Spokane Valley Councilmembers Elect Mayor and Deputy Mayor
SPOKANE VALLEY, WA—At the Jan. 6 Spokane Valley City Council meeting, Councilmembers voted by majority to elect Councilmember Laura Padden to serve as Mayor and Councilmember Tim Hattenburg as Deputy Mayor. Both terms are for 2026 and 2027.
“I am passionate about the Valley and honored to serve as your Mayor,” said newly elected Mayor Laura Padden. "I am committed to a Spokane Valley that is a safe, clean, affordable city in which to live, work, play, and raise a family. Working together with Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and our fellow Councilmembers, this can be achieved in a fiscally responsible way, while always protecting the taxpayer’s investment in our city.”
Laura Padden is serving her second four-year term on the City Council after being re-elected in November 2025. Padden holds a bachelor's degree in police science and administration from Washington State University and computer science from Eastern Washington University. She is employed by the Community Colleges of Spokane as a software developer. Padden has been a resident of Spokane Valley since the age of two. She and her husband, Mike, have five grown sons and three grandchildren.
Tim Hattenburg is also serving his second four-year term on the City Council, first elected in November 2019. Hattenburg holds a double major in education and history from Washington State University and completed two years of postgraduate study at Gonzaga, Whitworth and Eastern Washington universities. He is a published author, small business owner and a retired teacher, coach and athletic director with the Central Valley School District. Hattenburg is a lifelong Spokane Valley native. He is married with three grown children and three grandchildren.
The City of Spokane Valley operates under a Council-Manager form of government, which consists of an elected City Council responsible for policymaking, and a professional city manager, appointed by the Council, responsible for administration. Every two years, Councilmembers elect one member from the Council to serve as Mayor and one as Deputy Mayor.
For more information about the Spokane Valley City Council, visit SpokaneValleyWA.gov/CityCouncil.