No Student Government candidate this year spent above the campaign finance limit of $300 for executive candidates and $60 for class council candidates.
Secretary-elect Kevin Sutherland spent the most on campaigning at $292.15, with about one-third spent on posters, according to the Board of Elections.
“I thought it was a good investment,” Sutherland said.
His opponent Eric Reath spent $160.99.
Candidates typically spent the most money on T-shirts and posters, according to campaign finance documents.
At least 11 candidates didn’t spend a dime, including presidential candidate Joe Schulte.
Candidates are required to submit a declaration and proof of campaign expenditures after the election, according to election policy.
Black and white printouts and chalk do not have to be declared, according to election regulations.
No University or SG money can be used for campaigns.
Last year, candidates for executive positions were allowed to spend $250, while class and school council candidates were allowed to spend $50, according to last year’s regulations.
The changes were made to account for inflation and “in order to allow students to have more creativity and have more leeway to do what they needed to do,” said Anthony Dunham, former Board of Elections chair and SG presidential candidate.
President-elect Tim McBride spent $276.04, outspending presidential candidate Ibraheem Samirah by about $6. Samirah spent most of his funds on T-shirts, while McBride spent a little less than half of his money on shirts.
Dunham, who also ran for president last year, spent $31.15 this election. He said he was able to use the same campaign buttons he purchased last year for $140.
Bronstein said he spent close to $250 last year on his campaign.
Candidates usually spend money out of their own pockets, McBride and Bronstein said.
McBride noted the difficulty for people who want to run for office but cannot afford the supplies.
“I think it’s a problem we need to look at,” McBride said.
It is unclear if all campaign finance forms have been collected because Board of Elections officials Zoé Orfanos and Dan Lewis said some forms were misplaced. Board of Elections officials will not say whose forms haven’t been handed in and whose were lost.
“We’re looking into the forms that are missing,” Orfanos said.
zcohen@theeagleonline.com
The following are numbers reported to The Eagle by the Board of Elections or the candidates themselves. Some candidates’ information is missing because their forms were not handed in or were misplaced by the Board of Elections.
Executives
President Tim McBride (president-elect): $276.04 Ibraheem Samirah: $270.12 Joe Schulte: $0.00 Anthony Dunham: $31.15
Vice President Liz Richards (vice president-elect): $29.50
Comptroller Taylor Yeates (comptroller-elect): $0.00
Secretary Kevin Sutherland (secretary-elect): $292.15 Eric Reath: $160.99
Class and School Councils
Class of 2012 Stephanie Eichmann (president-elect): $0.00
Class of 2014 Lauren Williams (president-elect): $0.00 Timothy Vallario (vice president-elect): $0.00
School of International Service Ariel McMillan (president-elect): $0.00
School of Communication Madeline Shattow (president-elect) $0.00 Samantha Landwehr (vice president candidate): $0.00 Jade Vakilzadeh and Jessica Liu (candidates for president and vice president-elect, who ran a joint campaign): $19.34 Douglas Bell (secretary-elect): $0.00
Undergraduate Business Association (Kogod) Alexis Zayfert (president-elect): $25.02 Valera Filatov (secretary-elect): $0.00
School of Public Affairs Kevin Ralph (president-elect): $0.00 Aaron Goldstein (vice president-elect): $46.91
