A torrent of political fundraising is underway in Minnesota even though the next election is still nearly 17 months away — activity prompted by Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s decision to eliminate the political contribution refund program as of July 1.

“I’ve gotten several solicitations myself and I know of many incumbents who are scrambling to get their letters out and get their money in before July 1,” said Chris Johnson of Waseca, a Republican activist who has served several times as campaign treasurer for area candidates. “There’s a mad rush going on.”

State Rep. Tony Cornish and four supporters were up until midnight Monday, going through lists of past contributors and addressing envelopes. More work by Cornish and his son on Tuesday morning, and the Good Thunder Republican had 800 letters in the mail telling previous donors about the looming deadline.

“It’s a pain in the backside for me,” Cornish said of the unexpected spate of campaign activity. “I’d like to be relaxing in the off year.”

What changed politicians’ plans was Pawlenty’s list of budget cuts, announced last week to address the remaining $2.7 billion in red ink in the state’s upcoming two-year budget which starts July 1. One of the cuts was the entire $10.4 million to finance the political contribution refund program.

The long-standing program allows Minnesotans each year to get a state-financed refund for up to a $50 contribution to candidates for state office or to political parties. Minnesotans who keep their distance from politics may have never heard of the program, but average political donors know about it and use it, Johnson said.

“I think it’s really a very, very large percentage of people,” he said of the share of donors who give as much as will be refunded and no more.

Cornish agreed.

“The vast majority apply for the refund,” he said. “I get a lot of $100 donations from married couples.”

Cornish is one of the most effective lawmakers in Minnesota in getting people to make the small refundable donations. Contributions to his campaign that were refunded through the program totaled more than $37,000 in 2006 and 2007, the two most recent years that figures are available from the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board. By comparison, Rep. Bob Gunther — a Fairmont Republican representing the district just west of Cornish’s — raised less than $10,000 in refundable donations in the same two-year period.

The program is particularly helpful to Cornish because he decided after his 2002 campaign that he wouldn’t accept special interest donations from political action committees.

Rep. Kathy Brynaert, DFL-Mankato, raised just over $9,500 in the same two years and is a big supporter of the program. Anticipating that it would be targeted by Pawlenty, Brynaert sent out a letter earlier this month seeking donations from supporters.

“Almost every candidate has,” she said. “... In a sense I was expecting it, but I’m disappointed.”

The program encourages political involvement, even by people who can’t afford to make a contribution, according to Brynaert.

Candidates, of course, will still try to get people involved via their checkbook.

“You’ll simply say, ‘Give what you can afford,’” Brynaert said.

In a difficult economy, those pitches for contributions will be hard to make — especially for first-time candidates, Brynaert and Cornish said. The phone calls are hard even for experienced politicians.

“It’s really tough for me, especially in these tough economic times, to call people and say, ‘Hey, can you give me $50?,’ especially if you’re not getting it back,” Cornish said.

In 2006 more than 100,000 refunds were sent out to individuals and couples making donations, according to Campaign Finance Board reports. More than $2.9 million were for donations to individual candidates, and $3.2 million went to state and local party organizations. Of the money going to parties, Republicans collected $2.3 million and Democrats collected $904,000.

In 2007, Democratic Party units gathered $955,000 and Republican Party units amassed $2.2 million. In both years, refunds for donations to Green and Independence party organizations totaled less than $31,000 combined.