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A Youngstown 5th Ward candidate spent $9,293 on a failed Democratic primary bid
YOUNGSTOWN
Michael Santisi spent $9,293, more money than any other losing candidate in last month’s Democratic primary in Mahoning County.
Finishing second in the five-person primary for Youngstown’s 5th Ward council seat, Santisi captured 314 votes. That’s $29.60 per vote.
In comparison, Lauren McNally, who won the 5th Ward primary, spent $3,232, winning with 392 votes. That’s $8.24 a vote.
Though Santisi spent the most money in last month’s primary in the county, the biggest loser in terms of money spent per vote is Jose A. Rivera in Youngstown’s 1st Ward council primary.
Rivera spent $7,005 for 84 votes. That’s $83.39 per vote.
The data were compiled by The Vindicator from candidates’ pre-primary and post-primary campaign-finance reports. The latter were recently filed with the Mahoning County Board of Elections. The money spent is from Jan. 1 to June 5.
In the 3rd Ward primary, Rick Alli spent $6,041 for 271 votes in losing to incumbent Councilman Nate Pinkard. Alli spent $22.49 per vote.
None of the May 5 Democratic primary winners spent as much per vote as Santisi, Rivera or Alli.
In the 1st Ward, Julius Oliver spent $4,434 – $15.50 per vote. In the 2nd Ward, incumbent T.J. Rodgers spent $7,190 – $11.90 per vote. In the 3rd, Pinkard spent $13,182 – $19.37 per vote, the most for any of the primary winners.
In the 4th Ward, incumbent Mike Ray spent $6,797 – $12.78 per vote. In the 6th, winner Anita Davis spent $6,164 – $13.49 a vote.
In the 7th, winner Basia Adamczak spent $1,670, only $4.90 a vote, but that doesn’t include $843 in loans and $3,085 in debt still owed by her campaign. If those are added, she spent $16.42 a vote.
In the Democratic primary for Struthers mayor, Ronald Carcelli – who lost by 40 votes to Danny Thomas Jr. – raised only $500 between July 1, 2014, and this past June 5.
He raised $11,098 in the first six months of 2014.
Campaign-finance records show Carcelli spent $3,525 between Jan. 1 and June 5. That’s only $3.56 a vote.
Carcelli could have spent plenty more. He had $8,763 in his campaign fund as of June 5.
In comparison, Thomas spent $14,905 between Jan. 1 and June 5. That’s $14.46 per vote.
Thomas had $3,325 in his campaign fund as of June 5, and will face three independent candidates in the November general election.