How Much Does It Cost To Run For Mayor In Waltham?

WALTHAM, MA — Although cost of living seems to be increasing in Waltham, rents and houses are on average still lower than in Newton. So, too, is the cost of running for mayor.

Although it's unclear who voters favor, just yet, City Councilor Diane Leblanc is in the lead when it comes to raising money. She is challenging incumbent Jeannette McCarthy, who has held the seat since 2004. If McCarthy wins again, she will surpass former Mayor Arthur Clark who served 16 years in the position.

Complete campaign finance reports can be found at the Office of Campaign and Political Finance's website. Below, we've broken down the contribution totals for all mayoral candidates running in this year's Waltham citywide election as a tool for voters as they make decisions before heading to the polls next month.

Diane LeBlanc:

LeBlanc raised $49,209.00 between January 2017 and today. Included in that is an $8,000 donation of her own money. Some 11 others donated about $1,000 apiece including a retired firefighter, an independent contractor a bookkeeper and the owner of Bibbo Brothers Associates. The rest of the donations were under $500 a piece.

Mayor Jeannette McCarthy:

McCarthy raised $31,535.55. Damian Meola a dentist from Lynnfield gave the highest single donation, after McCarthy's donation of $2,031.13, at $1,000. About six Waltham residents donated $500, including Wayne Brasco. The rest of the donations were under $300 a piece.

Melissa Downes

Before she was eliminated in the preliminary election, Downes raised $1,428.73.

Other candidates:

How does that compare to what it costs to run for city council?

Before he was eliminated in the preliminary round, Don Desrochers raised $4,584.89. Caren Dunn raised $4,050 between May 1 and Sept. 8 in her bid for Ward 2 councilor. Between January and August, Sean Durkee raised $1,025.38. David Gately raised $6,576.79 in his bid for Ward 1 city council. Lizzie Gelles, candidate for Ward 1 raised $2,426.05 from January to September 1. Candidate Bill Hanley raised $12,123 between January and Sept. 5. Anthony LaFauci, also running for Ward 1 raised $2,174.36 between January and the end of August. Ward 9 Incumbent Robert Logan raised $14,544. Heather May raised $4,430 between May and September for her bid at a Ward 2 seat. Jonathan Paz raised $3,179 between April and Sept. 7.

In Newton, ahead of the 2017 election, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller raised $347,429.68 between 2016 and the end of 2017. Her main opponent, Scott Lennon raised $272,071.80 during that same time. Amy Sangiolo who was also running raised $59,778.69.

The Office of Campaign and Political Finance is an independent state agency that administers Massachusetts General Law Chapter 55, the campaign finance law. Established in 1973, it is the depository for disclosure reports filed by candidates and political committees under the law.

More on Waltham Elections:

• Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy Announces She Will Run
• Possible Challenge To McCarthy's Run For Waltham Mayor
• Councilor Diane LeBlanc Hints At Run For Mayor
• Waltham Councilor Diane LeBlanc Announces She Will Run
• Waltham Election Calendar: What To Know About Election Season
• Column: Why I'm Running For City Waltham City Councilor At Large
• Don Desrochers Announces Campaign for City Council Seat

Waltham Candidate Profiles

• Heather May - Ward 2
• Sean Durkee - Ward 6
• Robert Logan - Ward 9
• Jonathan Paz, -Ward 9
• Colleen Bradley-MacArthur - At Large City Council
• Steve Lydon - At Large
• Tom Stanley, At Large
• Marisa Diamond - School Committee
• John Graceffa - School Committee
• Margaret Donnelly, School Committee
• Jeannette McCarthy- Mayor
• Diane LeBlanc- Mayor