Republican candidate for Island County commissioner Marc Hennemann filed a public disclosure complaint Wednesday against Democrat Karla Jacks.

Hennemann filed the complaint with the Public Disclosure Commission through his campaign manager, Tony Wallace.

Hennemann alleges that Jacks’ camp is not gathering appropriate donor data for contributions exceeding $100.

As of Wednesday, Jacks’ Paypal donation page did not request employer data from donors as required by law.

“You have people who have rigorous adherence to the rules, and other people have the best intentions, but both are held to the exact same standards,” Wallace said.

“Where else is she going to cut corners? Things do happen, but we’re more likely to find it if we undergo rigorous self audit.”

“We’re on the right track, she is not.”

Staff with the PDC confirmed Thursday that a complaint was filed, but they said they have not yet reviewed that complaint or made a determination.

Jacks’ spokesman Bill Phillips said that they have been calling donors after donations are made to collect the necessary data.

So, he said, Jacks’ campaign is making a good faith effort to obtain the required information.

“They don’t care how the data is collected,” Phillips said.

That said, he added, “transparency in any campaign is important. This gives us a chance to go back and double check. We welcome the scrutiny. We will accept any feedback they (the PDC) have.”

Phillips said Jacks’ staff is in the process of changing the Paypal donation page to collect the required information.

“The complaint to the Public Disclosure Commission was filed purely in the interests of transparency in campaign financing,” Hennemann said in an emailed statement. “While I am not an expert in the rules of campaign finance, I am very much in favor of letting the public know who donates to each campaign and how much they give.”

“I am certain this is merely an oversight on the part of the Jacks campaign, and I have every confidence that the experts on the PDC staff will quickly resolve the issue.”

Jacks said Thursday that she believes her campaign is collecting all the necessary data as people make donations, but she will gladly follow any guidance offered by the PDC.

“I’m trying to be very transparent, that’s who I am,” Jacks said. “It’s about representing the community of Camano and all of Island County.”

A total of five candidates, four Republicans and Jacks, the sole Democrat, filed to run for the District No. 3 seat formerly held by Kelly Emerson.

Emerson announced her decision not to seek re-election in December, resigned on May 5, seven months short of the end of her term. She is now running for Kitsap County auditor.

Wallace said the Hennemann campaign is scrutinizing Jacks because they believe he will pull ahead of the other Republican candidates and face her in the race for commissioner seat later this year.

“It’s not a mistake that we already have Karla Jacks as our opponent in November,” Wallace said.

Two of the Republican candidates, Richard Hannold and Aubrey Vauhan, chose the “mini reporting” option, meaning they don’t intend to raise or spend more than $5,000 on their respective campaigns.

Wallace said that is evidence that the two candidates are not serious contenders.

Jacks and Republican Kelly Bagley both filed for full reporting to the PDC, as did Hennemann.

As of press time, only Hennemann and Jacks had reported funds raised for their campaigns.

Jacks has raised $10,550 and spent $8,047 so far, and Henneman has raised $770 and spent $78, according the the PDC website.

Jacks said her funds have gone toward the paid campaign manager she’s had since December and the purchase of signs, pens and brochures.