Candidates vying for public office in the city of Starkville are on the downhill run to the May 2 primary date, with Tuesday representing the deadline for filing campaign finance reports.
Vice Mayor and Ward 6 Alderman Roy A’. Perkins, along with Ward 3 Alderman David Little both ran unopposed and took out advertising in the Starkville Daily News thanking supporters, which is listed on campaign finance reports for both aldermen.
Not all candidates met the fundraising threshold required by law to report.
Ward 4 candidates, Republican Pete Ledlow and Democratic incumbent Jason Walker, did not file campaign finance reports ahead of Tuesday.
The following breakdown focuses on the required reporting dates between Jan. 1, 2017 and April 25, 2017. Candidates are required to report contributions of $200 or more - listed as “itemized,” with contributions not reaching the threshold for reporting listed as “non-itemized”
MAYORAL RACE
All three mayoral candidates qualified as Democrats for the upcoming municipal election, with the potential runoff election slated for May 16. The May 30 General Pre-Election report deadline will still apply for receipts and expenditures from April 23 to May 27.
Local attorney Johnny Moore leads the way in terms of finances, with contributions totaling $53,450. The biggest contribution came from a $30,000 loan from the candidate into his own coffers.
Moore’s biggest corporate donors included Starkvest LLC ($5,000) and Burns Dirt Construction ($4,000).
Moore’s largest payouts were made to Tellos for media purposes, to the tune of $16,500 in two payments made on the same day.
In terms of cash on hand, Moore had $6,651.83 documented on deadline day Tuesday.
Lynn Spruill comes in second in terms of overall contributions, with supporters kicking in $25,405 to the local property manager’s war chest.
The lion’s share of Spruill’s contributions came from her own pocket and from individual citizens, with the largest reported corporate contribution coming from Joel and Toni Clements of the Bank of Waynesboro, in the amount of $1,000.
Spruill filed deadline paperwork with $5,344.63 listed as cash on hand.
Prior to the April 25 reporting deadline, campaign finance reports obtained by the SDN through a public records request showed Spruill boosted her own coffers with $7092.20 paid out of pocket.
Political newcomer Damion Poe - the youngest candidate on the ballot for the mayor’s office - received $1,180 in total contributions from the first of the year to deadline day Tuesday.
WARD 1
Incumbent Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver, a Republican, filed a report listing only one $500 itemized contribution and $4,230 in non-itemized contributions.
Carver’s Democratic challenger Christine Williams reported $2,632 in total contributions.
WARD 2
Independent Incumbent Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn reported $2,000 in itemized contributions from Jan. 1, 2017 to the filing deadline, with the total amount coming from Gerrall Wynn of Phoenix, Alabama.
Challenger and former Ward 2 Alderman Sandra Sistrunk brought more in contributions during the reporting period, listing $2,959 in non-itemized contributions.
WARD 5
The race for the seat that will be left vacant by Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard - who chose not to seek another term - saw changes this week, with Republican candidate Chase Neal withdrawing from the race on Monday.
Democrat Kayla Gilmore, a local business owner, reported one $500 contribution and $769 in non-itemized contributions. Gilmore’s largest contribution came from retiree Kitty Henry in the amount of $500.
During the reporting period, Patrick Miller - the other Democrat on the Ward 5 ticket - raised slightly more than his challenger, with $1,750 raised
WARD 7
Margaret Ann Moore is the only Ward 7 candidate to file a campaign finance report by deadline, which showed the Democratic challenger to Incumbent Democrat Henry N. Vaughn, Sr., spending $798 out of pocket during the reporting period.