Spokane County prosecutor race brings a choice on public safety

Spokane County voters will decide the prosecutor’s race in the November 3 general election, the first election involving the office since Preston McCollam became its leader. McCollam, a Republican, was appointed in July 2025 after Larry Haskell retired. His opponent, Danny Tarkenton, is running independently. Both have worked in the prosecutor’s office and earned law degrees from Gonzaga University, while Tarkenton is also studying forensic psychology at Arizona State University.

The winner will oversee nearly 150 employees, including about 70 attorneys, and guide an office handling criminal, misdemeanor and civil cases, family law, and legal work for county departments. The campaign has raised questions about whether the job demands extensive courtroom experience or primarily strong leadership. McCollam has worked there since 2015 and emphasizes his decade of casework. Tarkenton says managing the office requires judgment and leadership, including experience from military service.

Domestic violence is another central issue for Spokane County, which has one of Washington’s highest rates. InvestigateWest found McCollam’s office declined to pursue record numbers of such cases over the past year, citing factors including limited evidence, victims’ wishes and concerns about an underfunded public defense system. McCollam supports a 0.1% county sales tax adopted for policing and court resources. Tarkenton has proposed collecting more evidence during initial responses and connecting victims with advocates and safety resources immediately. The prosecutor’s office also reviews police killings of civilians; during McCollam’s 11 years there, every such county case was ruled justified.