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2009 Primary - A Campaign Finance Snapshot

This snapshot is designed to allow viewers to more easily understand how political money is raised and spent in City campaigns. It provides a picture of campaign finance data from the City’s 2009 election cycle as of June 30, 2008. As candidates file additional campaign disclosure reports throughout the election, this page will be updated to highlight fundraising and spending patterns and compare data from this election and prior elections.

Fundraising

• Early campaign reports show relatively little use of candidates' personal funds in their campaigns. The highest amounts of personal funds use as of June 30 were in the race for City Council District Five. In that race, roughly 14 percent of the funds raised overall by the six candidates came from the candidates themselves. In all other City races as of June 30, candidates’ personal funds accounted for no more than two percent of their overall funding.


• Candidates have relied more heavily on individuals to fund their 2009 campaigns. Over 77 percent of all contributions candidates reported raising through June 30, 2008 was from individuals.

Individual and Non-Individual Contributions to City Candidates in the 2009 Election

As reported on candidate disclosure statements through June 30, 2008.

Contribution totals do not include unitemized contributions of $100 or less.

Individual and Non-Individual Contributions to City Candidates in the 2005 Election

As reported on candidate disclosure statements through June 30, 2004.

Contribution totals do not include unitemized contributions of $100 or less.

Campaign Spending

• Open seats and unopposed incumbents set the pace. In the 2009 open seat race for City Attorney, three candidates running in the 2009 election as of June 30 spent over 140 percent more than three candidates had at the same point eight years ago in the last open seat election for that office. As of June 30, six candidates in the open Council District 5 race spent 79 percent more than eight candidates had at the same point eight years ago in that district’s last open seat election. Five Council incumbents, who were unopposed as of June 30, 2008, have already spent 59 percent more than the nine candidates running for those same five seats had at this point in the 2005 election.


• Overall, spending on "Professional Services/Consulting" made up nearly half, or 49 percent, of all campaign expenditures reported through June 30. That type of spending, however, accounted for more than 80 percent of all expenditures in the open-seat City Attorney’s race, and over 70 percent of the spending reported in Council District 13, which was an uncontested seat as of June 30.

Candidate Spending in the 2009 Election

As reported on candidate disclosure statements through June 30, 2008.

Early Campaign Spending: Comparing 2009 and 2005

As reported on candidate disclosure statements through June 30, 2004 and June 30, 2008 respectively.