School board race finances half 2022’s record

School board candidates raised slightly more than half of 2022’s record $70,000 in donations, according to contribution and expense reports filed with the Nevada Secretary of State by Tuesday.

The reporting covers the quarter ending Sept. 30, so it doesn’t include any contributions or expenditures for October.

Today, Douglas County voters begin in-person voting at the Douglas County Community & Senior Center. The center will be open for voting 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Record-Courier's General Election Guide is available online.

The top fundraiser in the race was candidate Antoinette Casselberry, who has raised $16,672.86, with $13,570.86 of that in August and September.

She had nine donors with Nicholas Maier leading at $2,500, Dallas Debatin with $2,000, Ed Hayes with $2,000, Devere Henderson with $2,000 and Howard Vipperman with $1,000. Four donors contributed a combined $1,100. The rest was made up by donors of less than $100 with $2,970.86.

According to her report, she spent $10,546.86 so far in the campaign.

Opponent Melinda Gneiting raised $13,505.15 on her campaign with $7,157.30 of that since July.

She’s spent $12,588.54.

Of her 11 donors, the We Deserve a Better Board political action committee is the top with $1,500.

Gneiting lent $2,557.30 to her own campaign, which she paid back from contributions. The rest of her contributions were $500 or less.

School Board Area 3 challenger Erinn Miller raised all of her $6,919 in the second period. She lists two dozen donors, with the Better Board Pac providing $1,500 and Zephyr Cove residents Josh Buck and Kinsey Pillsbury donating $1,000 each.

Miller spent $8,276.73, according to her report.

School Board Trustee Doug Englekirk reported raising $200 in a single donation and spending $2,920.  

In the battle of the political action committees, We Deserve a Better Board raised $6,000 and has spent $9,028.16.

The committee backing Gneiting and Miller reported a $3,500 donation from the Retail Association of Nevada and $2,500 from Lois Wray.

It spent $3,000 in donations to Miller and Gneiting, and $1,028.16 for advertising.

Citizens for Douglas County Education, which is backing Casselberry and Englekirk reported raising and spending $3,120.

The donations were split between PAC operator Tom Starrett and Hayes.

The PAC spent the entire sum with Evans Broadcasting.