SPRINGFIELD - The race for the Ward 7 seat on the Bloomington City Council is not shaping up to be as expensive as the race for the same seat in 2005. | Election HQ: Stories, candidate bios

Two of the three candidates for the seat, James Keeran and incumbent Steven Purcell, filed campaign finance reports with the State Board of Elections. The pre-election reports are the last significant financial reports due to the state before the April 7 election.

Purcell, 55, of 407 W. Emerson St., raised about $1,500 for his campaign this year. About $500 was donated by the Policeman's Benevolent and Protective Association, the union that represents the city's police officers and firefighters. Purcell lent his campaign about $1,000, according to the report he filed with the state.

Keeran, 67, of 1513 Graham St., reported a total of about $5,400 in campaign cash in early March. He lent his campaign $1,000 while the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 99 added $1,000 and the North Central Illinois Laborers donated $300. Two subsequent forms filed by Keeran's campaign show he received donations of $500 each from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 197 and Carpenter's Union Local 63.

Although Keeran is leading in campaign contributions, the money is not flowing into this year's race as heavily as it did in the 2005 race for the Ward 7 seat.

In 2005, Purcell's campaign had more than $11,000 to fund his successful bid to unseat longtime Alderman Tom Whalen. Whalen had more than $15,000 in his campaign fund, according to reports filed with the state.

The biggest expense for the two candidates in 2005 was not in yard signs but legal fees.

Purcell spent more than $5,500 of the $11,000 to challenge the signatures on Whalen's petition to be on the ballot. Whalen received $7,800 in donated legal fees to defend against Purcell's challenge.

Meanwhile, Chuck Irwin, 61, of 6 Iverness Drive, also is vying for the Ward 7 seat in Tuesday's election but he did not file a report.

Campaign finance reports are required only if a candidate raises or spends more than $3,000 in a race. The deadline for final campaign reports is in June.