Democrats Make Rare Push for Spokane County Clerk

Spokane County’s clerk race remains nearly even after Wednesday’s ballot update. Democrat Elliot Robison, a 30-year-old business intelligence analyst for CHAS Health, has 75,440 votes. Republican Dave Lucas, a Cheney court administrator, has 76,020. The gap is under one percentage point, with about 67,000 ballots still awaiting counting. Another update is expected Thursday.

A Democratic victory would be historically unusual: the last Democrat chosen for Spokane County clerk was Glenn Derbyshire in 1910, when he was 36. The contest is unfolding alongside a broader national shift, while several major county positions—including sheriff and a county commission seat—had no Democratic candidate. Spokane County Democrats’ chair, Spokane City Councilman Paul Dillon, said the party needs stronger infrastructure and more candidates. He pointed to the strong showings by younger contenders as evidence of progress.

The other closely watched county race involves Callie Gee, a 24-year-old tax professional at Baker Tilly seeking to succeed Democrat Vicky Dalton, who has led the elections office since 1998. Gee is running against Republican Michael Cathcart, who held a lead of about 1,500 votes after Wednesday’s count. The results could shape who oversees local elections and whether Democrats gain another county office.