CORNWALL — Campaign finance records filed with the Vermont Secretary of State on Feb. 20 show that Addison Central School District board candidate Chris Kramer had raised $7,025 and spent $6,257 in his effort to win a three-year seat representing Cornwall on the 13-member panel.
Records show Kramer has self-financed his campaign to the tune of $6,600.
None of the other candidates running for the ACSD board have thus far raised or spent at least $500 — the trigger for filing a campaign finance disclosure form. It’s highly unusual (historically) for anyone to amass a campaign war chest exceeding $500 in an Addison County school board race.
Kramer is seeking to unseat incumbent ACSD board member (and former Chair) Peter Conlon.
“The incumbent candidate has quite a bit of name recognition, and while I am known to those in the Cornwall School community from co-chairing Friends of Cornwall School, many others may not be familiar with me,” Kramer said of his fundraising efforts.
He added the COVID-19 pandemic — which precludes conventional door-to-door campaigning — also influenced his fundraising strategy. Most of his funds have been used for print, social media and radio ads, records show.
In addition to the contested Cornwall seat, Davina Desmarais, Mary Heather Noble and Lindsey Hescock are competing for two available three-year terms representing Middlebury.
Barb Wilson is running unopposed for Shoreham’s seat on the ACSD panel.
All members are voted at-large, meaning that residents in Bridport, Cornwall, Ripton, Middlebury, Salisbury, Shoreham and Weybridge will cast ballots on those races.