Future candidates for mayor and council in Chestertown will have to disclose who gives to their campaigns and how much. The town council could pass a campaign finance ordinance as soon as the next council meeting on April 7.
“I think it’s simple, I think it fits a town the size of Chestertown,” said Ward 1 Councilwoman Liz Gross, who worked with Ward 4 Councilman Marty Stetson to draft the ordinance. The ordinance will apply to Section 34 of the Charter of the Town of Chestertown, which governs elections.
Contributions from individuals and organizations will be limited to $500 for ward candidates and $1,000 for mayoral candidates.
Candidates must file their first disclosure within 15 days prior to a general election and a final report must be filed within 10 days following the election. The final report can be postponed until after a runoff election, if one is required.
A runoff election will take place between the two candidates with the most votes when four or more candidates ran in the general election for the same seat–without one securing at least 35 percent of the vote.
The measure was originally introduced by Stetson who lamented on the scale of contributions that came from anonymous donors in last year’s town election.
“There’s been more money spent on this mayor’s race than all the mayor’s races in the last 20 years,” Stetson said at the Nov. 4 meeting of the town council –- the day before the election. “It’s just unbelievable the amount of money.”
There are roughly 13 municipalities in the state that have passed campaign finance disclosure laws. Candidates for municipal office in Maryland are not required by state law to disclose the source or amounts of contributions they receive — so it is up to local governments to enact their own campaign finance rules.
See the draft ordinance here.
Related stories:
https://chestertownspy.org/2014/02/20/council-likely-to-pass-campaign-finance-law-by-april/
Marty Stetson says
Editor,
Nice story but I am the fourth ward councilman, not the second.
Daniel Menefee says
oops! fixed!