Spokane County Commission, District 2
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Kuney (R) | 34,576 | 61.83% |
| David Green (D) | 21,347 | 38.17% |
* 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.
Fundraising: Has 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:
- Democratic
- 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 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.
Spokane County Commission backs legal effort forcing public employee unions to negotiate publicly
Spokane County has filed a brief in support of Lincoln County’s case that will determine whether counties can force unions that represent their employees to negotiate wages and benefits in public.
Spokane County CEO Gerry Gemmill to retire this summer
Spokane County CEO Gerry Gemmill is retiring after nearly 40 years working for the county, including the past four as the top administrator.
City, county now require open union negotiations, but they haven’t happened – and may never
Though Spokane County and the city of Spokane have both required their unions to negotiate with them in public, some union leaders aren’t ready to back down as they wait for the outcome of a court case.
McMorris Rodgers says GOP leaders were right to oust Shea from caucus; other officials split on whether he should resign
“I have repeatedly condemned extremism, no matter its source, and have made clear the violence it inspires has no place here in Eastern Washington,” the congresswoman said in a statement.
Spokane County gets conflicting reports about nonprofit public defense
Spokane County officials continue to explore the idea of contracting with a nonprofit agency to provide public defense attorneys even though more counties are choosing to make that a function of county government.