Campaign finance data: See how much each Richmond City Council candidate raised.

About half a million dollars has flowed into the 2024 Richmond City Council races, with contributions coming from local political action committees, businesses, current and former public officials and everyday citizens.

District 6 is the most competitive, with a combined $111,893 in direct contributions to incumbent Claudia Jiménez and challenger Shawn Dunning. Jiménez raised about $67,000, which is about $22,000 more than Dunning. She also has spent more than twice as much as he has. Jiménez is one of two incumbents from the Richmond Progressive Alliance who are running to keep not only their seats but the PRA’s majority on the board. Dunning has strong support from the anti-RPA business community.

District 5 candidates have collectively raised $96,306. Ahmad Anderson, whose parents were both Richmond mayors, and RPA candidate Sue Wilson are vying for the seat left open by longtime Councilmember and former Mayor Gayle McLaughlin’s departure at the end of this term.

In District 1, three candidates are running: RPA incumbent Melvin Willis, social worker Jamelia Brown and Mark Wassberg, a retired auto mechanic who has reported no contributions. Willis and Brown have raised a combined $52,158.

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For the following interactive charts, Richmond Confidential used campaign finance forms filed with the Richmond City Clerk’s office as of Nov. 1, analyzing contributions for each candidate. Contributions under $100 are not itemized and thus not reflected in our analysis.

The RPA’s three supported candidates — Willis, Wilson, and Jiménez — reported no contributions from business entities. 

Dunning, in District 6, and Anderson, in District 5, each received $500 from scrap company SIMS Metal, which was cited for air quality violations after a fire in 2018. Additionally, Dunning received a $2,000 donation from PG&E.

Apart from direct donations to candidates, PACs can spend unlimited amounts supporting or opposing candidates.

On Oct. 23, Richmondside reported that Richmond Business PAC, with Anderson listed as its primary officer, had failed to file several financial forms in the past two years and did not report its spending on billboards by Sept. 26, as required. The PAC subsequently filed financial reports on Nov. 1, showing $3,166 spent  on billboards for Anderson, Dunning and Brown.

Another independent expenditure committee, East Bay Working Families, reported spending $4,700 to oppose Dunning. The committee also allocated $60,000 on mailers, ads, and door hangers for each RPA-backed candidate. 

Meanwhile, the Richmond Police Officers Association PAC spent $40,000 opposing Jiménez’s reelection.

Nearly half of the election campaign contributions are coming from outside Richmond. Anderson has received two-thirds of his donations from outside the city, while Dunning has the highest percentage of local contributions.

Political action committees have poured $63,000 directly into candidates’ campaigns. Each of the three RPA-backed candidates received contributions from PACs including Lift Up Contra Costa Action, the Richmond Firefighters Union Local 188, and the California Nurses Association PAC. 

Meanwhile, Brown, Anderson, and Dunning each received support from the US Local 342 PAC fund and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 302 Community Candidates PAC.

Notably, former Mayor Tom Butt contributed $1,000 in total to support Dunning and Brown. And Wilson contributed to her fellow RPA-supported candidates, giving $2,400 to Jiménez and $1,450.50 to Willis.

(Top photo illustration by Ava Hu)

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INTERACTIVE GAME: Play to find out which Richmond City Council candidates align with your views