COLUMBUS — The state Democratic and Republican parties spent $7.4 million on political races, including $1.1 million in advertising through their federal accounts, during the campaign's final days, according to finance reports filed Friday.

        The Republican Party spent $4.3 million and the Democrats $3.1 million during the campaign's final 19 days. The reports filed with Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell's office covered the period from Oct. 19 through Dec. 8.

        Contributors to the Ohio Democratic Party included talk show host and former Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer and Cincinnati lawyer Stanley Chesley, who donated $10,000 apiece, and the Service Employees International Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which each gave $150,000.

        Notable Ohio Republican Party donors included William DeWitt Jr. and Mercer Reynolds III of Cincinnati, who are business partners with close ties to President-elect George W. Bush, and former Cleveland Indians owner Richard Jacobs. All three gave $10,000.

        Both presidential campaigns for president moved their resources from Ohio to other states they figured would be more competitive in the final weeks. Democrat Al Gore made no visits to Ohio after Oct. 4 and his national campaign pulled most of its television advertising. Mr. Bush visited Ohio just once during that period.

        The state parties picked up some of the slack. The Democrats spent $556,000 on advertising through their federal candidate account and the Republicans spent $570,000. The money went for “educational ads” that do not urge a vote for the candidate and thus are exempt from most contribution limits.

        The reports didn't indicate where the money was spent. But according to television contracts with local stations, the bulk was spent on either the presidential race or the central Ohio congressional campaign between Republican Pat Tiberi and Democrat Maryellen O'Shaughnessy.

        Mr. Bush won Ohio by 4 percentage points over Mr. Gore and Mr. Tiberi prevailed by 9 percentage points over Ms. O'Shaughnessy.

        The parties also were generous to the campaigns of the four Ohio Supreme Court candidates. Through in-kind donations of advertising time, the four received a total of $1.1 million.

I Do, I Don't
Children of divorce try to avert it
Scooter brings mobility and freedom
Freeway segment near done
Freshmen on break: Just a bit older, but wiser
PULFER: Happy Days
SAMPLES: Missing
Bid for Olympics has people talking
Bringing Christmas home to a barn
Bengals take time for kids at Children's
Cartoonist hit issues with grace
Court orders release of stadium documents
Deerfield creates fiscal watchdog
IU gets $105M for biotech research
Ky. electors savor historic role
Major parties spend $7.4M down stretch
Mourners find comfort in fire victim's message
Museums improve access for disabled
Richwood woman died from blow
Vet died without medallion
WILKINSON: Politics
Kentucky News Briefs
Tristate A.M. Report