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Campaign Finance Update

By Erica C. Barnett June 8, 2011




Campaign disclosure reports in local races aren't due until later this week, but some candidates have gotten a jump on reporting for May. Here's a look at some of the early filings:

• Bruce Harrell challenger Brad Meacham, who has staked a claim as the most vocal anti-tunnel candidate in any council race, raked in a number of contributions from tunnel opponents, including Washington Environmental Council spokesman Craig Benjamin ($100); Sightline researcher Eric de Place ($50); Protect Seattle Now treasurer Scot Brannon ($50); Montlake neighborhood and 520 activist Fran Conley ($450); and attorney (and McGinn supporter) Chuck Wolfe.

So far, Meacham has reported raising a total of $37,000 to Harrell's $184,000, although both have a few days to file additional reports. Harrell has spent $6,800 of his own money so far on his campaign.

• Incumbent Sally Clark, meanwhile, continues to far out-raise her challenger, SCAN-TV director Dian Ferguson. In May, Clark reported contributions of $16,200, bringing her total raised to more than $172,000. Ferguson reported raising just over $10,000, bringing her total raised to $23,000. Of that total, $4,800 is Ferguson's own money.

• In Jean Godden's race, challengers Maurice Classen raised almost as much as Godden herself did last month, bringing in $16,200 to Godden's $17,000. Godden has still raised more overall than either candidate, with total contributions of $150,600 to Bobby Forch's $44,000 ($6,400 of that this past month) and Classen's $86,000 ($32,500 of that Classen's own money). Godden has contributed $8,900 to her campaign, including $7,500 this past month. A third challenger, Michael Taylor, has raised $12,600 but is more than $5,000 in the red.

• Let's Move Forward, the pro-tunnel campaign, has only reported two contributions totaling $160 this month. (In fairness, the anti-tunnel campaign has reported contributions of just $880 so far). Interestingly, Let's Move Forward shares a treasurer, Phil Lloyd, with Meacham, the anti-tunnel candidate.


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