UPDATE: Sheriff's Campaign Finances
Cecil Times has published multiple reports on the campaign finances of the crowded field of candidates running in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Cecil County Sheriff. Here is a brief update on where the candidates’ finances stand as of the most recent reports to the state Board of Elections, filed Sept. 3.
Democratic Primary Candidates:
CHRIS SUTTON:
He raised an additional $14,688 since his last campaign finance report. After expenses of $8,978, plus a carry-over balance of about $24, he ended up with $5,684 cash in the bank. Most of his funds came from another golf fundraising event.
But he also had several large donations, the largest of which was $1,250 from Sentman Distributors in Elkton. He also had several donations from businesses in the southern part of the county, including $500 from TD Enterprises in Earleville, $400 from First Choice Concrete in Earleville, and a $300 donation from the Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeake City.
Republicans contributing $440 each for entry fees for the golf event included Chris Zeauskas, whose campaign in the GOP primary for 2nd District county commissioner previously received donations from Democrat Sutton; Michael Halter, a GOP primary candidate for State’s Attorney; and Will Davis, who ran as a Republican candidate for State’s Attorney four years ago. Halter and Davis also participated in an earlier golf fundraiser.
ROBERT “SKIP” DeWITT:
He raised an additional $1,200, and had expenses of $1,537. His largest expense was $1,095 for a full page ad in the Cecil Whig.
Adding in his $2,231 carryover bank balance from his last report, he ended up with $1,894 cash in the bank.
DeWitt’s fundraising came from individual and business donors, with no new fundraising events. White Horse Apartments in Perryville contributed $400 while Wright’s Auto in Elkton gave $300.
WILLIAM GERCZAK
The last-minute entrant into the Democratic primary had been all but invisible on the campaign trail but surfaced with a fundraiser event in Port Deposit. But the $2,056 costs of the event were more than the $1,985 it raised from ticket purchases. Gerczak, a former Baltimore City police officer, received a $500 Political Action Committee donation from the Fraternal Order of Police, Baltimore City Lodge 3.
He had no campaign printing expenses but did receive an in-kind donation of $300 worth of signs and pamphlets from Donald Allen of North East. He has $429 cash on hand in his bank account.
Republican Primary Candidates:
BARRY JANNEY
The pre-primary campaign finance report that was due to be filed Sept. 3 has not yet been filed, according to the state Board of Elections website. The Board has assessed a late fee/fine of $40 as of Thursday, Sept. 9.
DAN SLATER
Slater continued to pick up the pace of his campaign, with new fundraising and contributions totaling $3,785 since the previous pre-primary report he filed in early August. Most of his funds came from a dinner he hosted at the Hack’s Point fire hall in Earleville. Despite the southern Cecil County location of the event, most of the ticket purchasers were from the northern part of the county, as well as purchasers from Pennsylvania and Harford County. However, direct donations to his campaign in the latest report showed the largest sum, $300, came from an Earleville resident, Pat Smart.
After expenses of $1,986, and a carry-over bank balance from his last campaign finance report, Slater had net proceeds of $1,868 cash in the bank.
AL MICHAEL
He contributed another $120 to his own campaign, and after spending $307 on a newspaper ad, had just $33 cash in the bank.
