Campaign finance reports show many Lowndes County candidates are off to a slow start when it comes to fundraising, either self-financing or showing no contributions at all.
As of the 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline to qualify for county offices, three, including a sitting Columbus city councilman, were in the running for District 3 justice court judge. District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith is facing two opponents, and the sheriff, coroner, tax collector and chancery clerk races are all now competitive.
The doors of local courthouses had barely opened Tuesday morning before the first qualifiers for the upcoming countywide elections had flocked in and filed their papers.