Election Day Follow the Money Update: Self-Funded Campaigns

Slightly more than half of the $209,000 Santa Clara candidates have raised is loans, most of it from the candidates themselves. Mike Wiltberger has financed his campaign entirely with his own money, while David Kertes and Kyle Madej have each lent themselves more than they’ve raised from donors. Karen Hardy put in $5,000 as a contribution plus a $5,000 loan. Together the candidates have spent $179,100. Further, most campaigns don’t have enough cash on hand to cover what the candidates have lent them. There are no limits on what candidates can donate or lend to their own campaigns in Santa Clara. The only limitations are that campaigns can’t deposit contributions in the final 11 days before the election, and candidates’ loans to their campaigns must be repaid or written off by Dec. 31. Every campaign must have a zero balance by Dec. 31. Leftover money can pay for a post-election event, be returned to donors or be donated to charity. District 2 candidate Yvonne Inciarte is the o