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After weeks of changes, Spokane general election ballot firms up

The primary election was weeks ago, but a recount and multiple court rulings meant voters only recently learned what they'll see on their ballots in November.

SPOKANE, Wash. — On August 3, Washington held its 2021 primary election to determine which candidates would advance to the general election.

But a series of twists and turns resulted in weeks of uncertainty about exactly what voters would see on their ballots in November; only recently have answers firmed up.

Spokane City Council, District 1

District 1 represents Northeast Spokane and is the only district that currently has a conservative council member, so perhaps it's no surprise that the lone conservative candidate in this race — Jonathan Bingle — is moving comfortably to the general election.

Of the three candidates, Bingle got the largest share of votes: 46.41%.

Two progressive candidates vied to get the second spot and face Bingle in November, and the race was extraordinarily close. It was so close it required a manual recount, but the recount didn't change the outcome.

Naghmana Sherazi beat out Luc Jasmin III by just four votes.

Even though her 26.57% pales in comparison to Bingle's figure, it's likely that most of Jasmin's supporters will coalesce behind Sherazi in November. This race will probably be close, and in a district with typically very low turnout, every vote will count, as the recount made clear.

Spokane City Council, District 2

Incumbent council member Betsy Wilkerson was already the heavy favorite to retain her seat representing southern Spokane.

She had just one opponent, Tyler LeMasters, so there was no need for a primary. Both were poised to automatically advance to the general.

Wilkerson has financial support from basically the entire political spectrum in Spokane; mainstays of both progressive and conservative politics in Spokane dot her donor list.

But, it turns out that support may have been unnecessary. Her opponent LeMasters will no longer be on the ballot. This week, a judge ruled him ineligible because he hasn't lived in his district long enough.

That means Wilkerson will go unopposed. Though as with all races in Washington, there will be an option to write other candidates in.

Spokane City Council, District 3

Northwest Spokane was the only district without any recent shenanigans. The results we saw on election night have held.

Progressive candidate Zack Zappone had a dominant showing against four other candidates, getting 42.09% of the vote.

Conservative candidate Mike Lish came in second with 30.70%.

Progressive Lu Hill also ran a strong campaign, taking in 12.58%, and it's likely most of her supporters will get behind Zappone. That will help make him the likely favorite in a typically blue-tilting district. 

Nonetheless, Lish has a robust campaign with significant financial backing, and the race is sure to be competitive.

City of Spokane, Proposition 1

There was also another big change to Spokane City ballots this week: voters will no longer have any ballot measures to weigh in on.

The only one that was slated for the ballot was Proposition 1, and a judge recently ruled it must be taken off.

The measure would have essentially aimed to ban the city government from itself banning the use of natural gas or hydropower. 

The judge basically said: that's not how this works. Even though voters have pretty broad initiative power in Washington, the judge ruled this is outside their purview, sort of just like micromanaging. So she struck the proposition down.

The general election is on November 2nd.

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