MOUNT VERNON — Candidates running for the position of county commissioner are beginning to get into the swing of the election season and promote their names in earnest. Two of the three commissioner positions are up for grabs this November, and both seats are facing competition from both parties.
Campaign finance records show that Democratic candidate John Booth has raised $1,090 from the March primary though April 7, the date that the campaign finance report was filed. According to campaign treasurer Bob Lantz, significant funds have been raised since the report was filed. Lantz estimated that Booth’s campaign has collected approximately $3,800 since campaign finance report was filed. The next campaign finance report is due Oct. 23, according to the Knox County Board of Elections.
Lantz estimates Booth’s campaign has spent approximately $2,000, including what was spent in the primary. Of these expenditures, he said, most has gone toward advertising.
“We’ve bought some T-shirts ... and I suspect we’ll get some yard signs,” said Lantz.
Incumbent Republican Allen Stockberger estimates he spent about $4,500 during his last campaign for commissioner four years ago; that was nearly double what he spent for his first campaign in 1992. Stockberger is planning a fundraising event on Sunday, and said that after going through the campaign process several times, he has become familiar with it.
“That’s one of the advantages of being in the business for awhile: You gain a little more experience and you become a little more comfortable with the whole process,” he said.
After loaning his campaign an initial $1,000, part of which went toward promotional activities at the county fair, Stockberger hopes to fully recoup his loan after the fundraising event this weekend. Stockberger said he is planning on advertising with several different media during the campaign, including the Internet.
First-time Democratic campaigner Serita Harris is also in the running for one of the commissioner positions, and said she will be vamping up fundraising and campaigning over the next few months.
“I plan on doing newspaper advertising and ... I’d like to get some road signs up,” said Harris.
If funds are available for her campaign, Harris estimates she will spend approximately $1,500 to $2,000. She would like to schedule some fundraising events after the Democratic National Convention next week.
However, Harris said the cost of campaigning is prohibitive, and said she did not want to go into debt for her campaign.
“In the primary, I spent probably $700 or $800 out of pocket ... and I’m not spending any more out of pocket. I’m just going to have to get money through fundraisers or donations ... because I’m not going into debt to try to win this,” said Harris.
“I’m trying to be real thrifty about it,” she said, referring to campaign materials. “I think after the Democratic Convention is over ... people are going to be thinking more about the election. Therefore, we’re going to start working on it harder then.”
Teresa Bemiller, who is also running for commissioner this fall, was hesitant to discuss specific numbers in terms of her fundraising for the campaign. “I won’t talk specifics because I’m not sure if anybody wants to do that when they have opponents,” said Bemiller. She said that the cost of a campaign can vary and that costs for her campaign would depend on her projected budget. “When you go into a campaign, you look at a budget and you look at what you think you might need to raise ... and once you’ve done that, you look to stay within the budget,” said Bemiller.
Campaign finance records show that Bemiller spent over $4,860 during the March primary, and she said she expects to spend at least the same amount or more with her campaign for commissioner. “I would certainly expect to spend that much, and then, after that ... a lot depends on your fundraising.” Bemiller said.
“There are some unknowns,” said Bemiller, referring to campaign expenses. “You don’t really know what some costs are going to be.”
