As of September, Cherisse Sweeney had raised more money than other candidate running for San Luis Obispo mayor or a seat on the San Luis Obispo City Council, including incumbent city Mayor Heidi Harmon.
Meanwhile, City Council candidate Abrianna Torres heavily outraised competitors in a field of eight, according to online campaign disclosure statements.
As of the latest filing deadline covering a period ending Sept. 19, Sweeney had raised a total of $36,501 for her election campaign, while the next highest fundraiser, Harmon, tallied a year-to-date total of $25,579.
The next filing period ends Oct. 17 and reports from candidates are due by Oct. 22, city clerk Teresa Purrington said. Those records will be publicly available by Oct. 23, Purrington said.
Voters began casting mail-in ballots on Oct. 5 and will have until Nov. 3 to submit their votes.
Here’s a more detailed look at the campaign disclosures publicly reported to the city in September.
Who contributed to campaigns for SLO mayor, challengers?
Sweeney is running as a declared nonpartisan candidate, but she’s received campaign contributions from many conservative residents of San Luis Obispo County.
Her supporters included pediatrician Rene Bravo, a longtime advocate for local Republican politicians and causes; former Republican supervisor candidate Stacy Korsgaden; former San Luis Obispo Councilman Paul Brown and former Republican State Sen. Sam Blakeslee.
Other Sweeney donors included SLO Brew co-owner Rodney Cegelski, former San Luis Obispo City Council member and mayoral candidate Keith Gurnee and Meathead Movers.
Sweeney received $886 in non-monetary contributions, including photography and event costs.
Harmon, a Democrat seeking her third term in office who’s known for her progressive agenda, received donations from former San Luis Obispo Chamber CEO Dave Garth, Blakeslee & Blakeslee vice president Kara Woodruff, Grover Beach Mayor Pro Tem Mariam Shah, RRM Design Group CEO Erik Justesen, developer Andy Mangano and MindBody board chairman Rick Stollmeyer.
Harmon’s contributions included $2,000 she loaned to her campaign.
A third candidate in the mayoral race, Sandra Marshall, raised $1,350, and loaned her campaign $1,000, totaling $2,350.
Marshall received money from donors including former SLO Councilwoman Christine Mulholland and Bob Shanbrom, a SLO retiree who has been critical of the city’s direction on housing, water use and other issues.
A fourth candidate, Don Hedrick, didn’t report any campaign donations, according to the city’s website.
Candidates for the San Luis Obispo City Council include, clockwise from top left: Andy Pease, Jan Marx, Abrianna Torres, Kelly Evans, Erik Long, Robin Wolf, James Papp and Jeffery Specht. Courtesy photos
How much money did SLO City Council candidates raise?
Contributions came from contributors including Brendan Morris, owner of Morris & Garritano Insurance; former county Supervisor and San Luis Obispo Police Department Sgt. Jerry Lenthall; Republican supervisor candidate Stacy Korsgaden and Brown, the former San Luis Obispo councilman.
Torres received $1,111 in non-monetary contributions, including web design, event costs and photography.
Former San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx, who is running for City Council in the 2020 election, fundraised $7,996 in monetary contributions, in addition to $5,000 in loans to herself, for a total of $12,996.
Marx’s donors included former Sen. Blakeslee; Kyle Weins, CEO of iFixit; San Luis Obispo City Council member Carlyn Christianson and the the Democrats of San Luis Obispo Club.
Incumbent Andy Pease raised a total of $6,595, including $2,000 in loans to her campaign, with notable donors including Planned Parenthood Central Coast Action Fund; Ron Yukelson, chief operations officer of Wilshire Health and Community Services, and the Democrats of San Luis Obispo Club.
Progressive candidate Kelly Evans, who is endorsed by the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party, raised $2,530 in addition to a $1,000 loan she gave to her campaign.
Candidate Erik Long took in $720 from five donors identified as retirees.
Candidate Robin Wolf, a hospitality/restaurant manager, didn’t list any campaign contributions she had received or any loans.
Jeffery Specht, a harsh critic of the city’s management, and James Papp, a former Cultural Heritage Committee chair, also didn’t post any campaign finance disclosure filings, according to the city’s website.
Check out The Tribune’s Voter Guide
Still deciding how to vote? In The Tribune’s Voter Guide, we’ve compiled information about the candidates as well as their responses on a number of key issues. You can review candidates for your local city council, community service district or school board, State Senate and Assembly and Congress.
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