It’s election season, and the spending is big. Mostly.   

The race for the Jefferson County Commissioner District 1 seat has the two Democratic candidates on the ballot reporting significantly differing amounts on campaign contributions. Meanwhile, statewide, the governor’s race and “No on 2117,” hold the top two spots when it comes to campaign spending, with gubernatorial races as of Oct. 21 nearing $24 million and spending on “No on 2117” broaching $12 million, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission (PDC).

The biggest gap in spending is between Heather Dudley-Nollette and Ben Thomas, who are vying for the District 1 seat. Dudley-Nollette has raised $15,353 as of Oct. 21, with $14,849 spent.

Ben Thomas, according to the same PDC database shows $125 raised and $139 spent.

The coffers show two unnamed donors — one for $100 and another for $25. In 2021, during Thomas’ campaign for a city council seat, Thomas reported zero dollars in campaign contributions.

In regard to the commissioner’s race, Thomas said in an email the figure was higher. “I raised a total of $1,135 (mostly from family) but decided to stop fundraising because I only wanted to do the campaign events, interviews and any other ‘earned media’ that made sense.”

“I didn’t have a campaign manager and didn’t want to do yard signs or other advertising,” Thomas said. “I’m running to offer a viable alternative of a more bottom-up and transparent local government, and plastering the roadside with my name didn’t feel in keeping with those values. 

Dudley-Nollette’s contributions include $500 in donations from a political action committee (PAC), $2,220 in party contributions and $10,632 in individual contributions.

Beyond the Democratic Party and the PAC, Dudley-Nollette’s largest contributors also include $2,400 from Deborah Jahnke, $2,400 from Richard Jahnke, $500 from Duncan Kellogg, $500 from Mary Kellogg, $500 from former Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval, five $250 contributions from Greg Boyd, David Gooding, Ki Gottberg, Linda Martin and Elizabeth (Libby) Wennstrom.

Governor’s race

Total spending for the governor’s seat topped $25 million in 2008 and $26 million in 2012. With this year’s spending approaching previous records, the race has boiled down to two candidates: Democrat Bob Ferguson and Republican Dave Reichert. PDC data shows that Ferguson has raised $13.3 million and spent $12.8 million with Reichert having raised $6.01 million and spent $5.4 million. The total raised for all gubernatorial candidates is $26.1 million. 

Washington’s last Republican governor was John Spellman. He was elected in 1980 but lost re-election. Since then, Democrats have won 10 straight gubernatorial contests. With Gov. Jay Inslee retiring, Washington will get a new governor for the first time in 12 years.

Recent history shows battles for open seats are close. In 2004, Democrat Christine Gregoire defeated Republican Dino Rossi by 129 votes following a hand recount. Eight years later, Inslee collected 51.5% of the vote, beating Republican Rob McKenna.

Concerns about public safety, cost of living and education appear at the forefront of voter issues for 2024. Citizen initiatives targeting climate and tax policies, and a long-term care insurance program, remain wild cards. Republicans are banking these measures will boost turnout of moderate and conservative voters who will help the GOP in Washington end its losing streak. Should Reichert lose, successful passage of the measures, such as I-2117, would be a rebuke of policies pushed through by Inslee and Democrat lawmakers, leaving the next Democratic governor with significant challenges.

‘No on 2117’

Initiative 2117, if passed, would repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), which requires the largest polluters to pay into a fund to compensate for carbon emissions. Opponents of I-2117 say that repealing the climate act will harm the state, resulting in more pollution and a cut in funding for environmental and transportation programs. 

Supporters of I-2117 blame the CCA for higher gas prices and allege the money from the program isn’t being spent wisely. 

The Climate Commitment Act was signed into law in 2021. It created a “cap-and-invest” program, placing limits on greenhouse gas pollution and requiring businesses to purchase allowances if they go over that amount. Funding collected is meant to be allocated toward climate-related projects. 

The cap-and-invest program applies to certain large emitters of greenhouse gas pollution, including large facilities, fuel suppliers, natural gas and electric utilities, waste-to-energy facilities (starting in 2027), and railroads (starting in 2031). Generally, entities with annual emissions below 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent are not required to obtain allowances to cover their emissions.

According to state documents, The Department of Ecology is required to provide an annual report to the Legislature summarizing how the auction proceeds have been used and whether each project produced verifiable emissions reductions. In 2023, cap-and-invest auctions raised $1.8 billion.

Brian Heywood, the founder of Let’s Go Washington, which seeks the repeal of CCA, argues that the state isn’t properly tracking how funding from the climate act is being spent. Its position is that the state exaggerates crises in certain areas and it should fund projects through pre-existing revenues. 

Let’s Go Washington was fined $20,000 by the PDA on Oct. 9 for failing to report spending by companies hired to gather signatures for its six statewide initiatives and for slow-walking delivery of documents to investigators.

Clean & Prosperous Institute, a group trying to defeat I-2117, reports that the proposed initiative to repeal the CCA does not include specific language to repeal the state gas tax and therefore would not deliver on one of its basic promises — delivering lower gas prices to its supporters.

The Institute works with government agencies and the private sector on behalf of measures meant to address climate change and launched an interactive map to detail projects paid for by the legislation. According to the map, projects in Jefferson County include electric vehicle charging stations, special needs transit grants, geothermal heating for the former Fort Worden Public Development Authority, fish barrier removal, among other items.