Challenger Vince Malfitano outraises incumbent Mayor Tyller Williamson by nearly 40 percent
Campaign filings show Malfitano with $38,725 to Williamson's $27,863 as the Nov. 3 mayoral election enters its final month.
Challenger Vince Malfitano has outraised incumbent Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson by nearly 40 percent in the race for a two-year mayoral term, according to campaign finance filings reported by the Monterey County Weekly.
Through the latest reporting period, Malfitano reported $38,725 in contributions this year, compared with $27,863 for Williamson, a gap of nearly $11,000 with the Nov. 3 election five weeks away.
Malfitano's Sept. 24 filing initially showed no donations or expenditures from July 1 through Sept. 19, even though he had paid for an advertisement in the Weekly on Sept. 8. An amended filing on Sept. 28 reported $15,329 in contributions for that period, closing the disclosure gap.
Williamson filed on Sept. 23, reporting about $28,000 raised from Jan. 1 through Sept. 19 from roughly 60 donors giving between $100 and $600. He reported spending about $9,000 this year, including $4,500 to Community Printers and about $1,100 for a Weekly advertisement.
Williamson works as a human resources specialist for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He has served on the city council since 2018 and as mayor since 2022.
Malfitano, a businessman, has framed the race as a referendum on the city's direction. "Our current leadership has failed us," Malfitano has said.
His background drew scrutiny in a Weekly profile, which reported that Nevada gaming regulators denied him licenses for two Nevada casinos, the Delta Saloon and the Bonanza Saloon, after findings by the state Gaming Control Board. Malfitano disputes the findings.
The candidates met at a Sept. 21 forum at Monterey High School, where they fielded questions on housing, the city budget, and downtown. The mayoral term on the ballot is two years.
We correct errors promptly and note them here. Send corrections to [email protected].
