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Both Seattle mayoral candidates have officially been released from the general election spending limit, as contributions continue to flood in for Bruce Harrell and Lorena Gonzalez.

Another election, another late surge for Seattle鈥檚 progressive candidates

Seattle candidates for mayor are typically limited to $800,000 in spending combined between the primary and general election, but are permitted to petition the city’s Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC) to lift that cap.

馃捀Candidates running for mayor in this City of Seattle election are subject to a "spending limit" of $800,000.

However, candidates may also request to be released from these spending limits and continue fundraising cash for their campaign.

Learn more:

— Democracy Voucher Program (@sea_elections)

As of Sept. 27, Harrell had raised nearly $915,000 in total campaign contributions, while Gonzalez pulled in almost $663,000. While Harrell leads in total funds, Gonzalez , with $642,525 of her contributions coming in the form of vouchers.

The SEEC accepted petitions from both campaigns this week to lift the spending limit. That means they can no longer accept Democracy Vouchers, but can continue to collect individual contributions.

In addition to the money they’ve raised themselves, there are independent expenditure committees (IEC) operating in support of both candidates. IECs function as city-level political action committees, able to raise and spend large sums of money in support of whomever they choose, provided they aren’t coordinating with the candidates themselves.

An IEC has raised nearly $800,000 dating back to the spring, on the strength of sizable donations from local real estate CEO and prominent Donald Trump donor George Petrie, Petrie’s business partner John Goodman, and his wife Alyssa Petrie.

Seattle conservatives aim for influence behind the scenes

A separate IEC registered has raised nearly $828,000, with all of its contributions coming from labor groups. That includes a $450,000 donation from Unite Here Tip, a PAC that targets state and city elections across the United States with “contributions and expenditures to elect candidates who support the rights and interest of working people and their families.”

Leading up to the primary election in August, Harrell and Gonzalez both defended their support from IECs in the face of criticism from other candidates. For Harrell, his campaign stated that he “is running a strong grassroots fundraising effort and participating in the public financing Democracy Voucher program.”

鈥淢ore than 1,400 individuals have given Democracy Vouchers in support of Bruce鈥檚 positive vision to unite Seattle and make real progress on the challenges we face,” a spokesperson for Harrell’s campaign added.

Gonzalez drew a distinction between the Harrell for Seattle’s Future group and the Essential Workers for Lorena IEC.

鈥淏ruce Harrell has stood with big business executives who have an outsized influence at city hall his entire career,鈥� Gonzalez’s campaign manager Alex Koren clarified. 鈥淟orena has always stood with essential workers and labor unions, and she is proud to have their support.鈥