Rockleigh, a small borough in Bergen County that borders New York, has a population of 407, and when Republican David Hansen ran for re-election to his council seat in 2022, he was unopposed and won with 72 votes.
In his three campaigns, Hansen has never faced an opponent, so fundraising wasn’t a factor. He filed notices with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission stating that he would spend less than $4,500 – by 2022, that limit had been increased to $5,800 – on his campaign; that allows candidates who raise and spend practically nothing to bypass disclosing their donors (as long as none exceed $300) and expenditures (of less than $1,900).
When he ran for re-election in 2022, Hansen didn’t file his Form A-1 for the general election, and that put him in the crosshairs of ELEC, the state agency charged with enforcing New Jersey’s election laws.
Hansen got a few notices and filed his 2022 general election report on December 13, 2023 – 428 days late. Last week, ELEC fined him $275 for his late report; he’s already paid the amount in full.
The $5,800 threshold is a flat rate; it applies to Walpack (population: 7) and Newark (population: 305,344).
Salvatore Candarella, a former Kenilworth councilman seeking a comeback in 2022, was fined $275 for filing his primary election report 591 days late. Candarella, who dropped out of the race after the primary, paid a $275 fine.