No county candidates facing challengers in the Nov. 6 election have spent or collected more than $500 in support of their campaigns, according to documents filed with the Franklin County elections office. The deadline to file pre-general election campaign contribution reports was Monday.
Stephen Hunting, Franklin County attorney; Fred Campbell, Libertarian candidate for Franklin County attorney; Ed Taylor, Republican candidate for district 2 county commissioner; and Rick Howard, Democratic candidate for district 2 county commissioner; all filed affidavits indicating they would not spend more than $500 on their campaigns, Shari Perry, county elections officer said. By Kansas statute, the affidavit had to be filed on or before July 30 for the candidate to avoid being in violation of the Kansas Ethics Commission.
County candidates who won or lost their races also had to file reports that indicated what money had been collected or spent in the three months since the primary. Janet Paddock, now unopposed in the Franklin County clerk’s race, was left with $162.75 after her primary campaign. Monday’s report indicated she spent $130.83 on newspaper advertisement, leaving $31.92 in her campaign’s account. Sheriff Jeff Curry began the general election campaign season with $317.11 in his campaign’s account, according to the report. His campaign received an additional $100 contribution, spent $202.29 on advertising and thank you cards; leaving the $214.82 in the account, according to the report.
After spending $1,259.30 in the primary election, Perry, outgoing county clerk, was left with $67.76 in her campaign’s account, according to the July 30 expenditure report. According to Monday’s termination report, she used the remaining money to pay back a loan she made to her campaign. In addition, Perry’s report indicates she excused a $1,932 loan made to her campaign from herself and closed her campaign’s account. Perry has served as county clerk since 1996.
After receiving more than $6,300 in campaign contributions — including a $1,000 from himself — Rick Geist was unable to win the county sheriff primary election. Geist was left with $715.99 in his campaign account after the primary; he spent $132.49 on campaign shirts, leaving $608.50 in the campaign account.
Butch Riddle, who lost to Ed Taylor in the District 2 county commissioner primary, and Rick Croucher, Republican candidate for sheriff, did not report any contributions or expenditures in the general election season, according to the expenditure reports.
Any last minute contributions of $300 or more must be filed by the local candidates no later than Thursday.