City Council South seat (District 2)
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Allen | 10,328 | 50.33% |
| Richard Rush | 10,193 | 49.67% |
* 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.
The Candidates
Mike Allen
- Age:
- 57
- City:
- Spokane, WA
- Occupation:
- President of marketing company
Education: Graduated from Omak High School, 1985. Earned bachelor’s in finance from Eastern Washington University, 2000. Earned Master’s in Business Administration from EWU in 2001.
Career: President of Madkat, which publishes the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Home Field Guide. Former associate athletic director at EWU. Former owner of Ames Brothers Coffee in Wenatcheee.
Political: Appointed to Spokane City Council in late 2007. Lost bid to retain seat in 2009.
Family: Married. Has two school-age daughters.
Richard Rush
- Age:
- 73
- City:
- Spokane, WA
- Occupation:
- Incumbent councilman
Education: Graduated from Tuskegee (Ala.) High School, 1969. Bachelor’s degree in sociology from Auburn University, 1973. Earned Master’s in Business Administration degree from Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, 1986.
Career: Incumbent councilman. Property manager.
Political experience: Elected to Spokane City Council, 2007. Active in Cliff-Cannon Neighborhood Council.
Family: Married. Has two school-age children.
Complete Coverage
Rush proposes end to city utility tax
It was as if pigs had grown wings and landed on the roof of Spokane City Hall. George McGrath, a conservative, longtime follower and critic of the City Council, approached the microphone at this week’s meeting and praised a plan proposed by outgoing liberal Councilman Richard Rush.
Rush forgos hand recount, concedes race
Spokane City Councilman Richard Rush said Saturday he has decided against paying for a hand recount in his race against Mike Allen. Rush said that after further consideration of the results of the machine recount, as well as the hand recount that was completed in the 4th Legislative District Senate race last week, he decided it was highly unlikely that a hand recount would change the outcome of his race.
Recounts confirm returns; hand count still to come
Mike Allen’s lead over Richard Rush grew by three votes, to 91, on Wednesday after a recount in the Spokane City Council election for the city’s south district. But the race still isn’t over.
Spokane Councilman Rush to pay for hand recount
Spokane City Councilman Richard Rush, who trails former Councilman Mike Allen by 88 votes, submitted a check Friday to the Spokane County Elections Office for $6,240 to pay for a full manual count of ballots in his race for the south district.
Vote recount will test new machines
Spokane County election officials took advantage Thursday of an opportunity to test their vote-counting machines for free. The county Canvassing Board – Auditor Vicky Dalton, Commissioner Al French and County Attorney Jim Emacio – reversed course and decided to use the machines for a mandatory recount in a close Spokane City Council race.
It’s now Spokane Mayor-Elect Condon
David Condon, the former deputy chief of staff of Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, claimed enough votes on Thursday to make any last-minute, shocking comeback by Mayor Mary Verner unrealistic.
Conviction likely to bring changes at department
The conviction of Officer Karl Thompson could mean a significant shift in the running and politics of the Spokane Police Department, some city officials and police accountability advocates said after Wednesday’s verdict. Jeffry Finer, a civil rights attorney who represents the family of Otto Zehm, said he hopes the jury’s decision would lead to serious police reform after years of failed efforts.