COVID-19 dampens need for campaign fundraising in North Port commission election
NORTH PORT – In her quest to return to the North Port City Commission, District 2 candidate Jacqueline Moore has spent $10,165.79 as of the most recent filing reports, which were due Oct. 23.
Moore has raised $14,474 for her campaign. While that’s the most of any of the six hopefuls vying for the three North Port City Commission seats on the Nov. 3 ballot, it’s also less than half of what she raised in 2016, when she finished second to Chris Hanks.
Fellow District 2 hopeful Barbara Langdon, who filed for office back in August 2019, has raised $8,205 and spent $5,652.22, according to the most recent filings. But in a year where COVID-19 social distancing protocols have limited the size of social gatherings, money may play less of a factor than exposure – both in area neighborhoods through ubiquitous campaign signs and in cyberspace, with virtually every candidate weighing in on one issue or another through a variety of Facebook groups and through online advertising itself.
Moore has spent $1,574.04 on Facebook ads and another $134.98 on Mailchimp and $1,070 on website and marketing with Rough & Ready Media.
Langdon, who runs Market Momentum, a digital marketing company, spent $415 with Constant Contact for email and marketing services and another $126 with them for web hosting.
Langdon spent $132.84 on Facebook ads.
In a nod to the virtual format prompted by COVID-19, Langdon also purchased a headset for videoconferencing and a video camera stand and $16.70 to Zoom for expanded hosting.