VISTA -- So far this election season, the biggest spender in the Vista Unified school board race isn't a candidate -- it's the district's teachers union.

As of Sept. 30, the Vista Teachers Association had spent $22,526 on signs and mailers supporting three candidates in the race, according to campaign statements released this week by the county registrar of voters.

Those three candidates -- Angela Chunka, Elizabeth Jaka and incumbent Steve Lilly --- have each spent between $1,000 and $3,500 on their individual campaigns.

Challengers Patty Anderson and Eileen Fernandez and incumbent Stephen Guffanti, the other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot, are running as a slate.

Guffanti has said he will spend whatever money he raises in the campaign to buy signs supporting himself, Fernandez and Anderson.

The statements released by the county this week showed campaign donations for the filing period that stretched from July to September, as well as the total balances in each candidates war chest. There are six candidates vying for three seats on the panel.

As of last month, Guffanti had $14,826 in his campaign fund, including a $5,000 donation he received in 2006 from a developer who had planned to build homes on a 66-acre site at Highway 76 and Melrose Drive. That's the property where the district is now building a magnet high school campus. Guffanti has long been a critic of the plan to build the school there.

More recently, Guffanti has received $1,000 campaign donations from a handful of agricultural businesses, including some that are near the magnet high school property.

Guffanti's campaign also got $2,000 from Reed Miller, a longtime supporter and member of the Vista Fire Protection District board.

So far, Guffanti has spent $3,755 in the race, leaving him with more than $10,000.

The dollar figures are bound to go up as the election nears. In the past, candidates have raised as much as $40,000 to pour into Vista school board campaigns. However, with the sour economy, it's becoming more difficult to raise money, Guffanti said Thursday.

Lilly, the other incumbent on the ballot, brought in $5,771 during this last reporting period, including a $3,000 loan to himself. During the same time period, the teachers union spent $4,775 to promote Lilly.

Lilly received a $1,000 contribution from Dan Wray, who owns Vista-based BioFilm Inc. and has a child attending Rancho Minerva Middle School; and $500 from fellow Trustee David Hubbard, who decided not to run for re-election this year.

As of Sept. 30, Lilly had spent $3,443 and had $2,328 left in his campaign fund.

Chunka has raised $5,011, mostly from parents with children in the district and teachers. Her biggest checks came from Lois Wray, the wife of Dan Wray. She also received a $1,000 loan from the treasurer running her election committee.

Chunka has spent $2,608 and has $2,403 left in her war chest. The teachers union has spent about $8,875 to promote her and Jaka.

During the latest reporting period, Jaka brought in $4,672, which includes a $3,000 loan to herself. She has spent $1,114 and has $3,558 left in her campaign fund. Her only contribution that was more than $100 was from Dan Wray, who gave $1,000.

Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 901-4009 or sbrandt@nctimes.com.