People › State House
Ross Metler
Running in 2026: State House District 23 (November 3)
Personal Financial Disclosures
Income listed: up to $34,998; debts: up to $19,998 on their latest disclosure with entries: the top of each range they selected, added up (the form asks for ranges, not amounts; a range with no top counts at its figure).
| Statement | Filed | What it lists |
|---|
2026
Colorado House of Representatives | 2026-04-22 | 2 income sources, 2 debts |
Findings
Worth a look Late or missing
TRACER lists a penalty for a late financial disclosure (April 15, 2026)
The Secretary of State's campaign finance system lists a “Late PFD” penalty dated April 15, 2026 on their candidate record; its status: open, waiver requested. A disclosure is due within ten days of a candidate affidavit, and by January 10 each year for those in office; a late one accrues $50 a day until it's filed.
What to check- The penalty on the candidate's TRACER page (Penalties tab): the date, status and any waiver.
- When the disclosure was then filed (their disclosures on this page).
Rule: A penalty for a late financial disclosure
“A $50 per day late filing penalty that will accrue until the statement is filed”Form CPF-13 (Rev. 06/2026), instructions: Candidate Filing Penalties ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works
Worth a look Late or missing
TRACER lists 3 late campaign finance report penalties this cycle
The candidate's committee has 3 late-filing penalties on reports due since January 1, 2025: May 4, 2026 (open); May 4, 2026 (open, waiver requested); October 19, 2026 (open). 3 are still open (neither paid nor waived). A report filed late keeps the committee's money out of public view until it's in.
What to check- The penalties on the candidate's TRACER page: dates, amounts and waivers.
- Whether a waiver was granted (the Secretary of State may waive for good cause).
Rule: Penalties for late campaign finance reports
“The Secretary of State imposes penalties of $50 per day for late filings, including weekends and holidays.”Colorado Campaign and Political Finance Manual (Secretary of State) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works
Worth a look Income · the statement
Income listed adds up to at most $34,998 a year
Their 2026 disclosure lists 2 sources of income: ICMJ, LLC ($1,000 to $9,999); LNC ($10,000 to $24,999). Taken at the top of each range, that's at most $34,998 for the year, for them, their spouse and minor children together. The form asks for every source, so either a source isn't listed or they live on something it doesn't count as income (savings, or a spouse's support when the spouse has none).
What to check- The disclosure itself: whether a spouse's income, a business or investment income is left off.
- Whether they're retired, a student or between jobs (the form doesn't ask).
- An earlier or later disclosure from them, for a different picture.
Rule: Income listed under $40,000 a year
“List the names of any sources of income, including capital gains (whether or not taxable) for yourself, your spouse, and minor children residing with you.”Form CPF-13 (Rev. 06/2026), instructions: Income ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works
Context Errors in the record
1 error in their public record: a disclosure that doesn't say why it was filed
We found these in the records as filed or as TRACER lists them, and read each as meant (shown here so anyone can check the reading): Their 2026 disclosure doesn't say why it was filed: none of the boxes (appointed, candidate, annual filing, amending) is ticked.
What to check- The original filing in TRACER for each one.
- These don't change what we show: we use the amount, name or date as meant.
Rule: Errors in the record
How this rule works
Campaign money: State House District 23
$5,152itemized, 47 contributions
$114from the candidate (incl. loans)
Where their outside money comes from
100%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsTribal governmentsPolitical partiesOther candidates and officeholders
Compare with all state candidates →
How it was spent: $2,771
Advertising$1,021
Consultants and professional services$777
Rent & Utilities$495
Office Equipment & Supplies$240
Food and meals$203
Fundraising Expenses$35
Largest payees: CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE $495 Rent & Utilities · NOTION LABS $475 Office Equipment & Supplies · YARDSIGNS24/7 $405 Advertising · ARISTOTLE $301 Consultants and professional services · ZOHO CORPORATION PVT. LTD. $289 Advertising · NEXTDAYFLYERS $214 Advertising · WALGREENS $212 Consultants and professional services · MOLLY'S SPIRITS $203 Food and meals
Expenditures their committee reported to TRACER over the election cycle, by the type the committee gave; a consultant's payments to others (ads, mail) show under the consultant.
| Top contributors | Type | Total |
|---|
JAMES ELLIS
Science/Technology · LUMEN · Grand Lake | Individual | $450 |
ROBERT LURIA
Retired · RETIRED · Myrtle Beach | Individual | $450 |
BETTE ROSE RYAN
Retired · RETIRED · Lakewood | Individual | $450 |
FRED CLIFFORD
Retired · RETIRED · Lakewood | Individual | $445 |
DEBORAH METLER
Retired · RETIRED · Hendersonville | Individual | $300 |
KATHERINE ELLIS
Real Estate Professional · SELF · Grand Lake | Individual | $250 |
NORM OLSEN
Retired · RETIRED · Littleton | Individual | $239.70 |
TRUDI FLEIT
Retired · RETIRED · Wheat Ridge | Individual | $225 |
RUSSELL HAAS
Retired · RETIRED · Golden | Individual | $225 |
JACOB LURIA
Consultant · SELF · Denver | Individual | $200 |
T KERWIN
Retired · RETIRED · St George | Individual | $150 |
ELIZABETH MURRAY
General Business · SELF · Wheat Ridge | Individual | $150 |
ALEX CLIFTON
Science/Technology · DEFENSE CONTRACTOR · Divide | Individual | $100 |
RICHARD FRIEND
Retired · RETIRED · Evergreen | Individual | $100 |
JOSEPH JOHNSON
Retired · RETIRED · Aurora | Individual | $100 |
Committees: ROSS METLER FOR COLORADO HOUSE DISTRICT 23. From the Secretary of State's TRACER bulk files.
Their donors also gave to
Their largest donors who also funded other 2026 state candidates.
| Donor | To them | Candidates funded | By party |
|---|
JAMES ELLIS
Other, TECH · Grand Lake | $450 | 5 | |
BETTE ROSE RYAN
Retired, RETIRED · Lakewood | $450 | 2 | |
FRED CLIFFORD
Retired, RETIRED · Lakewood | $445 | 5 | |
RUSSELL HAAS
Retired, RETIRED · Golden | $225 | 6 | |
TRUDI FLEIT
Retired, RETIRED · Wheat Ridge | $225 | 4 | |
ELIZABETH MURRAY
Other, ELIZABETH · Wheat Ridge | $150 | 2 | |
T KERWIN
Retired, RETIRED · St. George | $150 | 3 | |
WILL LONG
Other, SELF-EMPLOYED · Westminster | $100 | 2 | |
CHESTER PTAK
Retired, RETIRED · Idaho Springs | $100 | 2 | |
ELIZABETH VEEDER
Other, RETIRED · Wheat Ridge | $100 | 2 | |
KEVIN WRIGHT
Retired, RETIRED · Lakewood | $100 | 4 | |
ALEX CLIFTON
Construction/Engineering, DEFENSE CONTRACTOR · Divide | $100 | 4 | |
JULIA REESE
Retired, RETIRED · Wheat Ridge | $50 | 2 | |
JOHN HJERSMAN
Retired, RETIRED · Colorado Springs | $50 | 2 | |
KEITH LAUBE
Teacher/Education, COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY · Montrose | $50 | 3 | |