How Much Does It Cost To Run For Office In Salem?

SALEM, MA — The city of Salem has posted pre-primary campaign finance reports for candidates running in the Nov. 5 municipal election. The reports, which cover contributions and expenditures between Jan. 1 and Aug. 30 show at-large city council candidate George McCabe leading all candidates in all races by raising $10,530. But the honor for most expensive campaign goes to At-Large City Councilor Arthur Sargent, who accepted no campaign contributions during the period but loaned his campaign $11,300.

Complete campaign finance reports for city of Salem candidates are available to review on the city's Website. Below, we've broken down the contribution totals for all candidates running in this year's municipal election as a tool for voters to use as they make decisions before heading to the polls next month.

At-Large City Council Candidates

There are eight candidates running for four at-large city council seats that are up for re-election in the Nov. 5 election. As of August 30:

• Jeff Cohen raised $3,854.41 for his campaign. Cohen's biggest donations came family members, including $500 from Ann Cohen and $650 from Rich Cohen.
• Incumbent Domingo Dominguez raised $3,350. His biggest contribution of $500 came from O'Donnell Funeral Home owner Anthony O'Donnell.
• Ty Hapworth raised $4,756.96. His biggest backer was Salem physician Joseph Kaye, who made contributions of $900 and $100.
• George McCabe raised $10,530 and loaned his campain an additional $5,701.25. Hawthore Hotel owner Michael Harrington and Mary King of Houston, TX, were his biggest contributors, with each giving McCabe a $500 contribution.
• Alice Merkl raised $6,618 and loaned her campaign an additional $1,350. Merkl was also her own biggest contributor, making a $300 contribution to her campaign.
• Incumbent Elaine Milo did not receive any contributions. She did, however, loan her campaign $9,011.14 and had a balance of $1,320.05 left in her campaign war chest at the start of the reporting period.
• Conrad Prosniewski, who had the highest number of votes in the Sept. 17 preliminary election, raised $7,830.
• Incumbent Arthur Sargent received no contributions but had loaned his campaign $11,300.

Two of the three candidates who were eliminated in the Sept. 27 preliminary election raised fewer than $1,000 for their campaign. Gary Gill raised $625 and Melissa Faulkner received five contributions totaling $425.

Maribel Steadman raised $4,955. At Aug. 30, when the reports were due, she had spent all but $221.40.

Ward Races

In Ward 1, incumbent Robert K. McCarthy raised $4,010. Challenger James Willis Jr. did not submit a campaign finance report.

Ward 2 City Councilor Christine Madore, who is now facing a write-in candidate, raised $1,945 on top of her previous balance $333.10. She also loaned her campaign $2,802.69. Her opponent, Stacia Kraft, announced she was running after the pre-preliminary election reports were due. (Note: An earlier version of this story contained incorrect information about Madore's write-in opponent).

In the Ward 3 race, Patricia Morsillo raised $3,215 and loaned her campaign $865.01, while Robert Camire only listed $1,153.29 in in-kind contributions for printing on his campaign finance report. Preliminary election losers Leo Higgins raised $2,660 and Jill Mullholland raised $1,565.

Ward Four City Councilor Tim Flynn and his challenger, Michael Cusick, did not submit a pre-preliminary election campaign finance reports.

Ward 5 City Councilor Josh Turiel, who is running unopposed for reelection,raised $959.21 during the period.

In the Ward 6 race, Meg Riccardi raised $3,760 ad received $110.94 in in-kind contributions, while Jerry Ryan raised $2,657.17 and loaned his campaign $2,272.17. Preliminary election loser Tyler Terry reported no contributions and expenditures of $1,833.30.

Ward 7 City Councilor Stephen Dibble and challenger Andrew Varela did not submit a pre-preliminary election campaign finance reports.

School Committee

There are six candidates running for three seats that are up for reelection on the Salem School Committee in the Nov. 5 election. Incumbent James Fleming raised $3,050 and loaned his campaign $6,100. Incumbent Mary Manning has not submitted a campaign finance report since 2015.

Jennifer Brown raised$1,885 and loaned her campaign $510, while Bethanne Cornell raised $3,915, loaned her campaign $401.74 and received $600 in in-kind contributions. Donna Fritz raised $1,430, and Kristin Pangallo raised $2,305.

Preliminary election loser Stephen Beauparlant raised $150 and spent $1,298.75 out-of-pocket on his campaign.

Complete campaign finance reports for city of Salem candidates are available to review on the city's Website.