List of mayors of Spokane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Spokane
Flag of Spokane, Washington
Incumbent Lisa Brown since January 2, 2024

The mayor of Spokane is the main leader of the city government in Spokane, Washington. Spokane is a large city in the United States. The mayor helps manage and run different parts of the city. This includes things like parks, roads, and public safety.

Over time, the mayor's job in Spokane has changed. When Spokane first started, it used a "commission system" until 1960. In this system, a group of people shared leadership. Then, in 1960, people voted to try a "city manager system." This meant a city manager had most of the power. In 2001, Spokane changed again. It switched to a "strong mayor" system. This system gives the mayor more power to lead the city.

Spokane's Mayors Through History

Spokane has had many mayors since it became a city. These leaders have helped shape Spokane. They have worked to make the city a better place for everyone.

Early Mayors: Before the Strong Mayor System (1881–2001)

For many years, Spokane had different ways of choosing its mayor. The mayor's role also changed over time. Here are some of the people who served as mayor before the "strong mayor" system began.

#	Photo	Mayor	Term start	Term end
1		Robert W. Forrest	1881	1882
2		James N. Glover	1883	1884
3		Anthony M. Cannon	1885	1886
4		William H. Taylor	1887	1888
5		Jacob Hoover	1888	1889
6		Francis M. Tull	1889	1889
7		Isaac S. Kaufman	1889	1889
8		Fred Furth	1889	1890
9		Charles F. Clough	1890	1891
10		David B. Fotheringham	1891	1892
11		Daniel M. Drumheller	1892	1893
12		Edward L. Powell	1893	1894
13		Horatio N. Belt	1894	1896
14		Elmer D. Olmsted	1897	1898
15		James M. Comstock	1898	1901
16		Patrick S. Byrne	1901	1903
17		L. Frank Boyd	1903	1905
18		Floyd L. Daggett	1905–1907
19		C. Herbert Moore	1907	1909
20		Nelson S. Pratt	1909	1911
21		William J. Hindley	1911	1913
22		Charles M. Fassett	1914	1916
23		Charles A. Fleming	1916	1917
24		Charles M. Fassett	1918	1920
25		Charles A. Fleming	1920	1929
26		Leonard Funk	1929	1935
27		Arthur W. Burch	1935	1937
28		Frank G. Sutherlin (Sr.)	1937	1945
29		Otto A. Dirkes	1945	1946
30		Arthur Meehan	1945	1955
31		Willard Taft	1955	1958
32		Frank G. Sutherlin (Jr.)	1958	1960
33		Kenneth Lawson	1960	1960
34		Neal R. Fosseen	1960	1967
35		David H. Rodgers	1967	1978
36		Ron Bair	1978	1982
37		James Everett Chase	1982	1986
38		Vicki McNeill	1986	1990
39		Sheri S. Barnard	1990	1994
40		Jack Geraghty	1994	1998
41		John Talbott	1998	2000

Modern Mayors: The Strong Mayor System (2001–Present)

In January 2001, Spokane started using the "strong mayor" system. This means the mayor has more direct power. They are in charge of the city's day-to-day operations. This system is still used today.

#	Photo		Mayor	Term	Party	Election	Notes
39			Powers, JohnJohn Powers	December 28, 2000 – December 23, 2003	Democratic	2000	He was elected for a shorter term. This was because the city switched to the strong mayor system.
40			West, James E.James E. West	December 23, 2003 – December 16, 2005	Republican	2003	His term ended early due to a special vote by the citizens in 2005.
41			Hession, Dennis P.Dennis P. Hession	December 16, 2005 – November 27, 2007	Democratic	—	The city council chose him to be mayor after the previous mayor's term ended early.
42			Verner, MaryMary Verner	November 27, 2007 – December 30, 2011	Democratic	2007
43			Condon, DavidDavid Condon	December 30, 2011 – December 30, 2019	Republican	2011
						2015
44			Woodward, NadineNadine Woodward	December 30, 2019 – January 2, 2024	Republican	2019
45			Brown, LisaLisa Brown	January 2, 2024 – present	Democratic	2023