Arne Woodard
A candidate for Spokane Valley City Council, position 3, City of Spokane Valley in the 2019 Washington Primary Election, Aug. 6
Age: 71
City: Spokane Valley, WA
Education: Graduated from Gonzaga Prep in 1971 and attended Spokane Community College for about a year and a half.
Political experience: Has served on the City Council since 2011 and is the longest serving councilman in Spokane Valley history.
Work experience: Owned real estate business from 1994 to 2018. Previously worked in construction and rebuilding homes damaged by floods or storms. Has worked on road and underground utility projects. Has owned a bakery named Backburner Breads, sold bread-making equipment and owned a health food store called Magic Mill.
Family: Married to Charmagne Woodard. Has seven children and 15 or so grandchildren.
Fundraising: Has raised more than $10,600 as of Sept. 26, and also began his campaign with an additional $5,225 in funds. Woodard has received several donations from individuals and companies in the real estate and construction industries. Other notable donors include Spokane Valley City Councilman Rod Higgins, former Spokane County GOP Chairwoman Cynthia Zapotocky, Spokane Valley City Councilwoman Laura Padden and state Sen. Mike Padden.
Race Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Arne Woodard | 6,843 | 43.81% |
| Lance Gurel | 3,993 | 25.56% |
| Al (Albert) Merkel | 3,460 | 22.15% |
| Adam Smith | 1,325 | 8.48% |
Related Coverage
Incumbents advance in Spokane Valley City Council races; Woodard’s opponent uncertain
Voters whittled down their choices for three seats on the Spokane Valley City Council on Tuesday night, but with some votes still to be tallied, the slates for the general election were not entirely clear.
Family of white supremacist murder victims, including Spokane Valley City Council candidate, call for racial equity talk in the city
Lance Gurel, who is one of the candidates running against Spokane Valley City Councilman Arne Woodard, said this weekend the impending execution of Danny Lewis Lee shows why the city must face its racial equity challenges. Woodard defended the city’s approach to the question while condemning Lee’s actions.
Spokane Valley leaders clash over racial equity proposal at Tuesday council meeting
A tense and awkward exchange about race emerged at a Spokane Valley City Council meeting Tuesday night, exposing a rift about whether the city is welcoming to people of different ethnic backgrounds and whether it needs to take action to be more so.
Control of Spokane Valley City Council a top issue for two of Councilman Arne Woodard’s primary challengers
Two candidates hoping to unseat conservative Spokane Valley City Councilman Arne Woodard say their goal is to shift the balance of power on the council. Former government contract negotiator Al Merkel and accountant Lance Gurel said they more often agree with more moderate members of the council, Brandi Peetz, Ben Wick and Linda Thompson.