WHEELING – Candidates in Wheeling’s mayoral race did not raise or spend anywhere near the kind of money some candidates in the big statewide races have leading up to the West Virginia primary, but the local candidates did participate in some grassroots fundraising and campaigning.

Spending and fundraising for each of the six candidates varied widely, between raising or spending more than $30,000 to not raising or spending a dime on the campaign.

As required by law, candidates in all races must submit information about expenditures and contributions at different points during their campaigns. Quarterly statements have deadlines, and a primary report was due “15 days prior to the primary election or within four business days thereafter.”

That primary report deadline fell on May 3 ahead of this coming Tuesday’s primary election – which coincides with Wheeling’s municipal election. All city council seats – including the mayor’s seat – will be up for grabs.

The Wheeling City Clerk’s Office keeps records of all the required financial disclosures of campaign contributions and expenditures for municipal race candidates.

In the mayoral campaign, candidate Rosemary Ketchum submitted quarterly reports for financial contributions and expenditures, but did not submit an updated report that was due by the May 3 deadline. Candidate Carl Carpenter did not raise or spend any money for his campaign, but participated in organized debates and forums. All other candidates – Beth Hinebaugh, Denny Magruder, Chad Thalman and J.T. Thomas – submitted their primary reports outlined by State of West Virginia Financial Statement forms on or within a few days of the recent deadline.

Each report provides details of campaign contributions, no matter how large or small, as well as totals from political fundraising events and amounts of outstanding loans taken out to help fund campaign expenditures. The individual names of each campaign contributor are also listed.

The reports also detail line items for spending on the campaign trail. Typical expenses include those for various forms of advertising, lawns signs and buttons, billboards, commercials, T-shirts, supplies, food for events and other related expenses.

Among the six candidates in Wheeling’s mayoral campaign, Thalman led the pack in total campaign contributions, with $32,095 raised during this election season, according to his primary report. Many of his larger contributions came from family members, the report shows. Thalman spent a total of about $28,497.

Leading the pack in expenditures among the mayoral hopefuls was Thomas, who spent around $31,684, according to his primary report. Thomas logged the second highest total of campaign contributions at $25,346 and took out $15,000 in loans on top of that, giving him the lead in the total available amount of money on hand to spend on the campaign trail.

Thomas also listed successful fundraising social events at The Bridge Tavern and Generations Restaurant & Pub.

Magruder raised a total of around $23,346 during his campaign, according to the primary report. Magruder also listed a successful fundraising social event held at Generations, and he took out a total of $5,500 in loans, according to his final primary fiscal disclosure totals. While Magruder spent money on campaign signs, flyers, banners, door hangers and other materials, he also listed a number of donations to local charities in his expenditures.

Hinebaugh listed a total of $950 in campaign contributions and took out a total of $9,500 in loans. Hinebaugh’s expenditures were listed at about $10,422.

According to Ketchum’s most recent quarterly report submitted to the clerk’s office, her campaign raised around $8,322 as of the week of April 1. Her expenditures at that point in the campaign were listed at around $1,659. Ketchum’s figures included lengthy lists of contributions as small as $5 and one notable contribution from Beverly Hills, California, in the amount of $2,500 from actress and West Virginia native Jennifer Garner.

A handful of candidates in the various races for Wheeling City Council seats also did not submit financial disclosures for their primary reports that were due on May 3. The city clerk’s office keeps all municipal election financial reports, which are public records. Officials said that financial disclosure and reporting deadline violations are handled by the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office.