Smith Stops Accepting Donations

EVANSTON, IL — Evanston attorney and community leader Jeff Smith deleted the campaign contribution and donation features from his election eve e-mails and has disabled the Contribution button on the front page of the campaign website.

His campaign issued a statement explaining his decision Monday:

Just as I don't believe that public places should be sold, I don't believe that elections should be bought. Voters are sick of being bombarded with requests for money up until the day of an election when, really, little can be done with it. So I've deleted the 'Donate' button from our last e-mail and hidden it from our website. What I'd like voters to do is talk to each other, and to study these campaigns and candidacies in depth.

We've laid out a vision for Evanston that reflects community values, and made a case that I have the deep experience and broad skills necessary to grow the Evanston we imagine. Instead of money we are asking supporters and voters to read, consider, and forward our final mailing:
* Imagine An Amazing Evanston and
* Jeff Smith Toolkit

Up until 8 years ago, no one had spent more than $30,000-35,000 on a citywide election. That scale seems about right. Any more and you have to wonder what's going on. We've raised and spent about $40,000, about the pre-2009 historical high, adjusted for inflation. That was enough to buy more print ads than any other campaign (because I still believe in print journalism), competitive online ad space, five targeted citywide mailings to 20,000 or more voters, a few more targeted mailings, a few hundred yard signs, campaign buttons, and hand flyers. We stayed on budget, aren't pouring in any last-minute household funds, and owe no money.

In a mere 8 weeks we got out as many, if not more, voter communications than any other campaign – at 1/3 of what the big bucks guys spent. We applied a skill I will bring to Evanston as mayor: get more value. More important, though, we've outlined more substance than anyone else.

Following the primary, we will resume fundraising for the April 4 election.

I thank Evanstonians for their thoughtful consideration and ask for their vote on Tues., Feb. 28.