As the countdown to election day ticks away, the campaign finance reports for state and local candidates have become a focal point of public interest. KYMN, a local news outlet, has taken the initiative to provide comprehensive coverage of these financial disclosures, offering a detailed analysis of the fundraising and spending patterns of the various candidates vying for office.

Revealing the Funding Dynamics in Local Races

State House 58A: A Clash of Fundraising Prowess

In the race for State House 58A, which encompasses the areas of Northfield, Lonsdale, and a portion of New Prague, the incumbent DFL State Representative Kristi Pursell has maintained a significant fundraising lead over her Republican challenger, Rita Hillmann-Olson. Pursell has managed to raise an impressive $75,000 this election cycle, while Hillmann-Olson has secured $45,000 in contributions.A closer examination of the individual donations reveals an intriguing trend. Approximately half of the contributions received by both candidates are considered "major donations," meaning they exceed the $100 threshold, which requires additional information about the donor. Interestingly, the majority of these individual donations for both candidates originated from outside the district they seek to represent. For Pursell, 44% of the reported donations came from within the district, while for Hillmann-Olson, only 20% of the contributions were from within the district.When it comes to expenses, Pursell has outspent her opponent by a considerable margin, allocating $62,197 towards her campaign efforts, compared to Hillmann-Olson's spending of $48,197.

Northfield Mayoral Race: A Tale of Contrasting Fundraising Strategies

In the Northfield Mayoral election, the two candidates, Ruth Dahl and Erica Zwiefel, have employed distinct fundraising strategies. Dahl spent approximately $5,000 before the primary election and an additional $5,000 leading up to the general election. Zwiefel, on the other hand, spent $1,900 before the primary and has since seen a significant increase in fundraising and spending, allocating $6,500 in the lead-up to the general election.

Northfield City Council Races: Varying Levels of Financial Activity

In the At-Large City Council race, candidates Brad Ness and David Delong have not raised or spent more than $750 in either the primary or general election, meaning they have not been required to file a campaign finance report.In the Ward 2 City Council race, the primary election in August saw Chad Beumer spending around $1,900, while Emy Farley spent $760. Since then, Beumer has spent an additional $1,100, while Farley has not filed an updated report.

Northfield School Board Election: Incumbents Remain Quiet, Challengers Step Up

The Northfield School Board election has seen a mix of financial activity. The incumbent candidates have not filed a report, as they have spent below the $750 threshold. However, two challengers, Maggie Epstein and Tristan Cox, have filed reports, with Epstein spending $900 and Cox spending $1,500 this election cycle. Iris Lee and Andreas Thurnheer, two other challengers, have not filed a report as of the time of this writing.

High School Referendum: A Battle of Fundraising Might

The High School Referendum in Northfield has attracted the attention of various political action committees (PACs), both in favor and opposed to the measure. The two groups supporting the referendum, the Northfield Education Association (the local teachers' union) and the Vote Yes campaign sponsored by Citizens for Quality Education, have significantly outspent the opposition.The Northfield Education Association has invested $24,000 in their campaign, primarily on printing and mailing literature. The Vote Yes campaign, on the other hand, has spent around $15,000, mostly on yard signs and mailing materials.In contrast, the groups opposed to the referendum, the Save NHS group and the Association for Government Accountability, have not filed substantial campaign reports. The Association for Government Accountability filed a report earlier in the spring, where they spent $1,000.These financial disclosures provide a glimpse into the dynamics of local elections, highlighting the varying levels of fundraising and spending among the candidates and the groups involved in the High School Referendum. As the election day approaches, KYMN will continue to monitor and update the campaign finance dashboards on their website, ensuring the public has access to the most up-to-date information.