OTTUMWA — The candidates running for Ottumwa city office have released their financial disclosure statements as required by the state.

Iowa law requires any candidate who raises or spends $750 to file financial paperwork with the state five days in advance of the primary and the election. Most Ottumwa candidates had not reached that trigger by the primary, but six of Ottumwa’s eight city candidates have done so now.

This year the deadline fell on Oct. 29. Two council candidates, Brian Morgan and Rick McClure, did not file the documents by the end of the business day Thursday. Morgan had previously filed paperwork establishing his campaign committee.

Morgan and McClure each told the Courier Friday afternoon that they did not reach or surpass the $750 threshhold required to report any donations or expenditures.

The two mayoral candidates have the highest average donation of the candidates. Incumbent Mayor Dale Uehling has raised $923 for his campaign. He listed six donors for an average donation of over $150.

Frank Flanders’ total donations dwarfed the incumbent’s with a $5,250 total. The unusual thing is that Flanders’ total is the result of only two listed donors. The Active Ballot Club of the United Food & Commercial Workers union donated $5,000 to his campaign.

Council candidates Jeremy Weller and Bob Meyers show similar financial profiles. Both averaged over $82 per donation. Meyers listed 15 donors, while Weller listed 12.

Bill Allen’s filing has the longest list of donors. At 34, he brought in money from more than twice the number of donations given to any other candidate. Almost half of the donors contributed $25 or less, lowering his average to just under $67 per donor.

Incumbent councilman Gordon Aistrope had the lowest donor average at $58. He also drew fewer donors than the other council candidates whose paperwork was on file, with seven donors.

Candidates can keep raising money for the campaign through Election Day, so the final figures are likely to shift as the candidates make their final reports and close their campaign committees after the election.

Each candidate’s report may be downloaded from the Courier’s Web site at www.ottumwa.com.

Matt Milner can be reached at (641) 683-5359 or via e-mail at mwmilner@mchsi.com

For your information

Candidate fundraising totals