NATCHEZ — Three candidates vying for circuit clerk say they are ready for paperwork.

And Britt Gibson, Jennifer “Lady J” Minor and Edward C. “Eddie” Walker said they hope their own names appear on a lot of that paperwork on Aug. 2 — Election Day.

Britt Gibson

Gibson said he sees that he can make a countywide impact through the circuit clerk’s office.

“People can approach me and give me their concerns,” he said. “I can make the circuit clerk’s office be something for the people.”

Gibson pointed to his background in business as the experience that qualifies him for the position.

“Through my business background, I’ve gotten experience working with a budget, working with people,” he said. “Any elected official, and of course the circuit clerk, has a big role dealing with people.”

It’s important to have a circuit clerk who’s available more than 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, Gibson said. Additionally, he said, he’d like to start a summer internship program.

“It would give (youths) the chance to work for the county and benefit from that, but also give them the tools to decide if they want to go into politics,” he said.

Gibson said there is a lot of money in fines and uncollected payments that has yet to be received, and collecting that is also one of his priorities.

It’s important to look at the number of deputy clerks who are working in the office in relation to the budget, he said.

“If we have the workload for 100 people, it’s ideal to have 100 people working, but sometimes we can’t afford to do that,” he said. “That’s where we could also use the summer intern program.”

Jennifer “Lady J” Minor

Minor said she decided to run after having been on both sides of the circuit clerk’s desk as both a deputy clerk and a civilian.

“I see the need for a more efficient and fair circuit clerk’s office,” she said. “I see the need for technology and innovation. When you look around Adams County and you see the emergence of Natchez Inc., Elevance, highways and the port, you see the renaissance of economic development, and we need a circuit clerk’s office that can supply the demands for the new and improved Natchez-Adams County.”

Minor said her experience working as a deputy clerk qualifies her for the job.

“We were all cross trained,” she said. “Everyone could do everybody else’s job, to a certain extent.”

Edward C. “Eddie” Walker

Incumbent Circuit Clerk Eddie Walker said he’s enjoyed the work he’s done so far.

“It hasn’t just been me,” he said.

“We’ve done a good job. We’re continually improving, and we’re keeping a watch on all the finances there.”

The state audit department hasn’t found any problems with the office through the mandated audits, Walker said, all moneys have been accounted for and dispersed according to law.

Walker said his experience qualifies him for the job, and his record stands on its own merit.

“We’ve done the job right, we’re doing the job every day,” he said. “We’ve handled everything as it should be.”

In working as the Franklin County deputy sheriff for a year and a half, Walker said, he learned the ins and outs of the office, so he had a good understanding of what he was doing before he took office, he said.

“This sounds smug, and I don’t intend that it should, but (I enjoy) the feeling of getting something done and doing it right,” he said. “I like people, I like talking to people and listening to people. I try to make sure everything is done properly. It’s a good feeling at the end of the day.”