BELLEVILLE – Democratic candidates in St. Clair County, preparing to deploy a battalion of workers for the Nov. 6 election, sent $146,935 from their own treasuries to the party’s central committee in 10 days.
About half the amount came from judicial candidates Christopher Kolker, John O’Gara, and Heinz Rudolf, who provided $24,000 each.
County clerk Tom Holbrook and sheriff Rick Watson each gave the committee $15,000 on Oct. 15.
On Oct. 16, the committee took in $6,885 from Board of Review member Michael Crockett, $6,500 from Rep. Jay Hoffman, and $5,000 from Circuit Judge Zina Cruse.
On Oct. 19, county assessor Jennifer Gomric-Minton gave the committee $10,000.
On Oct. 22, former East St. Louis school board president Lonzo Greenwood gave the committee $7,800.
On Oct. 24, Chief Circuit Judge Andrew Gleeson gave the committee $5,000.
The committee’s supporters multiplied its available balance from $25,344.96 on Sept. 30, to about seven times that much.
The committee started the year with a nearly empty treasury, but governor candidate J.B. Pritzker filled it in February with a $200,000 transfer.
Kolker provided $14,000 in February, and O’Gara and Rudolf provided $24,000 each in March.
Watson, Holbrook, and Gomric-Minton each provided $15,000 in February.
State’s attorney Brendan Kelly, running for Congress, provided $10,000.
For the primary election, the committee hired 144 workers and paid them $97,500, for an average of $677.
The committee directed more than two thirds of the total amount to East St. Louis and Washington Park.
It paid $53,100 to 30 workers in East St. Louis, an average of $1,770.
It paid $12,200 to seven workers in Washington Park, an average of $1,743.
Washington Park mayor Rickie Thomas drew the highest pay, at $5,500.
Election work carried less value in Belleville, where the committee paid $1,200 to 40 workers, an average of $300.
It paid $5,825 to 16 workers in Fairview Heights, an average of $364.
It paid $2,200 to ten workers in Swansea, an average of $220.
It paid $21,800 to Centreville Township Citizens for Better Government for election expenses.
It spent about $45,000 at Mailing Methods in Belleville and about $26,000 at Freeburg Printing and Publishing.
The committee mostly rested in the second quarter, spending about $11,000.
It transferred $14,000 to the Centreville township group and $10,000 to the party’s central committee in East St. Louis.
In the third quarter, the committee spent much more than it raised.
County board chairman Mark Kern kept the ledger on the positive side by transferring $30,000 to the committee.
Kern himself provided $5,000, and Barbara Kern provided $10,000.
The firm of Gori Julian in Edwardsville provided $10,200, and the Becker Hoerner firm of Belleville provided $2,500.
The committee spent about $48,000 at Freeburg Printing and Publishing, and about $23,000 at Mailing Methods.
It paid about $18,000 to Lindsey Mills of San Francisco for internet advertising.
It transferred $13,400 to the Centreville township group, $12,200 to the East St. Louis central committee, and $10,100 to Canteen Township Democrats.
In all, the committee spent about $386,000 through Sept. 30, and transferred about $96,000 to other committees.