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Monroe County candidates for office raised about $250,000 this year in yard signs, advertising and other election-related expenses, most of which was raised by just six candidates.
The candidate recently submitted a pre-election campaign finance report. The report provides voters with information about the funds raised by candidates, where they came from, and how they were spent.
Nicholas Almendarez, associate professor at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law, said: Almendarez’s research focuses on topics such as election finance.
Almendarez said research generally shows that there is a relationship between spending money and getting votes, but the details of that relationship aren’t clear. For example, research shows that a candidate who spends $100 million is wealthier than a candidate who spends nothing, but instead of spending $100 million, he It’s not clear that it makes a big difference.
Election Day 2022:Monroe County, Indiana Voters in the November 2022 General Election
Nevertheless, Alemendares said, “there is good evidence that money does make a difference.”
The latest local election financial report shows stiff competition, at least financially, for Monroe County Circuit Court judges, but incumbent Commissioner Lee Jones is in the running for the sheriff and county commissioner’s races. It has a big gap with the challenger and is causing a financial explosion. .
Republican Karl Lamb, who is running for judge on the Monroe County Circuit Court, has raised about $21,000 so far this year. His opponent, Democrat Emily Salzman, raised $18,000. Salzman is a partner in the Salzman Law and has served as an interim judge. Ram is a local attorney and Marine Corps veteran.
Details: Q&A with judge candidatesJudge Candidates Lamb and Salzmann Talk about Courtroom Efficiency, Evening Courtroom
Contributions that candidates must report include cash as well as in-kind services such as mail that donors process for candidates.
It’s hard to know how much money Monroe County Sheriff’s Candidate Ruben Marte (Democrat) raised. His pre-election report does not match his pre-primary school report, nor does the column total. But his treasurer, Michael Gastineau, said Marte will file an updated report showing he raised $33,450 this year.
Marté’s opponent, Republican Nathan Williamson, has only raised about $9,000, giving Marté a roughly 4-to-1 advantage in spending. Marte is a Captain of the Indiana State Police and Williamson is a Sergeant at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Current Sheriff Brad Swain cannot seek re-election due to term limits.
Democrat Monroe County Commissioner Lee Jones reportedly had raised about $3,700 by mid-October and had spent about $700, far ahead of Republican Perry Robinson, although Robinson reportedly We raised about $26,000 and spent about $23,000. , giving Robinson a 7-to-1 economic advantage. Jones and her husband run Stranger’s Hill Organic Farms. Robinson is a union representative electrician.
Given that money makes a difference in elections, Almendarez said candidates must show who is funding the campaign.
“Disclosure is[the only]real tool available for addressing the potential impact of money in politics,” Almendarez said.
Candidates in most local elections, even the contested ones, were able to raise only a few thousand dollars, much of it out of their own pockets. For example, the single biggest contribution to Amy Swain’s campaign was the Democratic Record Keeper candidate and Swain herself. She contributed approximately $1,110 this year. That’s about a quarter of the total she raised. Other candidates get most of their money from friends and family. For example, Republican sheriff candidate Williamson received his $5,000 from his mother Tomica his Breeden. That was more than half of the nearly $9,000 he raised this year.
“Everyone starts here,” says Almendares. “You call your friend.”
Candidates should also list how much money they have spent on what. For many local candidates, the biggest bills come from printers for mail and premises signs.
Yard signs are an age-old tradition, Almendarez says. Plus, it’s cheaper, especially compared to TV advertising. And for local candidates, their biggest hurdle is always getting their name and message across, he said.
The biggest expense for Monroe County Republicans was about $6,900 for Bloomington Country Club, but Republicans also spent $3,150 on a Chicago-based voter and consumer data company. And while most elected officials in Monroe County are Democrats, Monroe County Republicans raised more than $24,000 this year. That’s about $7,700 more than the Democratic Women’s Caucus, the Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus, and the Monroe County Youth Democrats combined.
