EDITOR’S NOTE – This is the second of two parts on 2007 campaign financing in Clallam County. The first article, on money in the race for county commissioner, was published Sunday.
Sarah Bedinger of Sequim is spending thousands of dollars to get a job that requires no small amount of patience and doesn’t pay a cent.
The 40-year-old homemaker is running for re-election to a Sequim School Board Position 1 seat being sought by challenger Stuart McColl, 43, a software company owner.
In this race and two others on Clallam County’s Nov. 6 general election ballot, candidates have filed state Public Disclosure forms that indicate they will spend more than $3,500 or will accept donations of $300 or more.
It also means they must file detailed lists of all campaign contributions and expenditures.
Port Angeles City Council races between incumbent Edna Petersen and challenger Dan Di Guilio for Position 5 and incumbent Grant Munro and challenger Cherie Kidd for Position 7 also fall in this category.
A drive to pass a countywide ballot measure, Clallam County Charter Amendment 1, which would establish instant runoff, or ranked choice voting, is being fueled almost entirely by an East Coast advocacy group.
Funds for signs, a Web site and other campaign expenses incurred by the Clallam Committee for Instant Runoff Voting are being provided by Fairvote.org of Tacoma Park, Md.
Instant runoff voting would allow voters to rank their choices, based on their order of preference unrestricted by party affiliation.
Fairvote.org supports instant runoff voting efforts nationwide and has donated $2,800 to the campaign in Clallam County, Cone said.
The funds covered expenses for a countywide mailer.
Contributions also have paid for yard signs in Port Angeles, Sequim and some in the West End.
Fairvote Action, affiliated with Fairvote.org, will be paying for an additional mailer.
“By the time they are done, looks like they both will be putting in about $5,000 apiece in in-kind contributions,” said Sharon Cone, Nelson’s wife and the treasurer for the Committee for Instant Runoff Voting.
The committee also spent funds to set up a Web site, buttons and automated calling service known as “robocalls,” she said.
The group has received $700 in individual contributions, none more than $100, Cone said.
Those contributions were received from the Cones, Erika Hammerquist, Don Wilkin, Marion Burns, Carlyn Syvanen, Betty Barnard and Rose Marshall.
