Nineteen of Oktibbeha County’s 21 general election candidates have reportedly received $55,847.05 in campaign contributions and spent a combined $78,300.31 while seeking political office this year, Oct. 27 finance documents show.
It is unclear how much Oktibbeha County’s circuit clerk candidates – Democrat E. Regina Evans and incumbent Republican Glenn Hamilton – have taken in and expended this year as their documents did not clearly identify the amount.
Year-to-date totals on Evans’ report were left blank for her second filing in a row, and again the candidate only reported she had $21 on hand.
Hamilton’s form listed $7,600 as his year-to-date contribution total but did not list a year-to-date disbursement amount; however, he reported a $3,600 non-itemized expense for the Oct. 1-21 period.
Of the 19 candidates listing year-to-date totals, five candidates’ reported spending this year combines to about half of this year’s election disbursements.
Together, Republican sheriff candidate George Carrithers, independent District 2 supervisor candidate Robert “Bubba” Gray, Democratic Justice Court Judge candidate C. Martin Haug and Republican District 4 supervisor candidate Bricklee Miller reported spending $41,662.06 on their respective elections this year.
They are the only candidates to eclipse the $5,000 disbursement mark as of Oct. 24.
Miller and District 4 Supervisor Daniel Jackson, a Democrat, have together spent about $20,000 in their race, but Miller’s reported $18,775.47 in expenditures dwarfs the incumbent’s total — $973.77 – for the year.
The second highest-spent race is the three-man competition for District 3’s justice court judge post. Haug ($10,260.10), Republican nominee Buddy Johnston ($4,066.68) and independent Hardy Mitchell ($1,895.50) have spent a combined $16,222.28 this year.
Only five of the 19 candidates have exceeded $5,000 in campaign contributions: incumbent Sheriff Steve Gladney, a Democrat; GOP coroner nominee Chris Pollan; Carrithers, Haug and Miller.
Haug is leading all Oktibbeha candidates with $11,744 in campaign donations this year, a total that represents about one-fifth of all contributions.
Of the 19 candidates’ forms listing year-to-date totals, six candidates have reported receiving less than $1,000 this year: District 3 Constable James Lindsey ($100) and challenger Tim Cook ($400); tax assessor candidate John Brown ($400); District 4 Supervisor Daniel Jackson ($0); District 3 justice court candidate Buddy Johnston ($400); and District 1 supervisor candidate Donald Thompson ($400).
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