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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Commissioner, District 2

Election Results

Candidate Votes Pct
Mary Kuney (R) 164,191 59.30%
David Green (D) 112,680 40.70%

* 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

Mary Kuney

Party:
Republican
Age:
59
City:
Spokane Valley, Washington

Education: Graduated from Central Valley High School in 1983. Attended Spokane Falls Community College and graduated from Gonzaga University in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in accounting.

Political experience: Appointed Spokane County commissioner in 2017. Won election to same seat in 2018 and 2020. Ran unsuccessfully for Spokane County treasurer in 2014. Former Republican precinct committee officer.

Work experience: Certified public accountant since 1993. Served as Spokane County chief deputy auditor for more than two years before becoming commissioner. Audited Spokane County during her 10 years with the Washington State Auditor's Office. Launched two small businesses. Owned Contineo Compliance PLLC, 2012-2013. Co-owner of Spokane-based Summit Tea Company, 2006-2008. Member of Hutton Settlement board of directors, a position she has held since 2009.

Family: Married to Max Kuney. Has two children.

FundraisingHas raised nearly $60,000 as of Oct. 5. Multiple political action committees funded by developers, builders and contractors have donated to Kuney's campaign. She's also received donations from several individual developers and contractors, Avista, Cathy McMorris Rodgers For Congress, Spokane Republican state Rep. Mike Volz, Spokane Indians (baseball) President Chris Duff, former Spokane Valley Mayor Diana Wilhite, Spokane Valley City Councilman Ben Wick and former Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke.

David Green

Party:
Democrat
City:
Spokane, Washington

Education: Graduated in 1975 from Brecksville High School in Brecksville, Ohio. Graduated from Georgetown University in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in international economics. Earned law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1982. Earned graduate law degree in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center in 1989.

Political experience: Lost race for Spokane County treasurer in 2018 against Michael Baumgartner.

Work experience: Owns tax practice David Green CPA, PLLC. Certified public accountant since 1984. Certified financial planner professional since 2008. Passed the Series 65, Uniform Investment Advisor Law Examination in 2006. Has worked at two of the four biggest accounting firms in the world, known as "The Big Four." Worked as a tax partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and worked as a tax senior manager for Ernst & Young. Worked as a tax partner at Moss Adams in Spokane. Former adjunct instructor at Gonzaga University’s graduate school of business. Former officer and board member of the Fox Theater organization, Spokane Symphony, Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, and Spokane Estate Planning Council.

Family: Declined to provide wife's name. No children.

Fundraising: Raised $3,634 as of Sept. 18, 2020. His largest contributors include himself, the Spokane Regional Labor Council and 7th Legislative Democrats.

Complete Coverage

Spokane County Commissioners spend last of federal COVID-19 aid on health district and correction officer, law enforcement salaries

Spokane County Commissioners spent the last of the $91 million they were allocated in COVID-19 aid on Monday, spending their remaining funds on public health and corrections officers and law enforcement salaries.

Two Spokane County Commissioners say they won’t support a new charter to halt 5 commissioner bill, citing lack of support from constituents

The latest effort to fight an expansion from three to five county commissioners, a freeholder and new charter process won’t go forward after two of the current county commissioners withheld support for the proposal, saying there didn’t appear to be strong backing from the public.

Spokane County to study cost of body cameras for sheriff’s office

Spokane County Commissioners authorized a new work group to study the costs of purchasing body cameras and digital evidence storage, a proposal that has the Sheriff’s support, but could cost more than $600,000 a year.

Spokane County Commissioners approve 1% property tax increase, $6.1 million shift in road levy

Monday Spokane County Commissioners voted to on three  taxes, a road shift, a small increase in land conservation taxes and a small increase in general fund property taxes. 

Spokane County’s criminal justice system got mixed reviews in a new report. Here’s how it fared

The panel of criminal justice experts behind the 2013 Blueprint for Reform gave the region mixed reviews in a status update report competed earlier this month, saying the county still has a problematic number of felony filings, has transparency issues and the region needs to commit to alternative programs such as a community corrections center and fully-funding pre-trial services. 

Spokane County commissioners Kuney, Kerns handily win re-election

The incumbent Republicans on the Spokane County Board of Commissioners cruised to victory on Tuesday.

Spokane County reduces its 2021 budget deficit by around $3 million by not hiring as many new sheriff’s deputies, other employees

Spokane County plans to not fill vacant Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputy and deputy training positions next year in hopes of reducing an $11.6 million budget deficit. 

Spokane County uses COVID-19 aid to launch $10.8 million hospitality grant program

Spokane County Commissioners approved $10.8 million in federal COVID-19 aid for a new grant program that will offer assistance to struggling hospitality businesses. The application for the grant opens next week and only restaurants, hotels, event venues and other businesses related to hospitality and leisure activities are eligible. 

Spokane County faces $11 million shortfall in 2021 budget

Spokane County’s preliminary budget was released Tuesday and the county is facing an estimated $11 million shortfall, which they hope to address with early retirements, cutting costs and potentially dipping into reserves.

Spokane County commissioners have less than 90 days to spend $40 million in federal COVID-19 aid

Spokane County Commissioners have 90 days to spend around $40 million in Federal COVID-19 aid, a little less than half of the total amount the were allocated to spend in the community at the beginning of the pandemic. 

Spokane County Commissioner candidates Mary Kuney, David Green disagree on reopening economy, funding health district

While candidates for Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney and David Green agree that sheriff deputies should have body cameras and that the county should be working with cities to address homelesness, they clashed over the county’s response to COVID-19.

New facility aims for ‘life restarts,’ reduced recidivism in people with mental health, substance disorders

Spokane County broke ground on a new facility that will open up space for those with substance abuse or mental health issues stabilize and detox, lowering the number of people going through withdrawals or mental health issues in the county jail.

Spokane County Commissioners abolish gambling taxes for unincorporated businesses

Spokane County Commissioners unanimously voted to eliminate a 2% gambling tax on unincorporated county businesses that offer gambling, hoping it will offer them some relief during the pandemic.

Spokane County awards $4.4 million in federal COVID-19 aid funding for food

Spokane County Commissioners approved $4.4 million in CARES Act funding for the Second Harvest Food Bank to address a massive increase in demand for food caused by the financial impacts of the pandemic.

Spokane County commissioner candidates David Green, Mary Kuney differ on budget issues

Accountants David Green and Mary Kuney are both running for county commissioner with different approaches on the budget, criminal justice and funding the Spokane Regional Health District. 

Spokane County health officer rejects commissioners’ push to next reopening phase

Spokane County Health Officer Bob Lutz declined a request from the Spokane County Commissioners to start the process of moving Spokane County into Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan.

So far, challengers aren’t lining up to run against incumbents in Spokane County

The deadline to file for office is a little over a week away, and many races in Spokane County, including both county commissioners seats, appear to be uncontested.

Dr. Bob Lutz, Commissioner Mary Kuney, Alisha Benson and Mayor Ben Wick: Spokane has opportunity to show correct way to respond

Our patience will pay off. By working collaboratively and collectively, the Spokane region can be recognized as a community that did it right and succeeded in bringing its economy roaring back.

Spokane region to receive $90 million from CARES Act

The Spokane region will soon receive about $90 million from the federal government to help business, organizations and agencies recover from COVID-19 expenses.

Ex-Spokane Valley Mayor Higgins considers run for Kuney’s county commission seat

After losing the majority and his position as Spokane Valley’s mayor in the fall out of the 2019 election, Councilman Rod Higgins is considering challenging incumbent county commissioner Mary Kuney for her seat.