Tri-Cities candidates fundraise $160,000. Who’s banked the most?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Candidates raised at least $160,000 this year.
- Many contenders use mini reports to limit filings, raise small-dollar donations.
- Unions, businesses and self-funding drove totals.
Candidates running for local office in the Tri-Cities have raked in at least $160,000 this year, the tally coming as voters begin returning ballots for the Nov. 4 general election.
It’s a sizable chunk, though a far cry from the $407,000 candidates raised during a similar cycle in 2021. Candidates in 2017 even raised more, about $190,000.
More nonpartisan candidates running for seats on city councils, school boards, and port commissions have opted to forgo fundraising opportunities with a less competitive primary this year.
Pasco City Council incumbent Leo Perales — who has run in local races going back to 2017 — characterized the campaign season thus far as “pretty tame.” He’s facing a challenge from Bryan Verhei, a local real estate broker, who has garnered nearly $8,500 in contributions to Perales’ $6,900.
This season, many more candidates are also opting to “mini report” through the Washington Public Disclosure Commission, the state department that tracks candidate fundraising and expenses.
Many are incumbents who have campaign infrastructure already in place. The mini report, or self-fund method, means they don’t have to file frequent reports on spending and fundraising as long as they commit to raising no more than $7,000. But it also means the public doesn’t get a transparent look into the books of those campaigns.
Which Tri-City candidate is raising the most?
Roy Keck, who’s been on the Port of Benton Commission for nearly two decades, is leading this year’s cash dash with nearly $23,000 raised, though $10,000 of that was from himself.
He’s facing another conservative in Bill O’Neill, a small business owner with aerospace industry experience, who’s been endorsed by the Benton County Republican Party and has opted to mini report.
Candidates endorsed by the Washington Education Association are also seeing some strong numbers. Valerie Torres, Robert Franklin and Amanda Brown have raised a combined $53,000.
Torres is vying for an open seat on the Pasco School Board against Scott Lehrman, and Franklin is hoping to unseat Kennewick School Board Vice President Micah Valentine.
Meanwhile, Brown is hoping to avoid another close election against Steve Christensen. The school board president unseated then three-term incumbent Christensen in 2022 by just 120 votes, but now finds herself the incumbent in this year’s race for a four-year term.
Valentine, Lehrman and Christensen have all opted to mini report.
The Washington State Republican Party is also backing a select number of school board candidates across the state, and offering them help with resources. Those candidates in the Tri-Cities include Valentine and Christensen.
City council challengers are also seeing some love. Calixto Hernandez, a case manager challenging Melissa Blasdel for her seat on the Pasco City Council, has raised $14,000. And Kyle Saltz, the Army veteran and Hanford Patrol officer hoping to unseat Kurt Maier on the Richland City Council, has raised nearly $12,000.
Both incumbents, Maier and Blasdel, are mini reporting.
Donors are also contributing some in the open race for mayor of West Richland. It’s a showdown between two council members, Fred Brink and May Hays.
Hays has raised over $7,000, while the mostly self-financed Brink reported nearly $7,300.
Aside from contributions that Tri-Cities candidates make to their own campaigns, PDC filings show most comes from local organizations and residents. Many also received cash from local unions, businesses or state political action committees.
Candidates mostly spent their cash on political consultation, yard signs, event space, postage, advertising, T-shirts, door hangers, banners, websites, surveys and polling and video production.
Voters can still register and vote in-person up until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, at their local elections center.
Ballots must be postmarked by election day if returned by mail, or slid into a certified drop box by 8 p.m. the day of election.
This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 11:46 AM.
