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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Election Results

Candidate Votes Pct
Randy Dorn 573,211 55.98%
Ronald Higgins 157,230 15.36%
James Bauckman 136,401 13.32%
Don Hansler 94,735 9.25%
John Patterson Blair 62,334 6.09%

* 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.

About The Race

This is a non-partisan position.

The Candidates

Randy Dorn

Age:
70
City:
Eatonville, WA

Ronald Higgins

Age:
76
City:
Richland, Washington

Education: Graduated from San Carlos High School in California in 1965. Earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from California Polytechnic State University in 1969. Earned a master’s degree in aeronautical systems from the University of West Florida in 1970. Earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Washington in 1980.

Political Experience: Ran for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2012 and 2016.

Work Experience: Served in U.S. Marine Corps. Engineer at U.S. Department of Energy from 1991 to 2009. Substitute teacher in Washington since 2009. Substitute teacher in California from January to May 2015.

Family: Married to Deborah Higgins. Has two children.

James Bauckman

Age:
50
City:
Ferndale, WA

Don Hansler

Age:
94
City:
Spanaway, WA

A retired math and science teacher, Hansler contemplated a 2012 run for president of the United States but ran into difficulty meeting the requirements to get his fledgling Common Sense Party on the ballot in all 50 states.

John Patterson Blair

Age:
78
City:
Vashon, WA