With only one week left before the Aug. 28 municipal elections in Selma, Orrville and Valley Grande, the candidates are working to make their final push for those votes they believe will put them over the top.

In reviewing the campaign finance reports of local candidates, it appears many candidates have already spent what they are going to spend, and raised what they are going to raise. While that may appear true for most of the candidates, there are still two very big exceptions to that rule; Selma mayoral candidates incumbent George Evans and James Perkins Jr.

In meetings with the Times-Journal’s editorial board last week, both candidates said they were not surprised only two candidates qualified for the mayoral race, adding it was obvious from very early on they were the only candidates in a position to raise and spend the money needed to win.

At this point in the campaign, candidates are required to file these campaign finance reports with the Dallas County Probate Office, itemizing their contributions and their expenditures, if those contributions and expenditures are $100 each.

Most local candidates filed waivers with the Probate Office, affirming their contributions and expenditures did not meet that threshold.

In the case of Evans and Perkins, both enter the final week of campaigning with the largest remaining balances, with Evans holding well over a 2-to-1 advantage. In Friday’s report, Evans had $28,830.26 on hand, while Perkins had $11,699.78 on hand.

Evans had both raised more and spent more in the previous week than Perkins. Evans report showed he had raised $2,925 in the past week, while spending $6,942.10.

Perkins reported raising $1,475 the previous week and had itemized expenditures of $535.