What does “self-funded” actually mean for your campaign? Does that give you an advantage or a disadvantage?

It means exactly what it sounds like. Every dollar this campaign spends comes from me personally. No PAC money, no donor fundraising, no favors owed to anyone when this is over.

The practical disadvantage is obvious. Campaigns with donor networks have more money to spend on mailers, advertising, and staff. I’m doing most of this myself, with Shannon, and with people who believe in what we’re trying to do. Every aspect of this campaign is managed directly by me, while I am still working full time as a clerk.

The advantage is something I take seriously. I don’t owe anyone anything. When I walk into that office on day one – if elected – the only people I answer to are the residents of Kitsap County. Not a donor who gave $2,500 expecting a phone call returned. Not a political organization that wants something in exchange for their support. Not anyone who helped fund the campaign and expects favorable treatment as a result.

The Clerk’s office touches some of the most sensitive legal matters in people’s lives. Court records. Protection orders. Custody filings. The person running that office should not have financial relationships with anyone who has an interest in how those matters are handled.

I’ve bootstrapped businesses before with less than ideal resources. I know how to do more with less. That’s not a liability for this race. It’s a preview of exactly how I intend to run the office. It means that I have to weigh the tactical advantage of every dollar spent, so you can expect my team and I to be utilizing the most advanced technology available to us. We will be writing custom analytics packages, looking at the performance of all media, and trying to figure out how to make these dollars stretch. As residents of Kitsap County we deserve to have someone with the desire and the skill to embrace new technology and create more value for us as taxpayers.