Spokane City Council Elections: A Tale of Two Council Seats and Big Money

Strategic Insights -

As Washington's primary elections approach, the Spokane City Council is at the center of a heated election battle, with hundreds of thousands of dollars pouring into the campaigns of conservative and liberal candidates. The conservative minority on the council is seeking to gain more power in city government, while the liberal majority aims to maintain its grip on the council.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Northwest Spokane City Council seat, defended by incumbent Councilman Zack Zappone, has attracted big money from conservative donors, with Cody Arguelles leading the pack with $45,600 in contributions.
  • Arguelles has received four double-maxed donations of $2,400 each from top conservative donors, including the Associated Builders and Contractors of Washington and LKP Properties.
  • Zappone has raised around $37,000, with two double-maxed donations from the Laborers International Union of North America and the Spokane Firefighters Union political action committee.
  • Chris Savage, a delivery driver and private cigar lounge owner, has taken a different approach, spending more than $29,000 of his $35,000 in contributions on a name-recognition blitz campaign.
  • Northeast Spokane's only City Council seat, defended by incumbent Councilman Jonathan Bingle, has a whopping 25 maxed-out donations, with contributions from Spokane developers and real estate interests.
  • Bingle's top contributors include the Associated Builders and Contractors of Washington, Batton, of RenCorp Real Estate, and Sheldon Jackson, of Selkirk Development.
  • Sarah Dixit, the reproductive rights activist challenging Bingle, has received only around $35,000 in contributions, with most coming from outside of Spokane.
  • South Spokane's open seat election features two Democratic candidates, Alejandro Barrientos and Kate Telis, with Telis having the largest war chest at around $53,000.
  • Telis has received donations from unions, Democratic politicians, liberal retirees, and small-dollar donations, while Barrientos has faced accusations of being too closely linked with local business conservatives.

Statistics:

  • Total contributions for the Northwest Spokane City Council seat: $122,600
  • Cody Arguelles' total contributions: $45,600
  • Zack Zappone's total contributions: $37,000
  • Chris Savage's total contributions: $35,000
  • Northeast Spokane City Council seat maxed-out donations: 25
  • Number of donors contributing to Sarah Dixit: over 100
  • Total contributions for Sarah Dixit: around $35,000
  • Total contributions for Kate Telis: around $53,000
  • Number of maxed-out donations for Alejandro Barrientos: 11
  • Total contributions for Alejandro Barrientos: around $20,000

Sources:

  • The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) (August 2025)
  • Tribune Content Agency, LLC (2025)