The candidates in Vicksburg’s municipal elections spent thousands of dollars promoting their campaigns by mailouts, billboards and advertising, but for the majority of voters who agreed to interviews with The Post after voting said one factor weighed into their decision more than any else — relationships.

Of the eight people interviewed, five of them made at least one of their candidate decisions based upon a long-term friendship with a candidate or a personal encounter with him.

Harold and Talitha Mosley each cast their votes for George Flaggs in the mayoral race and Alex Monsour for South Ward Alderman after knowing the candidates for years.

“I’ve known George since high school and I believe in him,” Harold said. “I’ve known him [Monsour] several decades, and he seems like a good candidate and I don’t know the other guy at all.”

Jeanette Moulder decided to cast her vote for Flaggs in the mayoral race after a personal encounter with him.

“I don’t have a problem with what he’s been doing and he’s very personable,” Moulder said. “When I see him out in public, he comes up and says ‘hi.’ I even took some Facebook pictures with him. That is a big thing for me, for people to be personable.”

Deborah Gatson voted for Flaggs and incumbent South Ward Alderman Willie Thompson, both of whom she knows personally. A longstanding friendship also played into Vivian Pierce’s decision to vote for Mike Mayfield for North Ward Alderman.

“I’ve been knowing him all my life, and if we have a problem we can call Mike and he’s going to be right there to help us,” Pierce said.

Denise Milton was the only voter of the eight interviewed to cast a vote for a mayoral candidate other than Flaggs. She voted for Daryl Hollingsworth for mayor and Troy Kimble for North Ward Alderman, saying she believed they were both “good candidates.”

Kimble also picked up a vote from Jacquelyne Brown.

“I think he’s [Kimble] going to make a change,” Brown said. “He’s very positive. He seems to be more people oriented. He wants to helps us and make things better in our precinct.”

Each of the voters interviewed voted for the proposed tax plan to pay for the construction of a new sports complex.

“We need something like that in the city of Vicksburg,” Brown said. “We need things that are going to encourage our young children. We need something where they can go and have fun.”

Moulder said, “I am always for the youth so I said that is good for them. An extra 2-cents on the dollar for fast food, that’s no big deal and I don’t stay out in hotels because I have a house, so no big deal.”