Grant County PUD candidates

GRANT COUNTY - Just days before the Nov. 4 general election, campaign contribution reports show the races for two Grant County PUD commissioner seats have brought in $89,135.87, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Public office candidates are required by law to report their contribution amounts and names of contributors to the commission.

The state Public Disclosure Commission works to bring transparency about who is financing campaigns, government and lobbyists, said commission spokesperson Lori Anderson.

As of Wednesday, district 3 commissioner candidate Don Long raised $32,686.12, which is the most money received in a Grant PUD campaign so far this year.

Long's contributions ranged from $25 per person to the largest donation of $1,900 from Chemi-Con Materials Corporation in Moses Lake.

Long's top 10 contributions also include $1,500 from REC Silicon, $500 from R S Titan, $1,000 from Willis Security Services, $300 from Columbia Basin Seeds, $300 from Mick G. Qualls, $250 from Barbara L. Baker, $250 from Grant County Technology Director Gary Baker and $250 from Sue Qualls.

Please note, amounts are combined in cases where people contributed more than once.

Also, some contributors may have donated smaller amounts at earlier dates that aren't reflected in the top 10 amounts.

Long's opponent, incumbent Commissioner Randy Allred, received $31,476.68 in contributions. Allred's contributions ranged from $35 per person to a $2,500 donation.

Allred's top 10 contributors are: Warren Morgan, $2,500, Vic Jansen, $2,000, Mt. View Acres, $1,500, Wiley P. Allred, $1,000, Golden West Bean & Seed, Inc., $1,000, Saddle Mountain Supply Company, $1,000, and $500 each from Carter Farms, DAC Consulting, Jet Farms and Lad Irrigation.

Carter Farms is a corporation owned by Grant County Commissioner Cindy Carter and her husband, she confirmed.

In the race for the PUD's A-at large position, $24,973.07 was given to incumbent Commissioner Tom Flint's campaign. Flint's contributions ranged from $10 per person to $1,600 per person.

Flint's top 10 contributors are: Ken Thompson Drilling, Inc., $1,600, REC Silicon, $1,500, Gary Baker, $500, Columbia Basin Seeds, $500, Lad Irrigation, $500, Peter Romano, $750, Willis Security Services Inc., $500, Lucy Jacques, $300 and Mick G. Qualls, $300.

It was not clear on Wednesday how much money Flint's opponent Sam Johnson received in contributions. According to Johnson's last available contribution reports posted online, he received $100 from former Grant PUD Commissioner William Judge and his wife and $100 from Guy Vincent in September.

Ballots started arriving in Grant County voters' mailboxes this week.

But that doesn't mean people don't have to stop contributing to the PUD campaigns.

People can give money to those candidates up through the election, Anderson said.

If a candidate has a debt after the election, the candidate can continue to fund-raise, she said.

But from Oct. 14 through election day on Nov. 4th, the most money one person can contribute is $5,000, Anderson noted.

Donated campaign materials, such as signs, count toward the $5,000 individual limit, she explained.