Dear Editor,
2020 could prove to be an interesting election year for Chaffee County. With the passage of House Bill 19-1007, from August 2 2019 onwards, campaign contribution limits will apply to county candidates and their Candidate Committees. Individual campaign contributions will now be limited to $1,250 for the primary and $1,250 for the election. All campaign finance data is available to the public on the State of Colorado TRACER page.
I downloaded this data, and also the election results, to look back at how these new campaign finance limits could affect the election of Chaffee County Commissioners going forward. In 2016, current County Commissioners Keith Baker (District 1) and Greg Felt (District 2) won election.
TRACER reporting shows that their election committees were able to outspend their opponents by a huge factor (more than two to three times more). What was even more noteworthy was that this financial advantage was provided mainly through large donor contributions. Keith Baker received $15K (40 percent of his financing) from just two donors, one of who was not even a Chaffee County registered voter. Greg Felt received $13K (29 percent of his financing) from one single donor.
As shown in the table below, the county voting majority went to the candidates that had the best-financed campaign in 2016.
The same pattern happened in the 2018 election when Rusty Granzella ran for election as the District 3 County Commissioner. He also dramatically outspent his opponent and received a large donation of $7.5K (43 percent of his financing) from a single donor – who was in fact the same donor who financed Greg Felt’s campaign.
We hear frequently about the danger of dark money significantly influencing elections at the State and Federal level. From the TRACER and voting data above, it is clear that money has also had a serious influence in our local elections for County Commissioners. The reform to the campaign finance law that now limits campaign contributions for County candidates in 2020 is long overdue. It remains to be seen what effect this will now have on our 2020 local elections.
Both Keith Baker and Greg Felt are running for re-election. Keith Baker will run on the Democratic ticket and will face both a Republican (Hannah Hannah) and an Independent (Bonnie Davis) opponent for District 1 County Commissioner. Greg Felt, to date, is running unopposed for District 2, but unaffiliated (UAF) candidates can still petition onto the ballot until July 31.
There is obviously much attention being paid to the 2020 Presidential and Senate elections which will have a dramatic effect on the way ahead for all citizens. However, equally important are our local elections and in many ways, our choice of Commissioner and District Attorney in the 2020 election may have a more direct impact on local citizens and our way of life.
I commend the Colorado State Legislature for at last plugging this egregious gap in the Campaign Finance regulations which previously permitted unlimited donations from wealthy individuals who wished to influence County elections. With the new regulations, the playing field for the County Commissioner candidates has been leveled. Please consider getting involved at a grassroots level for our 2020 local elections and make your vote count more than these large donations have in the past for electing our local government officials.
Alison Brown
Salida
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