With just one more reporting date remaining to file campaign finance reports, the biggest money among Lowndes County races is being spent in the District 16 District Attorney’s race.
District Attorney Forrest Allgood has raised $38,722 and spent $28,438 through the Oct. 9 filing date. Scott Colom has raised $134,917 and spent $51,379, according to courthouse records.
Colom’s campaign has $83,527 cash on hand, while Allgood’s has $10,283.
Both candidates have relied on itemized donations, defined by election laws as contributions of $200 or more. Those donors have to be identified in the candidates’ campaign finance reports. For Allgood, more than $30,000 has been raised through those donations while Colom has raised more than $90,000 in itemized donations.
District 16 includes Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties. The district attorney position pays $95,796 a year.
Other races
The other races that appear on the ballot in Lowndes County have seen modest fund-raising and spending.
Candidates in the four-person circuit clerk’s race have spent a combined $13,793, far less than the money spent in the Republican primary, when candidates Margie Canon and Justin Shelton spent more than a combined $70,000 in unsuccessful bids. Teresa Barksdale, who emerged from that Republican primary battle has spent the most among the remaining candidates — $5,757.
In the District 39 House of Representative race, incumbent Jeff Smith has spent $9,000 while challenger James Samuel has spent $1,672.
In the sheriff’s race between incumbent Mike Arledge and Selvain McQueen a total of $5,846 has been spent with McQueen outspending his opponent, $4,026 to $1,820.
The final campaign finance report for the election is the Oct. 27 pre-election report.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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