Super PACs on both sides of Maui’s political divide provided financial support to candidates in the roughly six weeks following the Aug. 11 primary election, according to reports to the state Campaign Spending Commission.

The first preliminary general election reports are for the period from Aug. 12 to Sept. 26. The reports were due Monday.

The Maui Pono Network spent $2,837 for advertising in support of ‘Ohana Coalition candidates Elle Cochran for mayor and Alika Atay, Natalie “Tasha” Kama, Hannibal Starbuck, Kelly King, Tamara Paltin, Shane Sinenci, Trinette Furtado, Keani Rawlins-Fernandez and Gabe Johnson for Maui County Council residency seats.

Atay and King are incumbents seeking re-election to their respective Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu and South Maui residency seats. Most of the others are aiming to upset incumbents or established politicians.

For example, Kama finished first in the Kahului residency council race during the primary, an election night shocker because runner-up Alan Arakawa is finishing a third term as mayor and has a far deeper campaign war chest. He held the Kahului council seat from 1995 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2002.

The Maui Pono Network reported spending $283.70 on Sept. 26 on advertising for Kama, for a total amount of $600.73 for the election period. Those are the same amounts and on the same date as reported advertising spending for Cochran, who faces former Council Member Mike Victorino for mayor; Paltin, who is taking on Rick Nava for the West Maui residency council seat; Furtado, who’s up against former Council Member Mike Molina for the Makawao-Haiku-Paia residency seat; and Rawlins-Fernandez, who’s challenging Council Member Stacy Crivello for the Molokai residency seat.

The network spent the same amount on Sept. 26 but reported a lower aggregate amount of $462.06 in Atay’s contest against former Council Member Alice Lee for the Wailuku residency seat; in King’s campaign against Zandra Amaral Crouse for the South Maui residency seat; in Johnson’s effort to upset Council Member Riki Hokama for the Lanai residency seat; and in Sinenci’s campaign against Claire Kamalu Carroll, daughter of retiring Council Member Bob Carroll, for the East Maui residency seat.

The network disclosed spending an aggregate amount of $444.09 in advertising costs for Starbuck’s effort to unseat Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura from the Upcountry residency seat.

On the pro-business/union side of the political spectrum, the Hawaii Carpenters Political Action Fund reported spending $10,000, giving $2,000 each to five Maui candidates: Arakawa, Claire Carroll, Crouse and Nava on Sept. 11 and Molina on Sept. 18.

Also, the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association reported spending $385 for four Maui candidates: $200 on Sept. 14 for Democratic West Maui Rep. Angus McKelvey; $150 on the same date for Nava; $15 for Victorino (for a total election period amount of $485); and $20 for Arakawa (a total of $170).

The Committee on Political Education — General Fund & Political Contributions disclosed contributing $1,000 to the election committee for state Sen. J. Kalani English, who represents Senate District 7, East Maui, Upcountry, Molokai and Lanai. He defeated Michael Tengan and Gayla Haliniak in the Democratic primary. English won re-election because there were no candidates from other parties seeking to unseat him.

The Campaign Spending Commission listed pro-Ohana Coalition group S.A.F.E. Sustainable Action Fund for the Environment among 14 noncandidate committees that failed to file a first preliminary general election report as of Monday. The commission reported that the groups face a fine of at least $50 for failing to file. The fines grow each day the report goes unfiled.

Contacted via email on Wednesday, S.A.F.E. Chairman Mark Sheehan said his group did not file a report because it had no financial activity until Sept. 30. If there’s a reporting problem, the group would file an amended report, he said.

Among other super PACs that have backed Maui candidates in the past, most filed reports before the Monday deadline, even though they had made no contributions to candidates during the reporting period.

In other spending commission action, Cochran and Victorino filed notices that they intend to hold fundraisers.

Cochran’s notice says her event will be held Sunday at Pueo Farm in Kula. The suggested per person contribution is $50, according to her report. The person in charge of the event is Marta Greenleaf of Makawao.

Victorino’s event is set for Oct. 16 at Ruth’s Chris Steak House at The Shops at Wailea, according to his notice. The suggested contribution is $1,000 per person. The event coordinator is Howard Kihune of Lahaina.

* Brian Perry can be reached at bperry@mauinews.com.