Only two candidates running for elected Starkville offices reported raising campaign funds in 2016 in anticipation of this year’s municipal election.
Tuesday was the deadline for office seekers who accepted contributions or made expenditures “in furtherance of a campaign” last year — not specifically for 2017’s municipal cycle — and only mayoral candidate Lynn Spruill and Ward 2 alderman candidate Sandra Sistrunk filed reports with City Hall.
The first official campaign finance report — which reflects pre-primary receipts and expenditures from Jan. 1 through April 22 — is due from all candidates on April 25.
Spruill starts her mayoral campaign with about $4,500 in her war chest, her campaign finance report shows.
She took in $8,742.20 last year — which includes $7,092.50 from the candidate herself, a $1,000 donation from Mississippi State University lecturer Monika Jankun-Kelly and a $250 contribution from former Ward 4 Alderman Richard Corey, who now lives in Georgia — and spent $4,194.53, which includes itemized disbursements of $2,100 and $1,800 for campaign materials and website development services, respectively.
Sistrunk has $2,049 in her campaign coffer ready to spend on the Ward 2 race. Her contributions are recorded as non-itemized — meaning they each fell below the $250 threshold — and she reported no expenses.
May 2’s Democratic Primary could decide who leads Starkville for the next four years as no Republicans have qualified for the race.
Spruill faces attorney Johnny Moore and Sitel human resources recruiter Damion Poe for the right to represent the Democratic Party in June’s general election.
Moore, 56, has practiced law in Starkville for three decades and owns Moore Law Office. He is a Mississippi State University graduate and went on to receive his law degree from the University of Mississippi.
Poe, 26, is a Starkville native who previously served in a human resources capacity from 2010-16 with the Mississippi Army National Guard.
Spruill, 64, owns Spruill Property Management and previously served as Starkville’s chief administrative officer under the administrations of Mayor Parker Wiseman and former Mayor Dan Camp. She was the mayor of Addison, Texas, from 1988-93.
Sistrunk, 66, is expected to face Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn in May’s Democratic Primary. Wynn announced her intent to run for office while quashing rumors of a possible mayoral campaign, but the first-term alderman has not yet filed her candidate intent form at City Hall.
Wynn, 48, beat Sistrunk in a 2013 runoff election 217-191 after both tied at 181 votes each in that year’s Democratic Primary.
Sistrunk served as Ward 2’s alderman from 2009-13 after she beat Republican Rodney Lincoln with 51 percent of the general election vote.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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