DES MOINES – As the local election campaign season begins to take shape, the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board is ready to serve local candidates.
NIT Publisher Matt Marquardt phoned the agency Thursday afternoon and spoke with two staff members, County Local Auditor Tim Annee and Executive Director Megan Tooker.
Anee indicated that local candidates for city office have not been filing many campaign forms yet. “I’d expect that to pick up in the next few weeks. It’s still early. We have seen a lot of school board candidates coming forward since those elections are in September.”
The main forms that must be filed with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board include a DR-1 Statement for campaigns that expect to accept $750.00 or more in campaign contributions. A candidate may also file a DR-SFA Statement that allows a campaign that accepts less than $750.00 in campaign contributions to place a “paid for by” attribution on any ads or signs the campaign purchases. (Iowa Code sections 68A.302 and 68A.303 and Board rule 351 IAC 4.25 provide an extensive list of permissible and impermissible expenditures from campaign funds.)
Executive Director Tooker indicated that it is very important for candidates for local office in Iowa to keep accurate records. She said that her office, in the past, has fielded plenty of calls from citizens questioning this candidate or that candidate on their fundraising. “Just keep good, accurate records near the phone,” Tooker said, “so that if we need to call for clarification, it’s easier for everyone if that information is handy.”
Tooker also confirmed that a former Mason City man who worked on Mayor Eric Bookmeyer’s campaign, Cohl Bultje, had joined her staff in Des Moines. She said Bultje has “done a great job” with the agency.
Staff at the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board:
Executive Director/Legal Counsel: Megan Tooker
Administrative Assistant/General Information: Sharon Wright
Legislative and Statewide Audit & Compliance: Cohl Bultje
Statewide PAC/County Central Commitee Audit & Compliance: Patti Newton
County Local Audit & Compliance: Tim Annee
