At least two candidates running for the $52,446-a-year job to represent District 3 on the City Council are digging deep into their own pockets for campaign funds.

Health insurance executive John Henry Felix spent about $70,000 in personal funds in seeking the council seat representing Kailua, Kane'ohe and Waimanalo through Wednesday, according to records recently filed with the state Campaign Spending Commission.

Steve Holmes, who, like Felix, is a former councilman, has spent nearly $41,000 in personal money campaigning for the vacancy created following the Feb. 22 death of Barbara Marshall.

Overall, Felix raised $58,050 and spent $128,175 through April 8, according to his filing with the commission. Holmes has raised $2,200 and spent $43,101.

Ikaika Anderson, a former Marshall aide, reported raising $81,192 and spending $98,797.

The top candidates running for the District 3 seat are outspending their predecessor by a massive margin. Marshall, a former TV reporter, raised $31,188 and spent $21,052 in her re-election campaign last year, according to campaign finance records.

Felix and Holmes both said they were motivated by a desire to return to the council and a career in public service.

"Because I've been out of politics for several years, I knew running for the council would require a significant commitment of time and resources, especially to help educate voters on my previous accomplishments in the the Windward district and where I stand on current key community issues," Felix said in an e-mailed statement.

Felix contributors include the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners, Alexander & Baldwin Inc. HIPAC and Hawaii-Management Group Inc.

Holmes said he deliberately excludes political action committees and lobbyists from contributing to his campaign coffer.

"I enjoyed my time on the council in the past and really feel it is a public service job," he said. "My wife and I talked about it and we had some money set aside for retirement and we just made the decision that I'd like to return to public office and to all the good things I used to do before."

Holmes' expenses exclude about $2,600 spent by Stop Rail Now on a pro-Holmes mail flier recently sent to 8,800 District 3 residents.

Holmes isn't the only candidate benefiting from third-party spending. Anderson has benefited from $3,200 spent by the Hawaii Government Employees Association on pro-Anderson ads.

Anderson received $4,000 apiece from Ironworkers for a Better Government, Hawaii Laborers PAC, Basin Projects and Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry.

Anderson, Felix and Holmes are among 11 candidates vying for the council opening. Other candidates include Pohai Ryan, a legislative office manager, who raised $18,000 and spent $16,024.90, according to campaign finance records.

Mail-in voting for the council seat started last week and so far about 15,000 out of 54,000 ballots have been returned to the city, said Honolulu elections administrator Glen Takahashi.

The deadline for returning mail-in ballots to the city clerk is 6 p.m. April 23. Walk-in voting will be available through April 21 at Honolulu Hale and Pali Golf Course.

The winner will be announced April 23.

Takahashi urged voters to sign the envelope containing the ballot. About 50 ballots were returned without sig- natures, he said. "If they don't sign it, we can't count the ballot," he said.