Clark campaign leads fundraising

A candidate for Lincoln County sheriff raised more money than any other candidate for county office.

Challenger Bill Clark has raised a total of $14,491 in 2014, from 107 donors. Clark’s numbers were not reported in Friday’s report in The Western News because his filing was submitted after the 5 p.m. deadline on Oct. 23, according to the state Commission of Political Practices.

Clark has filed seven different finance disclosures this year. The first four were filed on May 19, June 5, July 3 and Aug. 21. The four reports were inaccurate and filed incorrectly, which resulted in two amended filings, which were submitted Oct. 2. The final report was submitted two hours after the Oct. 23 deadline.  

Clark’s original disclosures were filed on the correct C-5 Candidate Campaign Finance Report form, but they contained errors. His amended filings and his latest report were submitted on the C-6 Political Committee Finance Report, which is intended for political parties, political action committees and single-issue campaigns - not for candidate disclosures. 

A source at the Commission of Political Practices office indicated that the information contained on the two different forms is very similar and will likely not result in any type of sanction.

Clark’s campaign raised the most money for any candidate seeking county-level office. County commissioner candidate Mark Peck is the only other candidate to raise five-figures, receiving $10,512 in donations.

Incumbent Sheriff Roby Bowe has increased his fundraising efforts as the election approaches, adding $1,455 to his campaign coffer from 16 donors. In previous periods, Bowe raised $590 from five donors (May 22 filing) and $270 from two donors (June 23 filing).

Write-in candidate Darren Short has raised $6,540 during this election cycle from 57 donors. His Sept. 12 filing showed $3,955 from 35 donors, with his most recent filing (Oct. 23) reporting $2,585 from 22 donors.

For the first filing period, ending June 18, Clark reported $5,908 from 37 donors. The second report, filed Aug. 20, shows another $2,243 from 14 donors. The most recent report, which details activity up to Oct. 18, lists 56 donors contributing $6,340.

A call to Clark regarding the earlier filings and the need for the amended reports went unreturned prior to press time.

The overwhelming majority of the money raised by all three candidates originated in Libby and the immediate area. Each of the candidates did have small amounts donated from out-of-state sources.