Spokane Valley City Council, position 4
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Ben Wick | 9,433 | 58.62% |
| Ed Pace | 6,658 | 41.38% |
* 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
Ben Wick
- Age:
- 42
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from East Valley High School in 2000. Graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in computer science in 2004.
Work experience: Works in IT, purchasing, shipping, receiving and production scheduling at Spokane Industries. Also owns the Spokane Valley Current and Liberty Lake Splash.
Political experience: Serving his second term on City Council, currently serving as Spokane Valley mayor. (Spokane Valley City Council chooses a mayor from its council members.)
Family: Married to Danica Wick. Has four children.
Campaign fundraising: Raised $15,900 as of Oct. 11, 2021. Wick has given himself $5,300 in in-kind contributions. Contributors include Katie McKay ($1,000), the political action committee of the Inland Northwest chapter of Associated General Contractors of America ($1,000), contractor and Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney's husband Max Kuney ($500) and Spokane Valley City Councilmembers Brandi Peetz ($114.50), Tim Hattenburg ($55) and Linda Thompson ($62.50).
Ed Pace
- Age:
- 77
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Earned Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in 2003 and a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University.
Political experience: Incumbent, finishing his first term; ran unsuccessfully for council in 2009.
Work Experience: Pastor of Caring Ministries at Redeemer Lutheran Church. He served for seven years in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1972 in Germany, Vietnam and various bases in the U.S. He had a 27 year career in the electronics industry, including 18 years with Hewlett-Packard in Liberty Lake before being joining the ministry. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. Volunteer with Crosswalk, Union Gospel Mission and Boy Scouts.
Family: Married, wife Thuan. Has four grown children.
Complete Coverage
Rod Higgins wins close vote to maintain role as Spokane Valley mayor
Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins narrowly held on to his position Tuesday in a vote that shows a divided City Council. In two 4-3 votes, council members selected Higgins to keep the mayor’s position and Councilwoman Pamela Haley to be deputy mayor.
Spokane Valley City Council will pick a mayor on Tuesday
Five Spokane Valley city officials on Tuesday evening will take the oath of office to form a new council that is expected to be more moderate. Newly-elected council members Ben Wick, Linda Thompson and Brandi Peetz, who defeated more conservative incumbents, will be sworn in at the same time as Mayor Rod Higgins and Councilwoman Pam Haley, who both won re-election in November.
Spokane Valley City Council may lobby Legislature on vaccination proposal
The Spokane Valley City Council may take its advocacy of parents who want to keep their unvaccinated children in school during disease outbreaks to the state Legislature.
Maps show Valley voters rough on incumbents; Higgins edges ahead of Jackson
Voters throughout the Valley pulled support from most incumbents.
Spokane Valley voters toss incumbents on City Council; Munch, Collier and Pace lose seats
Voters on Tuesday rejected conservatives on the Spokane Valley Council on Tuesday, voting out incumbents Mike Munch, Ed Pace and J. Caleb Collier, and putting a fourth conservative in danger of losing in a race too close to call.
Wick the pick for Valley council
Wick’s brand of level-headed leadership stands in contrast to Pace’s penchant for turning the position into a platform for divisive issues.
Ed Pace, Ben Wick disagree on vaccination proposal as they seek second term on Spokane Valley Council
Spokane Valley Councilman Ed Pace tries for a second term while former Councilman Ben Wick tries to return to office.
Spokane Valley mulls possible locations for farmers market
The City of Spokane Valley is contemplating possible locations for a farmers market. A location was last discussed in 2013 when the city focused on Balfour Park – across the street from the new city hall where a library was proposed – but no development has happened there.
Councilmen Sam Wood, Ed Pace want term limits for Spokane Valley
Two Spokane Valley City councilmen are proposing a new addition to Spokane Valley politics: term limits.
Eight, including 5 Spokane Valley council members, to seek election in fall
Five open positions on the Spokane Valley City Council draw early filings with the PDC from new and veteran politicians including Ben Wick
Spokane Valley approves non-discrimination resolution; councilman declines to serve on human rights task force, citing abortion
Spokane Valley approved a non-discrimination resolution at City Council meeting Tuesday evening.
In response to hate speech, Spokane Valley Councilman Ed Pace proposes proclamation to uphold anti-discrimination laws
Spokane Valley Councilman Ed Pace proposes proclamation in support of “human rights”
Spokane Valley Councilman Ed Pace sparks debate on ridership of STA buses
Spokane Valley’s Ed Pace asks people to count riders on STA buses; said STA ridership numbers don’t match his common observation of three or fewer people on buses.
Spokane Valley City Council to vote on Matt Shea’s plan to split Washington, create state of Liberty east of Cascades
Spokane Valley Councilman Ed Pace asked that state Rep. Matt Shea’s recent bill proposing the formation of a separate state in Eastern Washington be added to the advance agenda at Spokane Valley City Council.
Valley council cleared
The Washington State Auditor’s Office has issued a detailed report clearing the Spokane Valley City Council – specifically Councilmen Ed Pace and Sam Wood, and Deputy Mayor Arne Woodard and Mayor Rod Higgins who were serving at the time – of violations of the Open Public Meetings Act and mismanagement of public funds in connection with the firing of former city manager Mike Jackson.