Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly characterized the contributions made to Shawnee Barton Merriman from nonprofit leaders. The second contribution from a separate nonprofit leader is not the second largest contribution to her campaign, but rather among the largest out-of-state contributions.
After school board races conclude in a few weeks, two trustees will be elected to serve four-year terms at Coronado Unified School District. So far, candidate statements show the nonpartisan race does not involve hefty campaign spending.
Fitzhugh Lee leads all Coronado Unified School District candidates in fundraising for the Nov. 5 election, according to campaign financial statements, but more than half of the contributions come from his own pocket.
Collectively garnering more than $6,000, Lee, Shawnee Barton Merriman and Bill Sandke — in that order — received the highest monetary contributions, not including donations from the candidates themselves through Sept. 21.
A fourth candidate, Renee Cavanaugh, filed a short-form statement indicating she does not have a campaign finance committee and does not intend to receive or spend more than $2,000 in contributions.
Candidates filed respective campaign financial statements to meet the Registrar’s Sept. 26 deadline that showed Lee’s campaign leading with more than $3,000 received, according to the County’s Public Access Portal.
In their second pre-election statement, reflecting Sept. 22-Oct. 19 filings, no campaigns reported new personal contributions from candidates.
Candidates’ committees
Sandke, who serves as his committee’s treasurer, reported $1,550 in total contributions and the same amount as the ending cash balance in his statement on Sept. 23.
In his second statement, Sandke reported a $118 ending cash balance after $400 in additional monetary contributions. Sandke made $1,832 in total expenditures.
Barton Merriman reported approximately $5,097 in total contributions received with $3,100 of that amount being personal donations.
Two of the contributions to Barton Merriman came from nonprofit leaders.
The leading contribution of $1,000 is from Anne Irwin, a San Francisco-based individual who works as the non-profit director of Tides Advocacy, an organization focused on advancing social justice through policy reform and fiscal sponsorship, according to its website.
Brian Johnson, also a nonprofit leader, was one of the largest out-of-state contributors to her campaign at $250. He is based out of Chicago. According to a Q and A with The Campaign Workshop, Johnson is the CEO of Equality Illinois, an organization that has been fighting for LBGTQ+ civil rights since 2016.
Barton Merriman later reported $2,410 in monetary contributions which, in addition to her previous ending balance, brought in a $6,592 total cash balance. That amount lowered after $5,862 in cash payments resulting in a $730 ending cash balance.
Lee reported $4,393 increased his whole cash balance to $7,070. Following $3,231 in payments made, his ending cash balance is $3,839.
Previously, Lee reported an updated $7,307 in total contributions on Oct. 12 with $4,185 of that being personal contributions. After $4,630 total expenditures in his first statement, Lee reported a $2,677 ending cash balance.
