Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray, trying to win a second term in the Nov. 3 election, has raised and spent nearly five times the money challenger Charlie Smithgall has since June, new finance reports show.

Gray, a Democrat and former defense attorney, brought in $33,908 and spent nearly as much since June 9, the beginning of the latest reporting period. He had $20,805 on hand as of Oct. 19, the close of the reporting period.

Those figures don't include the more than $20,000 Gray's campaign netted at an art auction held after Friday's deadline for filing finance reports.

Smithgall, a Republican and city pharmacist who served two terms in City Hall before losing to Gray in 2005, raised only $6,900 and spent nearly all of it. He had only $519 on hand.

The level of fundraising and campaign spending pales in comparison to what Gray and Smithgall spent four years ago, and is the smallest amount in any modern mayoral race, according to newspaper records.

The two spent nearly $229,000 in 2005 — a record for any Lancaster mayoral contest. Smithgall outspent Gray the last time around, $146,792 to $82,072, but ended up losing by 16 percentage points.

In previous elections, Smithgall and his 2001 Democratic opponent, Ed Ruoff, spent a combined $113,900. And in 1997, Smithgall and opponent Jon Lyons spent a combined $185,000, according to newspaper records.

The reason for the relatively low level of spending this year can be easily explained: Gray didn't have an opponent until mid-year, when Smithgall, who won the Republican primary as a write-in candidate, decided to challenge Gray in the general election.

The other interesting wrinkle to this year's fundraising in the mayoral race: Roughly two thirds of the cash has been given by people who live outside the city and can't vote in the election.

At least $21,168 in 91 separate contributions to Gray's campaign came from donors who live outside the city, an analysis of his finance report shows. The mayor's campaign got 50 contributions worth $9,426 from city residents.

Those numbers, however, do not include the $3,311 Gray received in un-itemized contributions, or those $50 or less.

Smithgall's report shows that $4,900 of his $6,900 came from 10 donors who live outside the city. He did not have any contributions of $50 or less.

Gray received seven contributions of $1,000 or more. They were from Matthew G. Brown of West Chester ($2,500), who works at ARRO Consulting Inc. in Manheim Township; Robert L. Pfannebecker, an attorney from Holtwood ($1,500); Jon C. Lyons, a Lancaster attorney ($1,050); Michael D. Lockhart of Lancaster ($1,000), the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Armstrong World Industries; Lois Dostalik, a business management consultant of Lancaster ($1,000); Friends of John Callahan ($1,000), the campaign committee of Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan; and Kenneth Stoudt of East Lampeter Township ($1,000).

On Monday, Gray's committee also reported receiving $1,500 from Gov. Ed Rendell's campaign committee.

Smithgall received only two contributions of more than $1,000. They were from Erich Burlefinger of West Lampeter Township ($2,000), the general partner of the Burle Business Park, and Beverly R. Steinman of Lancaster Township ($1,000), a director of Lancaster Newspapers Inc.

Smithgall's campaign received three contributions of $500. They were from Charles McWilliams, a Lancaster funeral director; John C. and Beverly B. Schantz of Lancaster; and John M. and Sara T. Buckwalter of Manheim Township, chairman of the board of Lancaster Newspapers Inc.

tmurse@lnpnews.com