The race for Christian County clerk has its first publicly announced candidate for the 2022 Democratic primary. Walter Cummings, a certified public accountant who has served as Christian County treasurer since 2006, said in a press release Thursday that he will seek the office.
The Democratic incumbent, County Clerk Mike Kem, previously confirmed he is not seeking re-election. However, the race has two Republican hopefuls — Erica Newby, who is a former employee in the clerk’s office, and Melinda Humphries, a current employee who has worked in the clerk’s office for 20 years.
Cummings stressed his accounting background as an asset.
“Your county clerk is responsible for managing over $16 million of your tax dollars each year. There is much more to managing the county clerk’s office than recording documents,” he said. “The funds that go through the clerk’s office are the public’s money that should be managed by an individual with the proper education, financial skills and professional experience to use those funds in an efficient, responsible and accountable manner. The taxpayers of Christian County deserve no less.”
Cummings earned his bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay State University. In addition to his work as county treasurer, he has been associated with the accounting firm Duguid, Gentry and Associates for more than 25 years, he said.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
