After last week’s Student Senate elections, Impact Party and the independent candidates submitted the last of their campaign finance reports Monday.
Impact Party spent $6,776.10 throughout its campaign, according to the campaign reports submitted. More than 40 members of the party donated to fund their campaign expenses, according to the reports.
Zachariah Chou, the only candidate to win a spot against Impact, reported spending $0 on his campaign.
“I wanted to prove a point that you don’t need to have access to money,” he said. “You don’t need to spend a dime to get into Senate.”
Because he ran as an independent with no volunteers, he didn’t have to pay for T-shirts or food for anyone else, he said. He wore a suit when he campaigned instead of wearing custom clothes and printed fliers using the free Student Government printing labs.
Chou said he focused on talking to as many people as possible while he campaigned.
“People respond to people, not dollars,” he said.
Impact Party President Janae Moodie said all of Impact’s finances were covered by donations, and most of the money went toward T-shirt purchases.
“I definitely think that the amount that we used was fiscally responsible,” Moodie said. “Ultimately, it’s the campaign on the ground that makes the largest difference.”
Independent candidate Jeremy O’Brien Murillo, who lost his campaign for Beaty Towers by six votes, spent about $108 on shirts and fliers, according to the reports. He said spending the money on his campaign helped notify students he was running.
“I do believe in limits, but when you’re an independent, it’s just really hard to get your name out there,” he said.
Editor’s note: Zachariah Chou formerly worked as a paid photographer for the Alligator.
