SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The results for one of Spokane County’s most highly-contested primary races started were officially certified on Tuesday, Aug. 16. As of now, John Nowels and Wade Nelson will advance to the November election for Spokane County Sheriff.
Nowels received 53.74% of the total votes and Nelson received 28.39% of the total votes. An estimated 40% of Spokane County voters submitted their ballots in this election.
Sheriff candidate Michael Zollars received 14.83% of the total votes, meaning he will not advance to the general election in November.
Nowels is the current Undersheriff of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). He has served in multiple positions within the sheriff’s office over the last 24 years, including a detective and commander of the Spokane Regional Drug Task Force. Nowels received a degree in criminal justice from Eastern Washington University and a master’s degree in administrative leadership from the University of Oklahoma. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. If elected, Nowels said his top priorities include reducing crime, addressing homelessness and building strong relationships with neighborhoods and communities.
Nelson has spent more than 20 years with SCSO and spent six years with the Office of Naval Intelligence before being honorably discharged. He attended college and has become a department leader in all of his professional experiences, including the Critical Incident Management and Search and Rescue teams. If elected, Nelson said his top priority is to combat rising crime in the community.
The winner of the November election will take the place of current Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, who announced his plans to retire after he was re-elected to the position in 2019. In early July, he announced his plans to move to Wyoming and serve as the undersheriff in Sweetwater County.
Knezovich’s retirement means Spokane County will have a new sheriff for the first time in nearly 15 years.
KREM 2's Amanda Roley sat down with Nowels and Nelson to discuss their plans if elected for Spokane County Sheriff.
To watch Nelson's interview, use the player below:
To watch Nowels' interview, use the player below:
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