Spokane County held general elections on Nov. 3, 2015. Out of 286,245 registered voters in the county, 120,150 people cast their ballots; the overall voter turnout resulted in 41.97 percent of the registered population.  According to Carlos Hernandez, who works for ASEWU under Legislative Affairs, 265 students registered to vote through EWU this year. In order to promote civic involvement, Hernandez said a civics week is being planned by ASEWU for the spring to encourage registered voters to participate in future elections.

The recent elections focused primarily on propositions, advisory notes and the election of various city council members and school district directors. Many of the city council members ran unopposed for their positions, resulting in an automatic win.

Results of General Elections:

62.83 percent of the voters voted Ben Stuckart for City of Spokane Council President.

9th Legislative District State Representative Position 1 – Mary Dye won with 64.39 percent of the votes.

Mayor of Spokane – David Condon won with 62.70 percent of the votes.

58.86 percent of the voters voted “yes” on Initiative Measure No. 1366, concerning state taxes and fees – it will lower the sales tax rate and requires an amendment that requests two-thirds of the legislative approval to raise the taxes and fees.

59.28 percent of the voters voted “yes” on the City of Cheney Prop 1 Public Safety and Capital Levy – the proposition will provide continual public safety and progress towards the city’s capital plan of updating technology and building a public pool. This will increase Cheney property tax to an approved rate of $3.10 per $1,000 starting in 2016.

54.26 percent of the voters voted “no” on Spokane County Prop 1 – it would have increased the number of county commissioners from three to five. The increase of county commissioners would increase the number of people who are responsible for overseeing and disbursing funds throughout the county.

64.08 percent of voters voted “no” on City of Spokane Prop 1 – it proposes that a worker bill of rights be added to the City Charter. The Envision Worker Bill of Rights would have secured family wages when employed by a large employer, give workers the right not to be wrongfully terminated and give an equal work-to-pay salary.

70.89 percent of the voters voted “no” on City of Spokane Prop 2 – it proposed to decrease funding in the existing General Funds program to get reallocated to the proposed ballot of the Envision Workers Bill of Rights.

66.16 percent of the voters voted “no” on City of Spokane Prop 3 – it sought to pursue additional funding sources in order to establish the Envision Workers Program.

52.24 percent of the voters voted to repeal Advisory Note No.10 –  a tax increase for oil spill response and administration taxes that apply to railroad transportation of crude oil and petroleum. It cost the government $17,000,000 to maintain.

55.35 percent of the voters voted to maintain Advisory Note No.11 – a tax increase for the marijuana excise tax on medical marijuana sales; the cost in government funds is unknown.

73.25 percent of the voters voted to repeal Advisory Note No.12 –  additional taxes on motor vehicle and special fuels. It cost approximately $3.7 billion in the first decade of exercise.

71.52 percent of the voters voted to repeal Advisory Note No. 13 – it increased business and occupation tax revenues which tax the gross income of a business based on the value of products and gross proceeds of a sale. It excluded certain software manufacturers, meaning any business that provides internet access or telecommunication, from a retail sales exemption because the services of internet and telecommunication are not in the definition of digital products. It cost approximately $1.4 billion to maintain.