The first major financial filing for candidates in the upcoming November elections paints a different picture across the three major races for a La Plata County commissioner, sheriff and treasurer.
The financial disclosures require candidates to report the contributions they received and campaign expenditures from October 28, 2017, to May 31.
Two candidates are vying for one open seat on the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners: incumbent Brad Blake, a Republican, and challenger Clyde Church, a Democrat.
Blake, who reported having no money on hand before the reporting period, raised about $8,900 from October 2017 to May 31, entirely from private donors.
Notable contributions included $3,000 from his wife, Janelle; a $2,000 donation from Durango resident David Peters and a $1,000 donation from Bayfield resident Gary McMurtrey.
Blake spent about $2,000 in the reporting time period, mostly on advertising and fundraising. He now has about $6,800 on hand.
Church also reported having no money on hand before the reporting period. Over the last eight months, he raised about $2,125. Church reported, however, that he has not spent any money on his campaign.
Three candidates are vying for the position of La Plata County sheriff: incumbent Sean Smith, a Democrat, as well as challengers Charles Hamby, a Republican, and independent Adrian Dean Mize.
Smith’s two challengers have outraised and outspent the standing sheriff, by far.
Hamby reported he had about $10,000 on hand before Oct. 28, 2017, with his contributions coming from private donors. Notable contributions were from Sherry Gloyna, of Texas, who donated $5,000 and Grace Sossaman, a Bayfield resident who contributed $1,000.
During the reporting period, Hamby raised another estimated $11,250, mostly from private donors and an auction fundraiser. He has spent about $17,350 on his campaign for advertising, signs and fundraising expenses.
Mize, who had no money on hand before the reporting period, raised $10,485. Of that amount, $10,000 was donated from Dal Mize, who lives in Texas. It’s unclear what Dal Mize’s relation is to the candidate. Mize spent about $290 over the last eight months on office supplies and equipment.
Smith, on the other hand, has raised only about $2,300, with a good portion of the contributions donated by himself to his own campaign. He has spent about $530 on costs related to advertising.
Smith reported having no money on hand before the reporting period. He now has about $1,790 on hand.
In the race for La Plata County treasurer, there are three candidates: incumbent Allison Aichele, a Democrat; Tim Walsworth, a Democrat; and Colton Black, a Republican.
Aichele reported she had a negative balance of about $23,800 on hand that dates back to 2014, when she first ran for treasurer.
During the reporting period, Aichele raised about $1,450. Records indicate Aichele now has $425 on hand, but it’s unclear what happened to her negative balance.
Requests for comment from the Colorado Secretary of State office were not immediately returned.
Aichele said Thursday that negative balance is the amount she paid to self-fund her campaign in 2014, and that the figure is showing up as a negative balance in state records because of a technical complication.
Walsworth, who had no money on hand, raised about $3,550 through private donors and has spent about $2,696, mostly on advertising and a fundraising event at Animas City Theatre.
Black, who also had no funds on hand, raised about $4,770 from private donors. His expenditures, about $3,100 so far, have been spent on advertising.
A earlier version of this story said Alison Aichele had a balance of about $23,800 on hand at the beginning of this reporting period. State records show Aichele actually had a negative balance of about $23,800.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
