FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — One candidate for a new juvenile judge position in Washington and Madison counties has spent almost twice as much as his opponent, according to campaign contribution and expense reports filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office.
Conrad Odom listed contributions of $69,404 and expenses of $100,035 in the race for circuit judge 4th Judicial District, Division 8.
Diane Warren, the other candidate in the runoff, listed contributions of $80,170 and expenses of $59,228 for the race.
The data is based on the financial reports for March 4 to Oct. 24 and doesn’t include contributions and expenses for the March general election.
Warren and Odom were the top vote-getters among five candidates in the March judicial general election, but neither received the 50% plus one vote needed to win. Warren got 10,741 votes (28%) while Odom received 8,944 (24%) of the votes.
Odom’s expenses include $32, 564 for direct mailings; $18,033 on other advertising; $14,869 on radio advertising; $13,218 on consultant fees; $9,996 on television advertising; a $6,730 filing fee; $3,705 for newspaper advertising; and $918 for fundraising.
The top five recipients for Odom include Mailco USA at $15,748; Mark Henry at $10,000; the Arkansas Secretary of State at $6,730; and, iHeart Media with two expenditures of $6,288 each.
The top five donations of $2,800 each to Odom’s campaign were from Monte Sharits; Odom and his wife, Laura; his late father, Bobby Lee Odom; Matthew Lindsey; and Alan and Teresa Lane.
Warren’s expenses include $28,020 for television advertising; $11,142 for other advertising; $9,000 for consultant fees; $8,337 for newspaper advertising; and $1,234 for fundraising.
The top five payees for Warren include Cook Consulting at $16,000, $12,020 and $1,800; and the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette at $2,646 and $2,308.
The top five donors to Warren’s campaign include three payments she made to her campaign of $50,000, $2,800 and $1,500; and $2,800 each from Karen Estes and Carol Sue Bartsch.
The winner will take office Jan. 1. Elections in Arkansas for judges are nonpartisan. Circuit judges serve six-year terms and are paid $172,298 a year.
In the race for an open District 2, Division 4 court seat in Washington County, Terra Stephenson has spent more than twice as much as her opponent Mark Scalise.
The race is a runoff from March when Stephenson got the most votes, but didn’t receive the required 50% plus one vote needed to win outright. Stephenson received 17,566 votes (49%) to 13,692 (39%) for Scalise.
Stephenson reported contributions of $33,706, along with nonmonetary contributions of $2,400 and expenses of $57,447.
Stephenson’s expenses include other advertising at $43,894; $4,420 for her filing fee; $2,862 for television advertising; $2,381 for newspaper advertising; $1,525 for radio advertising; and $1,100 for consultant fees.
The top five payees for Stephenson are Ozark Collective at $9,640; Advanced Print Solutions at $6,189; MailCo USA at $4,511; the Arkansas Secretary of State at $4,420; and Lamar Advertising at $3,475.
The top five donors to Stephenson’s campaign are Amy Martin $2,800 and $2,700; Lindly Mikesch at $1,500 and $1,000; and W.H. Taylor at $1,000.
Scalise reported contributions of $16,230, along with nonmonetary contributions of $4,150, and expenses of $23,425.
Scalise’s expenses include other advertising at $9,562; radio advertising at $6,901; direct mail at $4,905 and newspaper advertising at $1,193.
The top five payees for Scalise are DFI at $4,855; Data Forms Inc. at $3,961; Cumulus at $1,548; iHeart Media at $1,496; and United Industries at $1,408.
The top five donors to Scalise’s campaign are Kent Fern at $2,800; Pushpendra Senan at $2,500; Diana Senan at $2,500; Roxanne Fern at $1,000; and Sammy Turner at $1,000.
The District 2, Division 4, seat is being vacated by Judge William Storey. The winner Tuesday will take office Jan. 1.
Washington County has four district judges who hold court in different parts of the county. The positions are nonpartisan and voted on countywide. A small portion of the district in Springdale extends into Benton County.
District courts have jurisdiction over traffic violations, misdemeanor offenses, violations of state law and local ordinances, preliminary felony matters and civil matters involving contracts, damage to personal property and recovery of personal property where the amount in controversy doesn’t exceed $25,000.
