part of the Top 2, because it doesn’t limit the general election…
When the dust from candidate filing week settled at the close of business Friday, there were a few surprises in who is running for what. But the biggest surprise was who isn’t running. For the first time since 1996, a Spokane primary election ballot will…
OLYMPIA – Washington’s primary ballot got longer and more interesting before elections offices closed for filing Friday afternoon. Spokane-area ballots will have nine candidates for governor, eight for U.S. Senate, seven for secretary of state, six for lieutenant governor, five for a Spokane legislative seat,…
Downtown Spokane businessman John Waite said Friday that he has decided not to run for the state House afterall. Waite said earlier this month that he would run as a Democrat for the seat held by state Rep. Andy Billig, who is giving up his…
OK candidates, it's down to the wire. You have until 5 p.m to file for statewide office, and 4 p.m. to file for an office with a district that is solely within Spokane County. As we approach the deadline, the field for one of the…
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire told the state’s largest teachers union that she will work to increase taxes to help the state meet its mandate to provide quality education. “I am traveling the state to send the message to legislators and taxpayers that we must have…
Washington's congressional delegation is a diverse group that doesn't agree on much, whether it's who's waging a "war on women" or what's the right policy on taxes, budget cuts, health care reform or immigration. But they managed to rally around one favorite topic this morning:…
Changes to the way citizens can sidestep elected leaders to pass their own laws received the endorsement on Wednesday of Mayor David Condon. But there will be more steps before the new rules become law if some citizens have their way. Ian Moody, a marijuana…
OLYMPIA -- The middle of filing week, as usual, brings some familiar names to the primary ballot and at least one newcomer: Mike the Mover has filed for governor. John Adams has filed for state insurance commissioner. Ian Moody of Spokane has filed for the…
OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Rob McKenna says state residents shouldn't be taking advice from Kim Kardashian, at least not about shoes that supposedly help build you up without a trip to the gym. The state got a piece of the settlement between Skechers shoe manufacturers…
The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.
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