What does it cost to run a successful campaign for public office in Federal Way?

Michael Morgan, who was elected municipal judge in Federal Way last month and will start his new job on January 1, 2006, spent a total of $40,608 on his campaign, according to documents filed with the Public Disclosure Commission of the State of Washington.

His opponent, Judge David Tracy, told the Federal Way News he spent between $40,000 to $45,000.

This year marked the first time a municipal court judge has been elected by the voters of Federal Way rather than appointed by the city manager. In March, the city council amended city code to change the job to a full-time position. State law dictates that the voters must elect full-time municipal judges.

The newly expanded position pays just under $116,000 per year. The state pays part of that out of a judicial improvement account, to encourage the creation of more full-time positions.

After an unsuccessful bid for King County Superior Court judge in 2000, for which he spent just under $80,000, Morgan had rebounded from that financial loss and was ready to gamble on another campaign.

"While deciding whether to run, my wife asked me, will you win?" said Morgan. "Were we willing to lose another $30,000 to $40,000, because we knew that's what it takes to run a strong campaign in a city race."

A large part of his expenditures were funded by a loan from his wife, Colleen Morgan. Per state law, candidates are allowed to accept a loan from their spouse for up to half of the couple's net worth. They are also allowed to loan themselves up to $4,000.

"We were fortunate enough to largely self finance," Morgan said.

Tracy, who is unmarried, was only able to loan himself the $4,000. However, there is no limit to what a candidate can receive in campaign contributions.

Tracy explained that in judicial elections, the candidate is not supposed to be influenced by their contributors.

"At the start of the campaign, you send out a letter asking for contributions, and if you get 10-20% in response, you're doing ok," Tracy said. "After that, it's your own money."

Asked what he will do once he steps down to make way for Morgan, Tracy replied that he would return to his contract law practice in Renton.

"I'll expand my business," said Tracy. "And repay my campaign loans."

Will he run again?

"One never knows," Tracy said.

Morgan, a criminal lawyer for over twenty years, said that running a campaign is so stressful, he could either nickel and dime expenses, or he could make decisions based on expediency.

"For example, the signs you see on everybody's lawns. I bought signs that were more expensive but easier to put together since we were doing all that stuff by ourselves. We went for simplicity," said Morgan.

Nearly half of Morgan's expenditures went to a political consultant, Gloria Miller of the Index Group in Seattle.

Miller advised Morgan on graphic design, ad content and organized the direct mail, in addition to lending her expertise about issue emphasis and endorsements.

During the campaign, one way the candidates keep an eye on their competitors is to regularly check out the Public Disclosure Commissions website. All candidate's contributions and expenditures are electronically filed now, so the website has become an essential tool in their campaign arsenal.

"At one point, I noticed that Tracy had spent money on getting a billboard. Until then, we hadn't even thought of that. So then we got one," said Morgan.

Morgan explained that no matter how strategic one is, there are a number of random factors that determine a candidate's success, such as whether your name is listed first on the ballot, or that voters have repeatedly favored female over male candidates for the past twenty years.

Both Tracy and Morgan agreed with the city council's decision to have the voters choose their city judge.

"Everybody who is on the bench should have to do this once," stressed Morgan. "It's really important to go to the public and explain why you should have the job. The judicial position is invested with a great deal of respect; you wear a robe, the public must accept your decision, people stand when you enter the court, etc. It's really easy to confuse respect for the institution with respect for you as a person," said Morgan.

"That respect is a lot easier to come by if you have to explain yourself to the public."