FAYETTEVILLE -- Candidates for Washington County justice of the peace showed a range of end-of-the-year financial activity, with some reporting no spending or contributions and others spending thousands of dollars as they wrapped up their campaigns.
Final campaign contribution and expenditure reports were due in the Washington County Clerk's Office by Dec. 31. A final report is required regardless of whether a candidate has received contributions or made expenditures in excess of $500, according to the Arkansas Ethics Commission. The final reports show contributions and expenditures since the preelection report due in October and cumulative totals for the 2020 campaign.
There are 15 justices of the peace on the Washington County Quorum Court. They serve two-year terms.
County Clerk Becky Lewallen said her office hadn't received reports from three candidates as of Wednesday. Lewallen said if a candidate doesn't file a report and a complaint is filed with the State Ethics Commission, the candidate may be subject to fine.
Willie Leming, the Republican incumbent for District 13, was reelected in November. Lemming said he turned his report in Jan. 4 when he was sworn in at the County Courthouse. He said he had accepted no contributions and had no expenses to report during the campaign.
Lewallen said Leming turned in his statement of financial interest Jan. 4, but not his final campaign report. Lewallen also said Leming didn't file a report in October. Leming didn't file either a preliminary or final report for the general election in 2018, according to records in the County Clerk's Office.
Leming's opponent, Democrat Brandy Weaver, hasn't filed a final report. Weaver also didn't file a report in October. Weaver said in an email Friday she told the Democratic Party in March or April 2020 she would not run for the office because of health reasons and she didn't know she was still required to file a report. Weaver said she didn't campaign or accept any contributions.
Andrea Jenkins, a Democrat who lost her bid for reelection in District 10, said she has been feeling "burnt out" with the election and her work and "just put it aside." She said she will turn in the report soon.
"I knew about it," Jenkins said. "I got reminders from the Democratic Party, but I put it off and didn't do it."
Two incumbents, Justice of the Peace Shawndra Washington from District 8 and Justice of the Peace Suki Highers from District 11, were unopposed in the general election. The reports for both candidates showed no activity.
District 1
Lance Johnson, the Republican incumbent, was reelected in November. Johnson reported total contributions of $6,400 and expenditures of $3,921, leaving $2,478 in surplus campaign funds.
His opponent, Frank Mayfield, a Democrat, reported total contributions of $4,779, with $159 in contributions from Oct. 28 through Dec. 11. Mayfield reported expenditures of $917 since the October report, and his October report showed expenditures of $4,785. Mayfield reported no campaign carryover.
District 2
Shannon Marti, a Republican, was elected. Marti reported total contributions of $1,852 and total expenditures of $1,846, leaving a carryover of $6.
Fadil Bayyari, a Democrat, reported contributions of $5,612 and expenses of $5,612 in his October report. He reported no additional contributions or expenditures in his final report.
District 3
Sean Simons, a Republican, was elected. Simons reported $4,657 in total contributions and $4,455 in expenditures, with a carryover of $205.
Laurie Marshall, a Democrat, reported total contributions of $3,485 and expenditures of $3,272, leaving $376 in carryover funds.
District 4
Kenny Arredondo Loyola, a Democrat, was elected. Loyola reported $100 in contributions and the same in expenses.
Bill Ussery, a Republican, reported no activity for the period. In his earlier report, Ussery showed $400 in contributions and $437 in expenditures.
District 5
Patrick Deakins, the Republican incumbent, was reelected. In his final report, Deakins listed $2,900 in contributions and $2,990 in expenditures, with a $200 campaign debt.
Randall Lane, a Democrat, showed no activity in the final reporting period. In his earlier report, Lane reported contributions of $790 and expenditures of $794.
District 6
Lisa Ecke, the Republican incumbent, was reelected. Ecke's final report showed no contributions or expenditures. In her earlier report, Ecke reported contributions of $1,960 and expenditures of $2,607.
Beth Coger, a Democrat, reported total contributions of $8,418 plus a loan of $1,950 and total expenditures of $10,368.
District 7
Sam Duncan, the Republican incumbent, was reelected, He reported a campaign balance of $2,953 at the beginning of the final reporting period. Duncan reported a loan of $395 during the reporting period and spending $2,953, leaving a carryover of $395.
Janelle Bradford Smiley, a Democrat, reported total contributions of $2,720 and total expenditures of $2,058, leaving a carryover of $661.
District 9
Eva Madison, the Democratic incumbent, was reelected. Madison reported total contributions of $800 plus a loan of $1,052 and expenditures of $1,852.
Jim Stockland, a Republican, reported total contributions of $6,990 and expenditures of $7,441, leaving a campaign debt of $451.
District 10
Robert Dennis, a Republican, was elected. In his October report, Dennis showed a beginning balance of $1,352, with a loan of $1,500, contributions of $4,000 and expenditures of $6,085. In his final report, Dennis showed no additional contributions or expenditures and a balance of $767.
District 12
Evelyn Rios Stafford, a Democrat, won the seat. Candy Clark was the party nominee, but withdrew in August citing health reasons. Clark's name remained on the ballot, but votes for her were considered to be votes for Stafford. Stafford reported total contributions of $3,608 plus a loan of $167 and expenditures of $3,602 leaving a carryover of $5.
A report filed on behalf of Clark showed a balance of $289 at the beginning of the reporting period and expenditures of $289. Clark died Dec. 4.
Todd Crane, a Republican, reported total contributions of $2,990 plus a $1,000 loan and expenditures of $3,990.
District 14
Jim Wilson, a Republican, won the election. Wilson reported contributions of $3,600 and expenditures of $3,503 leaving a carryover of $832.
Kenley Haley-Casey, a Democrat, reported total contributions of $4,079 and expenditures of $4,079.
District 15
Butch Pond, the Republican incumbent, was reelected. Pond reported $1,300 in contributions and expenditures of $1,470, leaving a campaign debt of $170.
Nan House, a Democrat, reported $500 in contributions for the reporting period and $139 in expenditures. In her earlier report, House showed contributions of $1,868 and expenditures of $833. House reported a campaign carryover of $1,544 in her final report.
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Justices of the Peace
There are 15 justices of the peace on the Washington County Quorum Court. Members are paid $200 per diem on days they attend Quorum Court or committee meetings. Justices of the peace serve two-year terms.
Source: Staff report