Five D.C. Council candidates must face the District Office of Campaign Finance for failing to file disclosure reports by the Jan. 31 deadline, spokesman Michael Simpson said Friday.
Dorothy Douglas, Edward James, Dexter Humphrey and Mona Odom, who are running for the open Ward 7 seat, and Tony Towns, who is running in Ward 4, all failed to turn in reports and could be penalized with fines, Simpson said.
Odom said Friday she would follow up with the office.
“I’m just in the midst of doing something else,” she said.
But a surprised Simpson said that in a field of more than 50 candidates, 21 seeking election to the Ward 4 D.C. seat and 55 seeking the Ward 7 seat, such a few number of people failed to file reports. Eight people seek election to the school board seat.
“That’s not a big number considering most of the people are new to the process,” Simpson said.
Under District law, candidates have 10 days to declare a campaign committee after filing their statement of candidacy and picking up a petition. A candidate can also choose at that time that to select a $500 exemption, in which they pledge not to fundraise or spend more than that amount. In that case, disclosure reports don’t require filing, Simpson said. Five candidates have chosen to take the exemption, he added.
Candidates must return their signed petitions by the Board of Elections and Ethics by Feb. 27. At least 11 candidates didn’t have disclosure reports on file because they recently picked up petitions and were still in the 10-day committee declaration window, Simpson added.
“The first month is basically getting your organization together,” Simpson said. “If you have the chance to raise money during that time, more power to you.”
