Funds disclosed in primary election races

Port Angeles City Council seats top filings

PORT ANGELES — Three Port Angeles City Council candidates who were not required to file contribution and expenditure reports with the state Public Disclosure Commission filed the reports anyway, according to agency.

They join Sequim-area Clallam County Fire District 3, Position 1 candidate Duane Chamlee, who has donated $5,000 to his campaign.

Primary election ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. Tuesday or at the auditor’s office or in drop boxes throughout the county by that time.

Candidates have reported raising $25,300 in their quest for election Nov. 2.

Chamlee and three Port Angeles City Council candidates — Adam Garcia, Position 1; Jason Thompson, Position 3, and John Procter, Position 4 — registered with the PDC as mini-filers, exempting them from filing campaign financial reports if they do not raise less than $5,000.

Procter has raised $4,950, spent $4,472 and has $1,614 of campaign debt, according to PDC records. He is running against incumbent Kate Dexter, the council-appointed mayor who also filed as a mini-filer and has not reported any contributions

Jon Bruce, a third opponent, has dropped out of the race, virtually guaranteeing Dexter and Procter will proceed to the Nov. 2 general election.

Garcia is running against John DeBoer, a mini-filer, and appointed incumbent LaTrisha Suggs, who has filed for full reporting of $5,000 or more. Suggs has raised $2,921 and spent $2,451 so far.

Garcia has raised $1,625 and spent $1,113, about $500 to $600 of which has been for yard signs, he said Friday.

Garcia said the PDC told him in an email that he needed to do full reporting.

“I don’t plan on general filing, and I don’t plan on coming near $5,000,” he said.

Garcia’s largest contributor is Procter, who gave him $500.

“He called and said, ‘I’ve got something for you.’ He met up with me and handed me a check for that amount,” Garcia said.

Thompson, who has one contribution of $250 that he made to his campaign, is running against Jena Stamper, a mini-filer, and incumbent Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin, who registered for full reporting and has raised $8,216 and spent $3,614.

Schromen-Wawrin’s contributions account for nearly half of the $17,962 raised by Port Angeles City Council candidates in the primary election.

Incumbent Position 2 council member Mike French and primary election challengers John Madden and Samantha Rodahl are mini-filers who have not reported contributions.

“You never need to submit reports of contributions or expenditures if you are a mini-filer,” PDC spokesperson Kim Bradford said.

Chamlee, running against Sean Ryan and Jeff Nicholas for the Fire District 3, Position 1 seat, has spent $379 of the $5,000 he gave to his campaign June 14, which was 10 days after he registered as a candidate with the PDC. That is his only listed contribution.

Chamlee did not return a call for comment Friday on campaign funding.

Nicholas, who has registered for full reporting, has raised $2,315 and spent $1,358.

Procter, who said Friday he intends to file with the PDC to raise more than $5,000, has contributed $3,275 to his campaign and said he is not seeking donations.

He said Friday that Dexter has the advantage in the race as a known quantity.

“From what I know about Kate Dexter, she’s a worthy opponent, and I’m not underestimating her one bit,” Procter said Friday.

“My goal is to get my name and picture out there, and I’ve done so on Facebook, done so on radio and newspaper [advertising] purchases, and signs.”

Procter said his largest expenditure is about $2,500 in advertising followed by about $1,100 for yard signs.

Dexter did not return a call Friday for comment on campaign funding.

Bradford said candidates can file with the PDC for full reporting after the primary election.

The agency is developing a new website that will allow easier public access to mini-filers who choose to file financial reports, she said.

“It’s more visible on the new website,” Bradford said.

The following contributions of $100 or more for Garcia and Procter were listed at pdc.wa.gov as of noon Friday and can be viewed for all candidates who are required to or choose to disclose campaign contributions and expenditures:

Adam Garcia

$500: John Procter, Port Angeles.

$300: Adam Garcia, Port Angeles.

$200: Benjamin Pisciotta, Shirley Clark, Port Angeles.

$100: Anonymous contributions; Constance Thorson, Danetta Rutten, Port Angeles.

John Procter

$3,275: John Procter, Port Angeles.

$500: Chuck Whitney, Port Angeles.

$400: Russell DeGroote, Port Angeles.

$200: Benjamin P. Pisciotta, Shirley Clark, Port Angeles.

• $100: Rick Shadforth, Tom O’Donnell, Port Angeles.

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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.