In a recent analysis of campaign finance for various elections in York County, significant insights have been uncovered regarding how much each candidate raised and spent per vote obtained. On average, candidates raised $44,514.26 and spent $29,714.67 on their campaigns. The average amount raised per vote was $20.05, and the average amount spent per vote was $14.69. The highest amount spent per vote was $48.58 by Everett Stubbs, while the lowest was $1.27 by Michael Belk. Similarly, the highest amount raised per vote was $67.23 by Everett Stubbs, and the lowest per vote was $2.85 by Chris Blevins. This information was obtained from the candidates pre-election (primary) reports. The figures will change in their next quarterly report, especially expenditures as expenditures during the last few weeks of the election may not be reported yet. So, the dollars raised per vote is probably the most accurate number.
The following breakdown provides detailed information on the financial aspects of different races, highlighting the commitment and investments candidates made in their campaigns. The analysis includes any personal contributions, loans, or donations made by the candidates to their campaigns.
State House of Representatives District 66
Jackie Terribile and Michele Branning competed for a seat in the State House of Representatives District 66.
- Jackie Terribile raised a total of $53,884.71 (including $3,600 of her own money) and spent $45,024.81, translating to $25.10 raised and $20.97 spent per vote. She garnered 2,147 votes.
- Michele Branning raised $28,346.00 without any personal contributions and spent $21,715.51, resulting in $14.20 raised and $10.88 spent per vote. She received 1,996 votes.
State House of Representatives District 26
In District 26, Elizabeth Enns and David Martin were the main contenders.
- Elizabeth Enns raised $58,317.08 (including $650.53 of her own money) and spent $29,855.51, which means she raised $32.82 and spent $16.80 per vote. She secured 1,777 votes.
- David Martin raised $63,511.00 (including $9,000 of his own money) and spent $51,094.99, with $30.00 raised and $24.14 spent per vote. He obtained 2,117 votes.
Solicitor, 16th Circuit
The race for Solicitor of the 16th Circuit saw Tyler Bratton and Kevin Brackett vying for the position.
- Tyler Bratton raised $41,480.00 without any personal contributions and spent $22,286.50, raising $6.39 and spending $3.43 per vote. He received 6,489 votes.
- Kevin Brackett raised $72,574.58 (including $5,808.64 of his own money) and spent $63,820.90, with $4.17 raised and $3.66 spent per vote. He garnered 17,414 votes.
York County Sheriff
The race for York County Sheriff had multiple candidates, including Tony Breeden, Beth Bryant Tolson, Michael Belk, Chris Blevins, and Heath Clevenger.
- Tony Breeden raised $34,435.00 without any personal contributions and spent $18,132.58, which equates to $5.41 raised and $2.85 spent per vote. He received 6,364 votes.
- Beth Bryant Tolson raised $37,790.00 (including $8,000 of her own money) and spent $15,455.46, raising $8.37 and spending $3.42 per vote. She obtained 4,513 votes.
- Michael Belk raised $26,911.10 (including $18,101.10 of his own money) and spent $8,199.80, with $4.17 raised and $1.27 spent per vote. He secured 6,456 votes.
- Chris Blevins raised $11,909.20 (including $1,000 of his own money) and spent $14,863.62, leading to $2.85 raised and $3.55 spent per vote. He garnered 4,183 votes.
- Heath Clevenger raised $31,694.98 (including $9,000 of his own money) and spent $17,791.22, translating to $10.41 raised and $5.84 spent per vote. He received 3,044 votes.
State Senate – District 17
In the State Senate District 17 race, Tibi Czentye, Tripp McCoy, and Everett Stubbs were the candidates.
- Tibi Czentye raised $22,076.00 (including $10,416 of his own money) and spent $20,944.47, which means $42.29 raised and $40.12 spent per vote. He secured 522 votes.
- Tripp McCoy raised $24,705.00 (including $20,100 of his own money) and spent $18,168.84, with $27.33 raised and $20.10 spent per vote. He obtained 904 votes.
- Everett Stubbs raised $115,565.00 (including $400 of his own money) and spent $83,514.83, raising $67.23 and spending $48.58 per vote. He garnered 1,719 votes.
The cost per vote analysis provides intriguing insights into the financial dynamics of the recent York County elections. The county wide races saw less money raised per vote obtained, than the State House and State Senate races. Among the winners, Jackie Terribile and David Martin, who secured seats in the State House of Representatives Districts 66 and 26 respectively, both exhibited relatively high amounts raised and spent per vote. This indicates that their well-funded campaigns were successful in effectively translating financial resources into voter support. Jackie Terribile raised $25.10 and spent $20.97 per vote, while David Martin raised $30.00 and spent $24.14 per vote, demonstrating the impact of substantial financial backing in securing their victories.
Kevin Brackett’s campaign for Solicitor of the 16th Circuit, on the other hand, was notably more cost-effective. He raised $4.17 and spent $3.66 per vote, showcasing his ability to win with lower expenditures per vote compared to his competitors. This highlights that while financial resources are crucial, strategic and efficient spending can also lead to electoral success. In contrast, Everett Stubbs, who won the State Senate District 17 race, had the highest cost per vote, raising $67.23 and spending $48.58 per vote. His victory underscores the significant role that substantial financial resources can play in securing votes, particularly in highly competitive races.
The candidates for York County Sheriff, Tony Breeden and Michael Belk, are headed to a runoff election, and both demonstrated lower costs per vote. Breeden raised $5.41 and spent $2.85 per vote, while Belk raised $4.17 and spent $1.27 per vote. Their presence in the runoff highlights the effectiveness of their campaigns in converting limited financial resources into voter support, showing that efficient use of funds can be as impactful as the total amount raised.
Comparing these winners to the candidates who did not win, it becomes evident that raising and spending more money led to victory in 4 of 5 races. Only the Sheriff’s race had an outlier with Michael Belk and Tony Breeden going to a runoff election, even though Beth Bryant Tolson raised the most money.
Interestingly, when compared to the 2020 Presidential election, several local candidates in York County spent more per vote than President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. President Biden spent $1.15 billion and received 81,283,501 votes, which is approximately $14.15 per vote. In contrast, President Trump spent $809 million and received 74,223,975 votes, amounting to approximately $10.90 per vote. This comparison highlights the significant expenses involved in running for local office, demonstrating that some local campaigns can be more costly per vote than even presidential campaigns.
