One of five candidates running for the at-large seat on the Denver school board dropped out of the race citing fundraising concerns, specifically money coming in from the outside.

Ulcca Joshi Hansen withdraw from crowded field running for the Denver Public Schools Board of Education to replace the at-large seat held by Vice President Auon’tai Anderson. Last month, Anderson announced he was dropping out of the race to run for Colorado House District 8, a seat held by Leslie Herod, D-Denver.

Hansen, who is 47-years-old and is the mother of two George Washington high school students, said that one of the reasons she was dropping out of the race was because “soft-spending” was outpacing campaign spending by 10-1. In her decision letter, she wrote that “it became clear that I would not have that soft-side support.”

Soft-side spending often refers to dark, or outside, money.

Hanson, a PHD in neuroscience and human development, told The Denver Gazette that she came into the race late and knew that running a city-wide campaign would be expensive.

“The cost for an independent candidate to do a city wide mailing would be around $750,000,” Hansen said. To date, she had raised $47,000 from over 350 donors, her announcement letter said.

Last week, an organization called Denver Families Action endorsed former East High School principal John Youngquist for an at-large seat representing the entire city. It passed over Hansen and three other candidates in the race.

The Denver Classroom Teachers Association, which also contributes directly to candidates, has not yet endorsed anyone in the at-large race.

With the school board election less than three months away, three of the seven seats on the Denver school board are up for grabs. The election has the potential to shape the district’s approach to key issues such as school safety and to shift the dynamics of the board, which has been criticized as dysfunctional.

Hansen said she is looking at running in 2025 when she would have two choices, filling her own district seat, which will be vacated by Carrie Olsen due to term limits, and an at-large district seat will become available.

“I care a lot about transforming the system,” said Hansen.

The election is Nov. 7.

The Denver Gazette’s news partners Chalkbeat Colorado contributed to this story.