How the PDC Website Helps During Election Season

Spokane voters can use the PDC website to examine the money and activity behind local campaigns. Its Candidates page supports searches by person, race or party. Candidate profiles show donors and spending on staff, events, advertising, parade supplies, printing and other purchases. Most datasets can also be downloaded for customized analysis.

Recent filings illustrate the level of detail available. Dale Whitaker paid nearly $13,000 for texts sent to hundreds of thousands of Spokane County voters. Michael Cathcart reported 75 pieces of rebar and $395.56 for parade candy. John Nowels raised nearly $60,000 while running without opposition. Other entries include Natasha Hill’s $500 billboard and social media project, Luc Jasmin III’s $43.60 purchase of 80 Pride flags, and Jonathan Bingle’s $1,537.18 expense for a phone and accessories.

The site also tracks political committees and spending conducted independently of candidates. Users can filter committees by county and year, jurisdiction or candidate, although a county search can miss groups registered elsewhere. Local independent spending this year totals $735.65, entirely from Fuse Votes WA committee; Spokane saw roughly $2 million in 2023. Committee records are especially useful for ballot measures because their supporting and opposing money flows through PACs. Those filings show Washington Trust Bank gave $50,000 to the transit tax renewal opposition committee, while Yes for Buses PAC received no contribution above $10,000 and most were below $5,000.