Findings
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Context Ethics Commission
Before the Ethics Commission (2020-06-17): Appeal of Staff Determination on Maine Clean Election Act Funding – Cynthia Soma-Hernandez
Cynthia Soma-Hernandez is a candidate for the Maine House of Representatives, District 112. In May, she applied to the Commission for Maine Clean Election Act funding. On June 3, 2020, the Commission staff determined that she had not submitted 60 valid qualifying contributions, which are required to receive Maine Clean Election Act funding. The Commission staff found that 28 qualifying contributions were not valid because the candidate had submitted no proof that the contributors were registered to vote, two contributions were duplicates, one contribution was missing and one money order was si The motion: “To affirm the decision of the Executive Director of the Maine Ethics Commission that Ms. Cynthia Soma-Hernandez did not submit 60 qualifying contributions to entitle her to participate in the Maine Clean Election Act program.” Vote: 3-0.
What to check- What the Commission decided, in the motion and the minutes
- A complaint is an allegation, not a finding
The Commission's meeting of 2020-06-17The staff memo
Rule: A complaint or other matter before the Ethics Commission
“The commission shall review the application and shall make the investigation if the reasons stated for the request show sufficient grounds for believing that a violation may have occurred.”21-A MRSA §1003(2) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works
Financial disclosure, 2025
From the personal financial disclosure they filed with the Maine Ethics Commission on August 11, 2026. Maine's form lists sources and positions, not amounts: the law asks for each source of $2,000 or more in the year, and each state agency sold $10,000 or more (1 MRSA §1016-G). Family members aren't named.
Jobs
- Retired Teacher, NJ TPAF (Education) · Trenton, NJ
- Retired Teacher, Social Security (Education) · Baltimore, MD
Campaign money: Representative · Clean Election
$8,053raised to date (the Commission's list, October 17, 2026); $1,835 spent
$802itemized in 2026, 9 contributions
$7,253Clean Election funding paid this year
$0from the candidate (incl. loans)
$6,218cash on hand on September 15, 2026 (42 Day Pre General Mcea Report)
Where their contributions come from
100%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsTribal nationsPolitical partiesOther candidates and officeholders
Compare with all 2026 candidates →
How it was spent: $1,835
Palm cards, signs, stickers$1,523
Professional services$312
Largest payees: York Signs $1,699 Professional services · Bromar Printing Solutions $135 Palm cards, signs, stickers
Payments in 2026, by the Ethics Commission's expenditure codes.
| Top contributors | Type | Total |
|---|
Cynthia Soma-Hernandez
retired · North Anson | Person | $100 |
Angela Rolfe
retired · Anson | Person | $100 |
Brian Spatafura
construction engineering · Brian Spatafura · Winthrop | Person | $100 |
Amy Kibbeh
not currently employed · Cornville | Person | $100 |
Priscilla Jenkins
retired · Winthrop | Person | $100 |
Paul Iverson
retired · Two Harbors | Person | $100 |
Gillian Thompson
food services · Starbucks · Norwalk | Person | $100 |
Heather Thompson
Beautician · Adam Broderick · Southbury | Person | $100 |
Act Blue
Somerville | PAC | $1.93 |
Soma-Hernandez, Cynthia on the Ethics Commission's campaign finance search. Itemized transactions: 2026 from the Commission's files as posted October 17, 2026, and 2025 from the campaign's own reports.