Commissioner District 4
August 4, 2026 · Spokane County, Washington · County · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 20 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 549,056 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(2,287,171 ÷ 549,056) ÷ ln(2,287,171 ÷ 2,353) = 20.74, comparing counties in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
County Commissioner is responsible for:
- Passing county rules and the county budget
- Setting property tax rates that fund county services
- Overseeing county departments such as roads, parks, and public health
- Deciding land use in areas outside city limits
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Rachelle Miller
Independent · declared
Rachelle Miller is a Spokane-raised licensed independent clinical social worker and private business owner with more than 20 years of professional experience. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Montana and a master's degree in social work from Eastern Washington University.
Suzanne Schmidt
Republican · declared
Suzanne Schmidt serves as a Washington state representative for Legislative District 4. Her professional background includes workers' compensation claims management, workplace-safety consulting, regulatory compliance, and leadership of the Associated Builders and Contractors Inland Pacific Chapter.
Election sources
Source: voter.votewa.gov