When ballots are collected on May 18, the Greater Albany Public Schools board will see three new faces and in Corvallis, that number could be four. And while the boards are nonpartisan in the state of Oregon and members are not paid, when all is said and done in the 2021 special election, more than $90,000 will have been spent to win those seats.
In the state of Oregon, campaign spending is public record and according to the Secretary of State filings, the battle for seats on school boards in Corvallis and Albany has taken in a total of $92,599 in money and in-kind donations.
The money has created lopsided races where thousands of dollars separate two candidates running for the same seat and some of the money comes from other communities, including out-of-state.
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In the race for GAPS’ seats about $50,000 has come in from cash and in-kind donations.
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Much of that money comes from a political action committee–a fund organized for the purpose of raising money for political candidates. Albany First PAC has contributed nearly $20,000 to three candidates: Roger Nyquist, Pete Morse and Brad Wilson.
Together, the three have raised just over $48,000 in total and $19,284 of that has come from Albany First which lists Regan Knopp at an Albany address as the primary contact. The only other contact listed is treasurer, Natalie Newgard, of Tigard.
Nyquist, who is a sitting Linn County Commissioner, Wilson and Morse are facing Clarice Law, Willard Sheppy and Denee Newton-Vazquez.
Newton-Vasquez’s PAC has raised $2,683, mostly in contributions of under $100. The largest contribution came from the Democratic Party of Oregon in the amount of $450.
Law and Sheppy have not taken any donations or raised any funds according to Secretary of State filings.
It means that the positions for Zone 1, Zone 2 and the at-large seat, the races are lopsided to the tune of more than $46,000.
“We want to keep schools open,” Knopp said when asked about the PAC’s contributions.
School openings are guided by state, not local, guidelines and GAPS schools have been open on a hybrid schedule since March 29 meaning that children who choose to return to classrooms, do so four days a week.
“That means every child gets a full day of in-person instruction, five days a week,” Knopp added. “We want to have a conversation about keeping schools open with as many voters as possible and that conversation costs money.”
Nyquist leads the GAPS fundraising race, bringing in as of May 11, $28,046. But $20,000 of that was donated by Nyquist himself. Other contributors to the total came from Lebanon, Salem and local businesses and residents mostly in amounts that were more than $250.
“I’m deeply committed to making a difference for kids,” Nyquist said of the large donation. “The last year has been difficult for them. My personal contribution to the campaign reflects that commitment.”
Albany First also donated to Pete Morse, funding the majority of his campaign. He raised $11,744 including $500 from an out-of-state contributor and $100 loan from Summit Northwest Finance.
Without Albany First’s contribution, less than $100 would separate Morse from his opponent Newton-Vasquez.
“We’re talking about single agenda candidates that are not for every kid and the money is just one symptom that separates single issue candidates from candidates that want to serve their communities and schools,” Newton-Vasquez said.
Wilson received $8,969 from Albany First of the nearly $10,000 in reported in cash and in-kind donations.
The other candidates running for GAPS seats show no fundraising for the election other than Alison Ecker who took in just over $3,000.
In Corvallis, the school board races have the same uneven funding with one candidate showing no fundraising while the other has collected thousands.
In the race for position one, current board chair Sami Al-Abdrabbuh has taken in $13,663 in funds and in-kind donations from several PACs and groups including OEA, Planned Parenthood, Friends of Corvallis Schools and the Democratic Party of Oregon. He also got $1,000 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 280.
His opponent Bryce Cleary shows no funds raised.
The same is true in the race for Position 4.
Incumbent Luhui Whitebear took in $17,315 in money and in-kind donations. She also received cash from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 280 and contributions from Planned Parenthood, Friends of Corvallis Schools and several PACs and statewide groups based outside of Corvallis.
Her opponent, Richard Arnold showed no income but rather, $2,162 in expenditures.
The three-way race for Position 5 is the only financially even race with all three candidates–Ginger Schudel Larcom, Rachelle Spindler and Shauna Tominey–showing no money raised.
But in the Position 6 race, incumbent Vince Adams has taken in $4,873 while his opponent Tim Euhus has raised nothing.
It means the races for Corvallis School Board races are lopsided to the tune of more than $35,000.
Candidates can continue to submit finances to the Secretary of State through the election.
Ballots are due May 18.
