The cost to run an election campaign is no small potatoes. The average senatorial candidate spent $7.4 million in 2000, according to The Campaign Finance Institute’s Web site.While candidates from Colorado may not spend the average, they raise plenty to cover their costs. Bill Ritter, democratic candidate for governor, spent nearly $38,000 on research and polling alone, according to his August list of expenditures. Other expenses included legal fees, office space and supplies and mailings and postage, to name a few.There are constitutional guidelines and plenty of regulations governing donations to candidates. And there are severe penalties if a candidate does not adhere to the rules.The following is a sample of donations received by five candidates running for office in Colorado. These candidates were randomly selected. The NFH tried to list as many corporate donations as were available.Bill Ritter, Democrat for governorReporting period April 1 – April 25, 2006, filed on May 3; 598 donors for funds on hand that totaled $727,559.72 at the beginning of the period;; funds on hand at the end of the reporting period: $710,056.51$5,000 donations
- Colorado State of Conf. Electrical Workers – Colorado Springs (two donations)
- Service Employees International Local 105 – Denver
- 166 individual donors
- Harebell Circle LLC – Denver, Colo. – $100.00
- Chase Strategies LLC – Englewood, Colo. – two contributions at $500.00 each
- three individual donors
- 99 donors
- Caribou Ranch – Boulder, Colo. – $150.00
- Redline Holdings – Denver, Colo. – $250; $500
- Colorado Orthopedic- Aurora, Colo. – $250; $500
- Mastin & Budman, LLC – Denver, Colo. – $250; $500
- BCX Development, LLC – Englewood, Colo. – $500
- MGI Investments, LLC – Castle Rock, Colo. – two donations at $500 each
- Faegre & Benson Government Fund, LLP – Minneapolis, Minn. – two donations at $500 each
- Axxess Connect, LLC – Denver, Colo. – $500
- Primetime Communications, Centennial, Colo. – two donations at $500 each
- Canterberry Development, Co., LLC – Englewood, Colo. – two donations at $500 each
- Meadow Vale Investments – Colorado – two donations at $500 each
- Running Creek Investments – Englewood, Colo. – two donations at $500 each
- The Geo Group, LLC – Boca Raton, FL – two donations at $500 each
- 96th Ave. Investment Partners – Colorado – two donations at $500 each
- Dunes Investment Partners – Castle Rock, Colo. – two donations at $500 each
- Colorado Pain & Rehab Professionals, LLC – Wheatridge, Colo. – two donations at $500 each
- Rocky Mountain Surgery Center – Englewood, Colo. – two donations at $500 each
- American Legislative Exchange Council – Washington, D.C.LLP or LLC or other business contributions
- American Legislative Exchange Council – Washington, D.C.
- $10,000 donations
- Marsha Looper
- one LLC donor
- three individual donors$100 donations
- three individual donors
- Colorado Private School Association – Denver, Colo. – $400.00
- one individual donor
- one individual donor
- one individual donor
- seven individual donors
- Calli Property Services, LLC – Colorado Springs – $400.00
- Colorado Pride Realty – Colorado Springs – $204.90