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WARREN -- Spending by and donations to the four candidates who ran for Trumbull County commissioner were a trickle in the weeks just before the election, compared to the cash the candidates spent and raised in preceding weeks.
The latest reporting period for campaign finance reports submitted to the Trumbull County Board of Elections covers Oct. 15 to Dec. 4.
Although the four candidates for commissioner spent a collective $147,000 between June and mid-October, they spent only a collective $36,000 in the days leading up to the Nov. 3 election.
The job pays about $93,000 annually.
FRENCHKO AND POLIVKA
Republican Niki Frenchko, who defeated longtime Democrat Commissioner Dan Polivka with more than 52 percent of the vote, spent the largest sum of money during the last reporting period, $16,939. Polivka spent $9,099.
In the prior reporting period, Frenchko spent $12,272, for a total of about $29,000 during both reporting periods.
Polivka spent significantly more. In the earlier reporting period, the 16-year outgoing incumbent spent $63,995, for a total of about $73,000 when combining both reports.
Polivka raised $6,660 during the most recent reporting period, and ended the election cycle with $7,760.
The majority of the money Polivka raised during the latest reporting period was from a $5,000 donation from the Operating Engineers Local 66 in District 2, which has a Pittsburgh address listed on the report. The check was dated two weeks after the election, as were the majority of his donations during the reporting period.
Frenchko raised $1,390 during that period, and ended the election cycle with $897. She also received $1,830 in in-kind contributions during the reporting period.
Most of Frenchko's donations were $100 or less, though her biggest donation was $500 from Dan Letson of Warren, three days after the election. Most of her donations were received before the election during the latest reporting period.
Frenchko loaned her campaign $17,950; Polivka does not have any outstanding loans.
Both spent their money primarily on advertising, and Frenchko made a $11,500 donation to the Ohio Republican Party.
CANTALAMESSA AND MALLOY
Independent challenger Denny Malloy outspent Democratic incumbent Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa in the few weeks leading up to the election, though Cantalamessa spent more in total. Cantalamessa won the race with 54 percent of the vote.
Malloy spent $8,224 in the last reporting period, combined with the prior reporting period, he spent a total of $32,014.
Cantalamessa spent $1,868 in the last reporting period, but spent $47,325 in the prior reporting period, for a total of about $49,000.
Both spent money on advertising in the last weeks before the election.
Cantalamessa did not raise money during the last reporting period.
Malloy raised $1,990, most in amounts of $100 or less. His largest donation during the reporting period was $500 from Michael Goschinski of Ashland.
Neither received in-kind contributions. Both have outstanding loans. Cantalmessa's campaign has a $15,000 loan. Malloy's campaign has a $24,000 outstanding loan and a $12,500 outstanding debt, according to the reports.
Malloy's campaign still has a balance of $6,557, while Cantalamessa's has a $1,419 balance on hand.
rfox@tribtoday.com