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Candidates who ranked among the lowest of fundraisers throughout the election season had a strong wind of financial support in the weeks before next week's general election.
The city's 12 candidates filed their third campaign finance reports Tuesday, which covered funds raised and spent from Oct. 2-23.
While Democratic mayoral candidate Jason Judd kept his edge over Republican mayoral candidate Randy McClement in fundraising in the last three weeks, it was only by $42 — a stark contrast to the last two reporting cycles in which Judd raised nearly four times that of McClement.
Judd's $9,861 in contributions in the latest reporting cycle brings his total money raised to $48,047 since he started his campaign. His $9,426 in expenditures brings his total funds spent on the campaign trail to $40,165.
Judd continues to point to a wide base of supporters — at least 300, who offer less than $100. His largest contribution this cycle was from Bert Anderson, a Frederick resident and developer of Shab Row, who donated $1,000.
"We've been doing in the last reporting cycle what we've been doing all along, reaching out for small amounts from a broad base of donors," Judd said Tuesday. "That's the mark of strong campaign."
McClement raised $9,819 this reporting cycle, bringing his total campaign contributions this election season to $18,256. He spent $6,251 in the last three weeks, bringing his total campaign expenditures to $11,941.
His largest donation this reporting cycle was $2,500 from state Sen. David Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market.
The city's campaign contribution cap for mayoral candidates is $2,500.
The Republican mayoral candidate said he didn't anticipate the wave of support from donors in the last three weeks.
"All I can say is I never changed message, I never changed policies, I never did anything different from the first day I announced," McClement said Tuesday. "I'm making the correlation that people believe in that message, and want to help me get in office, and that's their way of doing it."
In the aldermanic race, Shelley Aloi, a Republican candidate who ran her campaign on a $0 balance at its outset, finished in the lead of aldermanic candidates in the latest fundraising cycle.
Aloi garnered six contributions of $1,000 in the last three weeks alone, which helped round out her $8,620 in contributions in the last reporting cycle.
The contribution cap for aldermanic candidates is $1,000, according to the city's charter.
Her $1,000 donations came from: Benjamin Oliver, Elaine Oliver and Rachel Oliver of Frederick; Robert and Gabrielle Rudderow of Davidsonville, Md.; and William Begal and Anabel Fernandez of Rockville.
She spent $1,453 of the funds in the last three weeks, bringing her total campaign expenditures to $3,729.
She said Tuesday she believed her wave of financial support came from crossing party lines.
"I have developed a great momentum and support across party lines, and I'm thankful for that," Aloi said. "I'm really happy and glad to be representing everybody in this. That's the best part about it."
Chris Huckenpoehler, also a Republican aldermanic candidate, raised and spent the least of candidates this reporting cycle, with $1,010 in contributions, and $715 in expenditures. His largest contribution was $300 to himself. His total campaign contributions come to $3,097, and expenditures $2,391.
Huckenpoehler did not return calls for comment.
E-mail Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.
Things to know on Election Day
-Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
-Results are considered unofficial until all absentee ballots are counted, and all polling places are certified by the Board of Election Supervisors of Elections for the City of Frederick.
-The only precinct that did not change polling places from the 2005 election is Precinct 5, which will vote at the William Talley Recreation Center.
-All other precincts have changed polling places. To find your polling place, see the map on this page, or go to the city's Web site at www.cityoffrederick.com under City Elections where the city has provided a map and a polling place locator tool that locates polling places based on residents' addresses.
-At the boardroom of City Hall, 101 N. Court St., serving as the "Public Returns Center." Doors open at 8 p.m.
-The city's Web site www.cityoffrederick.com
-The city's Cable Channel 99
- Jason Judd (D), 37, is a first-time City Hall candidate, comes from a background of labor and community organizing. A trained economist, he works in Washington, D.C. as a campaign director for the Service Employees International Union.
- Randy McClement (R), 52, is owner of Market Street Bagel and Deli in downtown Frederick. He ran unsuccessfully for alderman four years ago, and sits on numerous boards in Frederick. He is immediate past president of the Tourism Council of Frederick County.
- Shelley Aloi (R) is a native of Frederick. After leaving for 14 years, she returned to Frederick in 2002.
- Amanda Haddaway (R), 32, who was raised in Frederick, moved back to the city about two years ago. She works as the director of human resources and marketing for Folcolore Equipment Corp., a construction equipment dealership in Frederick.
- William Huckenpoehler (R), 42, comes from an extensive military background and has lived in the city for six years. He is a security program manager at a data operations center for CRGT Inc., under contract to the U.S. Army and Defense Department.
- Alan Imhoff (R), 62, is seeking his second term as alderman. He is a retired executive at AT&T. Imhoff is the aldermanic liaison to the city's Planning Commission.
- Carol Krimm (D), 58, is a 30-year-resident of Frederick. She is a legislative aide to state Del. Galen Clagett (D), who represents Frederick. Krimm is a member of a workgroup to review the city's land use and development codes.
- Donna Kuzemchak (D), 48, is seeking her fourth term as alderman. She is the liaison to the city's Education Commission, and a volunteer coordinator at Celebrate Frederick.
- Michael O'Connor (D), 42, moderated the show "Pressing Issues" on Channel 10 in Frederick until December and ran unsuccessfully for the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002. He is the business manager at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Frederick.
- Kelly Russell (D), 49, is a retired lieutenant for the Frederick Police Department, where she has returned to work as its special vehicle coordinator. This is her first local politics bid. She sits on the city's zoning committee.
- C. Paul Smith (R), 58, is seeking his second term as alderman. He has lived in Frederick city since 1992, and owns a law practice in Rockville.
- Karen Lewis Young (D), 57, is the wife of former Mayor Ron Young. Young owns her own market research and consulting firm, Karen Lewis Market Research, in Frederick.