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Frederick city 2009 election candidates have garnered more than $100,000 in support and spent almost $70,000 soliciting it so far this election year, according to campaign finance reports released this week.

Leading the fundraising in the mayoral race is Democratic candidate Jason Judd, who since his first kick-off $3,000 fundraiser in February has raised $30, 274 in monetary and in-kind donations so far.

"We didn't envision an expensive race," Judd said of his success in fundraising. "We always knew we'd build our campaign with people, than with cash, but we're pleased to have this support with so many people, and from every part of Frederick."

Judd, who spent $13,518 of his funds, said he believed that keeping with his promise of "no boring fundraisers" he has been able to keep residents engaged. Judd has also been innovative in hosting chili cook-offs and ragtime concerts as fundraisers.

Judd solicited donations from about 300 supporters, with about 86 percent of them giving $100 or less, he said. He has also solicited more than $8,845 worth of in-kind donations, which he said he values just as much.

"That represents an ability to build a strong campaign," he said. "Because we've got people not only giving their money, but their service and talents."

Mayoral candidate Jennifer Dougherty came in second, as he was able to combine contributions given in her last campaign for mayor, which she lost in 2005, to a total of $19,157, of which she has spent $17,121.

The Democrats rounded out the top three fundraisers in the mayoral race, with Chris Simpson bringing in $6,456.16, of which he's spent $6,423.

Republican candidate Ron Tobin, the last mayoral candidate to file for his candidacy, has brought in $5,925.08 in just a little more of a month, and has spent only $3,971. Republican Randy McClement came in next to last, with $5,348, with expenditures totaling about 1,143.

Last in the mayoral fundraising race is Republican candidate Clint Hoffman, who said he has spent the last few months asking for votes more than money. Hoffman has spent about $1,200 of his own money on signs, car magnets and fliers. He said that he didn't feel right asking people for money in the current economic times.

"I don't want to be indebted to anybody, and the way the economy is, I don't want to take money from anybody that people need to pay the bills," he said. "The campaign has suffered, but people are having a hard time with their mortgages and jobs, and I don't want to burden them."

In the aldermanic race, Democratic candidate Josh Bokee topped in total campaign contributions with $6,758, but of that, $2,143 represents a loan to himself.

Karen Lewis Young, another Democrat, collected the most donations with $5,997. Bokee said fundraising hasn't been his primary emphasis. "I needed to get myself going and going door-to-door. And it's a tough economic climate, and it is tough asking folks for money," he said. Bokee spent $3,440 of his funds so far.

Young said she tapped everyone she knew for money and ideas, including family, friends, constituents, members of her various community organizations, past candidates and even sources that she found from previewing previous election finance reports.

"We really had a strategy and had a process," Young said. "I did feel compelled to allocate a lot of time and thought into how to go about it." Young has spent $2,835 of her contributions so far. Andrew Kotkin was among two of the aldermanic candidates who didn't solicit campaign contributions, opting instead, to use his own printer, recycled paper and creativity to print his own campaign material. "I feel that if I'm running for an office here, I'm doing it on my own dime," the democratic candidate said. "I'll look a little more into soliciting at this point, and that's only if I feel it necessary. I'm pretty comfortable with where I am right now."