When residents in Selma, Valley Grande and Orrville wake on the Wednesday, Aug. 29, many of the hotly-contested municipal elections will have been decided and the rest will be headed to a runoff.

The races that will without a doubt end on Tuesday, Aug. 28, will include each mayor’s race in Selma, Valley Grande in Orrville. With only two competitors in each, there is no chance for a runoff.

With that in mind, the focus now turns on raising money, working to get out the message and sparking the attention of voters.

Friday, candidates and campaigns were forced yet again to turn in campaign finance reports detailing just how much they have spent and where, as well as how much they raised and the sources for those funds.

Some candidates — those who have yet to raise or spend $1,000 — are exempt from the filings, but must still file a weekly waiver.

Of the races being contested this season, only a few candidates have crossed the $1,000 threshold. And of those, two in particular seem to be lapping the field in both monies raised and monies spent.

The race for the Selma mayoral position — to no surprise — is by far the most expensive race being contested. And, in the month of July, it is incumbent Mayor George Evans with the largest war chest to campaign with, surpassing that of former two-term Selma mayor James Perkins Jr.

During the month of July, Evan’s campaign raised $20,851.47 according to reports filed with the Dallas County Probate Office. On the other hand, the Perkins’ campaign raised $5,139.

The largest single donor recorded on the finance reports included a $1,000 donation from an Atlanta-based contributor for the Perkins’ campaign, while Evans’ largest donation from an individual came from a Selma resident in the amount of $5,000.

At the same time Evans’ campaign has raised more during the month of July, they have also spent less. During July, the Perkins’ campaign spent a total of $7,706, compared to the $3,497.88 spent by Evans.

The first report in July showed the Perkins’ campaign with a beginning balance $12,160 and the ending balance on the final report in July showed the campaign had a balance of $9592.95.

The first report in July showed the Evans’ campaign had a beginning balance of $16,954.91, while the ending balance of the final report of the month showed the campaign was $34,308.50.

The reports ask the campaigns to report any and all contributions — whether in cash or in-kind — of any amount over $100. The same is for expenses. The campaigns must report any expenses — and the vendor — of anything over $100.

In the other mayor races — those in Orrville and Valley Grande — none of the candidates have reached the threshold for having to file the full campaign finance reports.

All candidates — regardless of the position they are chasing — must now report their campaign finance reports, or their waivers, each week.