Campaign finance disclosure is required when individuals, groups, and entities receive funds raised (monetary or in-kind) and/or make expenditures (paid or incurred) to support or oppose candidates or ballot measures, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC).
The law requires record-keeping and reporting of these activities, even if a candidate’s own money is used.
If a candidate receives over $500 in funds raised from others or spends over $1,000 of their own money, they must form a committee and file reports to the MEC. Any candidate not reporting can face fines and criminal charges.
Many candidates on the ballot in Dent County did not have committees listed on the MEC website, indicating that candidates did not receive over $500 in funds or spend over $1,000 of their own money.
Candidates with no committees listed included:
• Circuit 42 Division 1 Judge candidate Megan K. Seay
• Presiding Commissioner incumbent Gary Larson
• Second District Commissioner incumbent Gary Polk
• Second District Commissioner candidate Jimmy Williams
• Public Administrator candidate Sherida Cook
• Coroner candidate Ben Pursifull
• Surveyor candidate Michelle Elwood
A mandatory quarterly report is supposed to be filed by all committees by the 15th day following the close of each calendar quarter, or until the committee terminates: Jan. 16, April 15, July 15, and Oct. 15. Committees are also required to report eight days before the election, July 29. A report is to be made 30 days after the election on Sept. 5 only if the committee spent funds for the election.
According to the disclosure reports, the following is a summary of how local candidates running in the upcoming Aug. 6 election in Dent County have filed.
• For Wells’ “Committee to re-elect Bob Wells for Sheriff”, no reports were submitted for January or April’s quarters.
• The third quarter’s report was filed July 15, and indicated a total of $5,850 in funds raised, and a total of $3,956.67 in expenditures, leaving $1,893.33 in money on hand at the close of the reporting period, with no indebtedness.
Candidate Michael Loveday
• For Loveday’s “Committee to Elect Michael Loveday, Dent County Sheriff,” no reports were submitted in January.
• The second quarterly report was filed April 11, and it listed a total of $4,356.59 in funds raised and $2,499.44 in expenditures, leaving $1,857.15 in money on hand at the close of the reporting period and no indebtedness.
• The third quarterly report was filed July 13, and it listed a total of $3,057.91 in funds raised and $4,318.53 in expenditures, leaving $591.53 in money on hand at the close of the reporting period and no indebtedness.
FIRST DISTRICT COMMISSIONER
• Mobray’s “Committee to Elect Wesley Mobray” submitted a certificate of limited activity to MEC for all three quarters, with no fundraising or spending details.
• Green’s “Committee to Elect Keith Green” submitted a quarterly report on July 15. Funds raised by the committee totaled $1,320, while expenditures totaled $1,285.50—leaving an on-hand amount at the close of the reporting period of $34.50, with no indebtedness.
• No reports were filed for January or April.
SECOND DISTRICT COMMISSIONER
• Ellis’ “Committee to Elect Ellis” submitted a report for the third quarter’s report on June 28. Funds raised by the committee totaled $2,128.44, while expenditures totaled $1,959.29. The remaining amount of money on hand at the close of the reporting period totaled $169.15, with no indebtedness.
• No reports were filed for January or April.
• No reports were given for the first quarter in January.
• Brookshire’s “Committee to Elect Alisa Brookshire” submitted its second quarterly report April 2. Two in-kind contributions totaled $934.60. No expenditures or indebtedness were reported.
• The committee submitted its third quarterly report July 9. The monetary funds raised totaled $2,550.00, while expenditures totaled $2,190.78. Money on hand at the end of the reporting period totaled $359.22, with no indebtedness. In-kind contributions totaled $325.22.
• Homeyer’s “Committee to re-elect Jamie Lee Homeyer” filed for the first quarter on Jan. 2 only specified an on-hand amount of $500.00, previously reported for the election.
• The report filed for the second quarter on April 11 only specified an expenditure of $150.00, leaving a total of $350.00 for money on hand at the close of the reporting period.
• For the third quarter, the committee filed its report on July 12. A total of $750 was reported in funds raised, and a report of $744.36 in expenditures, leaving a total of $355.64 in money on hand at the close of the reporting period. In-kind contributions totaled $424.94.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 120
• For the first quarter, reported on Jan. 11, Hewkin’s “Committee to Elect John Hewkin” reported a total of $8,950.00 in funds raised, added to the money on hand at the start of the reporting period of $11,523.97. Disbursements during the period totaled $1,141.82. This brought the on-hand total to $19,332.15. Indebtedness totaled $2,500.
• For the second quarter, reported on April 13, Hewkin’s committee only received an in-kind contribution of $2,000. His disbursements totaled $4,561.48, bringing the committee’s money on-hand total to $14,770.67 at the close of the reporting period. The committee’s indebtedness totaled $2,500.
• For the third quarter, reported on July 12, Hewkin’s committee reported a total of $3,116.06 in funds raised, a total of $2,214.86 in in-kind contributions, and a total of $4,047.42 in expenditures made. Indebtedness totaled $2,500. Money on hand at the close of the reporting period totaled $11,222.67.
• Blair’s “The Committee to Elect Lancer Blair” did not have any reports on file for all three quarters.
• For the first quarter, Tracy’s “Citizens for Jen Tracy” reported Jan. 6 a total of $760.13 in money on hand, at the start of the reporting period. At the close of the reporting period, there was $4,171 in funds raised, and a total of $1,212.57 in expenditures. In-kind contributions totaled $50.00. The remaining amount of money on hand at the close of the reporting period totaled $3,718.56, with no indebtedness.
• On April 13, its second quarter listed a total of $5,431.27 in funds raised and $3,925.74 in expenditures. An amended April quarterly report was filed on July 1, stating a failure to include an in-kind donation from Dirtroad Organizing in the amount of $1,320. The remaining amount of money on hand at the close of the reporting period totaled $5,224.09.
• For the third quarter, it reported July 13 a total of $11,399.91 in funds raised, an in-kind contribution of $100, and $8,571.69 in expenditures. Money on hand at the close of the reporting period totaled $8,052.31, with no indebtedness.
