Write-in candidates rarely make it past a primary election. But in Spokane County’s latest 4th District Commissioner race, one did just that.
Rachelle Miller, a licensed social worker, won 1,083 votes in the August primary, or about 4% of votes cast, as a write-in independent candidate for the county commission seat representing southeastern Spokane County.
Republican Commission Chair Mary Brooks did not file for reelection to the office, which initially left two-term state Rep. Suzanne Schmidt (R-Spokane Valley) facing an uncontested race to take over the open seat. That is, until Miller, who is running on an anti-data center platform, filed as a write-in candidate in June.
It’s the first time since 2010 that a write-in candidate in a county race has made it onto the ballot for the general election, according to Spokane County elections manager Ryan Dosch. That year, now-state Rep. Rob Chase (R-Spokane Valley) advanced as a write-in for the county treasurer seat and won.
Miller was the only declared write-in candidate for a county office in this year’s primary, Dosch said. Because Schmidt was otherwise unopposed, Miller needed just 1% of the votes cast to advance to the November 3 general election.
Schmidt still captured over 22,000 votes in the primary — or more than 90% of ballots cast — after emphasizing her experience in the state legislature could support her county work if elected.
The seat is one of two up for grabs on the Spokane County Commission this fall. In District 2, Commissioner Amber Waldref is running unchallenged for reelection.
Just a few months ago, Miller had no intention of running for public office. But as data centers have become a flashpoint in communities across the country, Miller said her campaign grew out of community concerns about rumblings about a data center coming to the region.
Petra Hoy, a longtime community organizer and Miller’s campaign manager, said many people were caught off guard when the filing deadline came and went in May and Schmidt ended up running unopposed.
“A lot of people just kind of got to talking that — at the very least — Suzanne shouldn't run unopposed, that we should try to at least see where she stands on [data centers],” Hoy said. “From scouring the website and different things, we really didn't see where she had taken a position on it, and so we thought that was important.”
Schmidt told RANGE that when data centers became an issue, she felt she “needed to make a statement” to make her stance clear, which she did in early September. She said that data centers were not a hot topic when she first filed in February and started campaigning, but that she has been working on learning more about the topic in recent months.
She added that she wished Miller had spoken to her before launching her write-in campaign.
“I am not going to support any economic development in Spokane County that hurts the residents,” Schmidt said. “If it affects electric rates in a negative manner, or it depletes water or natural resources, then no, I’m not going to support that.”
In July, a public records request revealed that Spokane County Commissioner Al French had held discussions with Apricus Energy Partners, a company interested in developing a data center in the county. After weeks of criticism, the commission voted unanimously in August to enact a four-month moratorium on permit approvals for such projects.
In an interview with RANGE, Miller described data centers as “the single greatest issue threatening our community.” She also acknowledged that she does not know “everything” about the county commission and the problems it faces, but promised that, if elected, that she would “jump in with both feet to learn.”
When asked if she would support any version of a data center project, Miller said it would require a lot of time and airtight protections for residents.
“To me, it’s a no right now,” she said.
As an independent and political newcomer, Miller faces an uphill campaign. She said she’s voted for both Republican and Democratic candidates in past local elections.
For Spokane Valley voter and registered Republican Mike Penick, concern about data centers has pushed him to vote across party lines.
The issue is bipartisan in nature, he said, emphasizing concerns about rising energy costs and water disposal. He noted he’s also concerned about how underground water sources in his area would be affected.
Miller’s lack of political experience is a point in her favor for Penick, even as the county faces a $30 million budget deficit for 2027.
“She’s going to have fresh eyes when it comes to it,” he said. “People who already are there and doing it — well, they’ve been involved in this budget issue to begin with.”
Despite all the buzz about data centers, Schmidt said that there is often unclear information about the facilities. She said that not all data centers are built to be utilized for AI — many online applications, including cloud storage, use data centers.
“Where I see data centers is on Nextdoor and in social media,” Schmidt said, “but when I’m actually out talking with people — doing town halls, doing doorbelling, just different events — it very seldom, very seldom ever comes up.”
To her, the issue seems to be that the data center proposals were “sprung on” the community, rather than one approached in a “transparent” manner.
But the data center issue is just one of several challenges that Schmidt expects the next commissioner will have to confront. She pointed to hundreds of families displaced by the August wildfires, the need for what she described as a multifaceted justice system and the massive budget deficit for 2027.
In June, the commission voted 3-1 to submit an application to the state that would let it enact a 0.1% sales and use tax in the county, which could funnel an extra $17 million annually into county finances for public safety.
Schmidt said she has made supporting small businesses a legislative priority and highlighted her experience with workforce development, like increasing interest in trades. She’s sponsored state bills on public safety and worker support. Before joining the legislature, Schmidt led the Inland Pacific chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, a national trade association.
“When we’re rebuilding all these houses, we’re going to need a workforce, and we’re going to need a trained workforce,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt’s campaign has raised more than $60,000 in cash contributions, with roughly a third each from political action committees, individuals and businesses, as of Sept. 28. Miller has raised more than $9,000 in cash contributions since registering in June, mostly from individual donations.
RANGE
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