Give to your favorite council campaign TODAY!

There's something about campaign finance reporting deadlines that make City Council candidates sound like used car salesmen.

The next campaign finance report for City Council candidates is due with the Cincinnati Elections Commission Sept. 9, which will disclose contributions through today. Candidates know that reporters and donors look at their fund-raising totals as a sign of organizational strength, so they start getting pushy around the deadline.

Here are three pitches that have gone out in the last 24 hours:

David C. Crowley, Democrat, in a campaign e-mail: "Help us meet our fundraising goal TODAY! Today is one of the last filing deadlines for the City Council election. In order to meet our fundraising goal, we really need your help. Please make an online donation TODAY and give whatever amount you can spare. Visit www.CrowleyForCouncil.com to make a safe and easy donation."


Jeff Berding, Democrat, in an e-mail from campaign manager Alyson Steele: "An Urgent Message from Jeff Berding: The next campaign finance report is due next week for contributions through the end of the day today. Would you consider making an online donation TODAY at www.jeffberding.com? Any amount will help ensure that I can present my message of new leadership for change in the fall."


Nick Spencer, Charterite, on his campaign blog: "Tomorrow is the last day for contributions to the next Campaign Finance Filing report. While not quite as big a deal as the 120-day report, I'm working around the clock to get our number up as high as possible. This report is always the toughest, because so many donors aren't around for the summer, or at least aren't thinking about the campaigns too much. One way we can get that number up is if some of you wonderful blog readers hit the PayPal as hard as possible. I could definitely use your help: we don't want to lose the momentum we got off that first report. Please, give now."