Monroe County School Referendum
The highest amount from a local campaign this year came from Yes to MCCSC, which raised over $51,000 by October 14th. A campaign spokesman said most of the dollar would be spent in the final months before the election.
MCCSC banking in transit:The MCCSC School Board approves the 2023 budget. Here we show how much we rely on the referendum.
Next week’s election will have a major impact on the Monroe County Community Schools Corporation. If the voter approves the referendum, the School Corporation will get him $17.5 million more than if the voter rejects the referendum. This is about 11% of the school system’s budget.
School leaders say they plan to use the money to raise wages for teachers and support staff and invest more in special education services, performing arts, STEM and special programs. If voters reject the referendum, MCCSC officials say they expect school corporations to cut more than 100 of her jobs, freeze wages and cut programs and services. The specific positions that will be cut have not yet been identified, but could include teachers.
The largest donation to the MCCSC campaign came from Solution Tree. According to the Solution Tree website, it offers professional development, online courses, and educational books for teachers. The business donated his $25,000 to his MCCSC campaign.
state capitol race
The funds raised by local candidates are much smaller than the amounts raised by candidates running for state office. It raised $, but that total nearly matched the two candidates for the 62nd seat in the Indiana House of Representatives. Hall has raised approximately $119,000.
Learn More: Q&A with District 62 CandidatesTop Housing, Health, and Water Issues for District 62 State Capitol Candidates
Gissens received $30,500 from the Indiana State Education and Political Action Committee, based in Indianapolis, and Hall received approximately $22,000 from the House Republican Campaign Committee.
District 62 includes most of Monroe County, all of Brown County, and parts of Jackson County.
Githens’ biggest expenses include a Washington, D.C.-based media strategy firm of about $23,000, while Hall’s biggest expenses include a Salt Lake City-based advertising agency of $7,500 and Facebook’s It included $2,500.
In the race for the 46th House seat, incumbent Republican Bob Heaton raised about $61,000 this year, while Democratic challenger Curtis Cummings raised about $2,700. This gives Heaton a roughly 23-to-1 advantage in spending.
Heaton earned $3,500 from his single largest donor, the Hoosiers for Quality Education, than Cummings had collected over the course of the year from all donors.
District 46 covers western Monroe County, including Erettsville, and parts of Owen, Clay, and Vigo Counties.
Errors, late submissions and liabilities
Some candidates, including school board candidates, are not required to submit reports unless they reach certain spending thresholds. Others, including Monroe County Councilor Judy Sharpe, did not file the report, which Sharpe said was filed earlier this year but he forgot to do so last month. Sharp has no objections and he said he did not raise or use any money in this year’s campaign.
Some candidates even filled out the form incorrectly. The calculation may not match. For example, both sheriff candidates list different amounts for their year-to-date balance and their most recent reporting period. These numbers must match. Other candidates who made that mistake include Paul White, who is running for registrar, and Jones, the incumbent Monroe County Commissioner. The numbers didn’t even match reports filed by young Democrats in Monroe County.
Candidates raised $33,450 this year, according to Marte’s treasurer, but the total listed in the report is over $40,000. The report is handwritten and partially illegible. A spokeswoman for the Indiana Elections Office said there is no specific state law mandating that campaign finance reports be easy to read, but local officials and concerned voters can file complaints about such issues.
Almendares said he believes such errors are a result of local campaigns having little resources and little time. Smaller local campaigns generally cannot afford to hire a campaign finance expert. And since most local candidates are busy knocking on doors and setting up signs in their yards, reporting campaign finances can sometimes be an afterthought. Additionally, people don’t tend to go to jail for minor campaign finance violations, Almendarez said, but they usually do if they have millions of dollars in their pockets.
At least one report from sheriff candidate Williamson shows negative balances at the end of the reporting period, but an elections department spokeswoman said this shouldn’t happen if the candidate is , if you still have debts to owe, you must fill out a form. For example, Hall, the Republican candidate for the 62nd District, cites himself $50,200 in debt.
Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.
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