If early financial disclosures are any indication, Salt Lake City Councilman Eric Jergensen could face a stiff re-election challenge.
His opponent, Lisa Allcott, has raised $7,239 to vie for the District 3 seat, which includes the Avenues and Capitol Hill, according to reports filed this week at City Hall.
Jergensen's total: $0.
Of course, it's still early in the 2009 campaign. Candidates don't formally file until July.
Jergensen explains that he sent out his first fundraising letter last week, announcing his campaign for a third term. Since then, he says, he has received pledges for more than $8,000. He will be reporting those and other donations for the next filing deadline, Aug. 3.
"It will not be a zero," Jergensen says, noting he brings "experience" and relationships with other government officials to the council race. "There will be zeroes in it, preceded by a digit."
Allcott, a first-time candidate, says she's "humbled" by the support she has garnered, mostly from friends. An advocate for gay rights, Allcott's donors include others involved in Utah's movement. Among them: Former Equality Utah chairwoman Jane Marquardt and Salt Lake City Democrats Sen. Scott McCoy and Rep. Jackie Biskupski.
"Change starts with the local governments," says Allcott, who was prompted to run after attending a conference about the need for more women in politics.
Besides Jergensen, council members Jill Remington Love (District 5), Carlton Christensen (District 1) and Soren Simonsen (District 7) are up for re-election this year. Love and Christensen plan to run again. Simonsen says he is "90 percent" sure he will join them.
Only one other challenger other than Allcott has filed financial reports: Leslie Reynolds-Benns. The Westpointe Community Council chairwoman has launched a rematch against Christensen, who defeated her in 2005.
Reynolds-Benns has gathered $750 for her campaign. But so far, Christensen is outpacing her, amassing $5,484.
