Sheriff Candidate Submits Amended Finance Report

JOHNSTON COUNTY – An amended campaign finance report filed this week by Republican sheriff candidate Randy Ackley shows substantially higher fundraising and a positive cash balance, correcting what the campaign says was a draft report mistakenly submitted to state election officials.

The corrected filing covers the period from July 1 through December 31, 2025. It reports $69,030.26 in total receipts, including $55,575 in itemized individual contributions, $726 in small‑donor contributions, and an $8,000 personal loan from Ackley. The campaign began the reporting period with $1,563.49 on hand. The amended report lists $62,077.71 in total expenditures, most of which were operating expenses, and shows the campaign ending the year with a positive balance of $22,081.55.

These figures differ sharply from the original report posted by the State Board of Elections, which showed only $20,455.26 in individual contributions and more than $61,000 in spending. That version appeared to leave the campaign more than $31,000 in the red.

Ackley’s campaign released a statement Thursday saying the discrepancy resulted from an error from their Treasurer to the Johnston County Board of Elections in which a draft version of the report was submitted instead of the finalized filing.

Campaign treasurer Melissa Van of Apex said in a written letter to The Johnston County Report that the negative balance shown online “does not accurately represent the campaign’s true financial position.” She said several cash deposits were missing from the draft report and that the State Board is working with the campaign to correct the posted records.

Van said the amended report was resubmitted on February 23 and that internal records and bank documentation confirm the campaign has maintained a positive balance. “We take full responsibility for managing this reconciliation process and for ensuring that all campaign filings are accurate, complete, and properly categorized,” Van said in the statement.

The updated filing includes contributions from dozens of donors and businesses across Johnston County and surrounding areas. They updated contributions include $8,065 from Mr. Ackley’s wife, Jamie Ackley; $5,000 from Rebecca Flowers of Clayton; $5,000 from Johnny Edwards of Clayton; and $4,440 from Steven Scherbekow of Selma.

The largest expenditure went to Cumulus in Raleigh for $31,056.40 for consulting services.

The revised totals narrow the financial gap between Ackley and incumbent Sheriff Steve Bizzell, who reported more than $94,000 in contributions and more than $90,000 cash on hand at the end of 2025.

Ackley, a former Johnston County sheriff’s detective, is challenging Bizzell in the March 3 Republican primary. No Democrat filed for the November general election, making the GOP primary the decisive contest for the office.