EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series on Nov. 4 general election campaign contributions. The second part appears Monday.
More than $250,000 has been spent in an attempt to sway public opinion on Proposition 1, an measure on the Nov. 4 general election ballot that would give voter approval to the takeover of electrical service by the Jefferson County Public Utility District.
Almost all of that money comes from Jefferson County Citizens Against Proposition 1, which is funded entirely by Puget Sound Energy, which now provides electrical service to East Jefferson County.
PSE is funding fights against similar measures in Skagit and Island counties.
According to the state Public Disclosure Commission, PSE had given the county Citizens Against Proposition 1 $244,874.80 in contributions, as of Friday. The group had spent $238,471.16.
Citizens for Local Power, which supports Proposition 1, had received $28,309.15 in contributions, and had spent $26,432.73 as of Friday.
If passed, the proposition would give Jefferson County Public Utility District the authority to provide electrical service to the area of East Jefferson County now served by PSE.
Jefferson County Citizens Against Proposition 1’s expenses include:
• $107,497.94 for newspaper, radio, billboard and bus advertising.
• $45,000 for advertising through the mail.
• $35,458.81 for consulting.
• $17,083 for opinion research.
• $15,367 for polling.
• $13,452.70 for signs and literature.
The financial supporters of Citizens for Local Power include:
• Washington Public Utility District Association, $6,490.
• Edwin Crosby of Minneapolis, Minn., $1,500.
• John Dern of Nordland, $1,500.
• Kevin Clark of Crestline, Calif., $1,400.
• Jefferson County Democratic Party, $1,000.
William Leavitt of Port Hadlock, Power Trip Energy Corp. of Port Townsend, and John Weaver of Seattle each donated $500.
Citizens for Local Power’s expenses include:
• $7,138.80 for advertising through the mail.
• $3,029 for signs.
• $126 for newspaper advertising.
County commissioner 1
In the campaign for Jefferson County Commission, district 1, challenger Dennis Schultz loaned his campaign $1,183 to keep up with its expenses.
Schultz, a Port Townsend Republican, is trying to unseat Jefferson County Commissioner Phil Johnson, a Port Townsend Democrat seeking a second term on the three-member commission.
Without the loan, Schultz, 72, has raised $6,865, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
He has spent $7,216.41.
Johnson, 62, has raised $19,563.87 and spent $12,241.29.
Schultz, a farmer who is a retired IBM engineer, said his campaign is lacking funds partly because the Jefferson County Republican Party could not make a large contribution.
The Jefferson County Democratic Party, on the other hand, has been able to make significant contributions to Johnson’s campaign, he said.
Johnson has received $6,000 in donations from the Jefferson County Democratic Party. The party also paid for a $2,007 full-page ad in the weekly Port Townsend Leader, according to the PDC.
“Republicans in the county don’t have that kind of money to donate,” Schultz said.
Schlutz has received $400 from the Republican Women of Jefferson County and $350 from the Jefferson County Republican Party.
The groups made the two largest donations to his campaign out of 65 donors.
Other contributors include Alton Otis of Port Townsend, who donated $300; Marlene Black of Port Ludlow, who donated $250; and Richard Rein of Port Ludlow, who donated $250.
Other large contributors to Johnson’s campaign include George Yount of Port Townsend, who donated $300; Warren Westall of Port Townsend, who donated $200; and Connie Gallant of Quilcene, who donated $150.
Both of the campaigns have focused on advertising through the mail to spread their message among voters
Johnson has spent $5,419.01 on postcards to voters, $1,631.18 on newspaper advertising, $119.11 on signs and $80.35 on buttons.
Schultz has spent $3,809 on printing and mailing, $670.91 on newspaper advertising, $163.38 on T-shirts, and $123.42 for flyers.
County commissioner 2
Without any party contributions, Sandra Hershelman had raised more than incumbent David Sullivan for the race for Jefferson County Commission, district 2, seat, as of Friday.
Hershelman, who is an independent, had raised $31,357.52 and spent $22,164.23, the PDC said.
Sullivan, a Cape George Democrat seeking a second term, had raised $23,318.55 and spent $18,066.49, as of Friday.
Hershelman’s two largest contributors are the Masters Builders Association in Bellevue, which donated $2,500, and the Jefferson County Home Builders Association, which donated $1,500, the PDC said.
Hershelman, 51, is the executive director of the Jefferson County Home Builders Association, as well as owner of Sandy Hershelman Designs. She lives in Port Hadlock.
The PDC listed 214 contributors to Hershelman’s campaign.
Other contributors include Richard Broders of Port Townsend, who donated $1,000 in two payments; Lyle Fox of Bonney Lake, who donated $500; Audrey and Kenneth Hershelman of Redding, Calif., who together donated $1,000.
Sullivan’s top five contributors are the Jefferson County Democratic Party, which donated $6,000 in two payments; Lamora Sullivan of Vancouver, who donated $500; Olympic Labor Council, which donated $300; Ian Napier of Port Townsend, who donated $250; and Claribelle Ross of Portland, Ore., who donated $250.
Both candidates have spent most of their funds on sending letters and postcards to voters.
Sullivan, 56, spent $9,765.95 on advertising through the mail, $763.78 on newspaper advertising, and $709.74 on yard and car signs and buttons.
Hershelman spent $8,406.24 on postcards to voters and mailing supplies, $4,503.68 on signs, and $3,969.22 on newspaper advertising.
Jefferson County PUD
The PDC listed no contributions or expenses for the two Jefferson County PUD candidates, Ken McMillen, incumbent, and Jim Pivarnik.
ON MONDAY — A report on contributions in state legislative races.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
