The filling period for the Nov. 7 municipal elections in Charleston County closed at noon Monday, and as predicted, races in Charleston and North Charleston are packed and competitive. A concrete list of candidates is expected within 48 hours of the filing period closing.
In North Charleston, 10 candidates are running for mayor to fill the seat of incumbent Mayor Keith Summey, who announced March 10 he would not seek reelection. In Charleston, five challengers filed against incumbent Mayor John Tecklenburg as campaigns are raising millions of dollars of campaign funds.
City council races are crowded too. Thirteen people filed to run for six Charleston City Council seats, with odd-numbered seats up for grabs this year. In North Charleston, 35 candidates filed for 10 seats for city council. All of its seats are up for grabs this year.
Keep following the Charleston City Paper for continued election coverage as Nov. 7 nears.
This story will be updated as last-minute filers trickle in.
Mayor of Charleston
Tecklenburg was the only candidate for mayor of Charleston to file on Aug. 7, the day filing first opened. As of Monday afternoon, several others had joined the list. In alphabetical order, they are:
William Cogswell. A former Republican member of the S.C. House of Representatives, Cogswell filed Aug. 15. Cogswell is a developer with a “reputation for structuring collaborative and innovative projects,” according to his bio.
Mika Gadsden, a local social media influencer, leads the Charleston Activist Network, filed Aug. 17.
Debra J. Gammons, a visiting professor and director of the office of Diversity Initiatives at the Charleston School of Law, filed Aug. 17.
Clay N. Middleton, a former senior staff member for U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., Middleton is a veteran and an experienced public affairs professional. He has long toyed with the idea of running for mayor and filed officially Aug. 14.
Peter Shahid, a City Council member representing part of West Ashley, ran for council on a campaign to redevelop the former home of a Piggly Wiggly at the corner of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Old Towne Road. He’s now running for mayor on the same platform. He filed Aug. 21.
John Tecklenburg, incumbent mayor of Charleston, filed Aug. 7. He has led the city through a period of massive growth and infrastructure projects, including drainage, transportation and other improvements.
North Charleston Mayor
Many correctly predicted North Charleston’s mayoral election to be crowded this year as 10 candidates filed for election as of Monday afternoon. In alphabetical order, they are:
Reggie Burgess. The former chief of police of North Charleston, Burgess hinted at his bid for mayor before Summey announced he would not seek reelection. He filed Aug. 7.
Russ Coletti. A veteran who recently retired after working 30 years for FedEx Express, Coletti filed Aug. 7.
Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley, who ran unsuccessfully for Charleston County Probate Judge in 2018 and again in 2022, filed for mayor Aug. 11.
Rhonda Jameson Jerome, first elected to North Charleston City Council in 2003, filed Aug. 7.
Curtis A. Merriweather Jr. His bio describes him as an accomplished advisor, management scholar, senior executive and thought leader, filed Aug. 9.
Todd Olds. A former city councilman and real estate investor, Olds filed Aug. 7.
Teddie E. Pryor Sr. A project manager with the city of North Charleston, Pryor is a current member of Charleston County Council and its former chairman. He filed Aug. 7.
John Singletary. A North Charleston native and businessman and Citadel graduate who ran for the mayor’s seat in 2019, Singletary filed again Aug. 7.
Samuel Whatley Sr., a local pastor, filed Aug. 7.
Jesse Williams, a community advocate, filed Aug. 7.
Charleston City Council
All but two of the seats up for grabs on Charleston City Council are competitive so far, with Districts 1 and 11 having only one candidate filed as of Monday afternoon.
District 1: Boyd Gregg (incumbent).
District 3: Bill Antonucci; Stephanie Hodges; Jim McBride.
District 5: Karl Brady (incumbent); Ron Call.
District 7: Owen Vogel ; Keith Waring (incumbent).
District 9: Mike Gastin; William Gilliard; Kenneth Marolda; William Tinkler.
District 11: Ross Appel (incumbent).
North Charleston City Council
In North Charleston, every city council seat is up for grabs during a general election. With the mayor’s race already packed, the council race was expected to be just as crowded. More than 30 candidates filed as of Monday afternoon. In alphabetical order, they are:
District 1: Michael Brown (incumbent).
District 2: Rhonda Jameson Jerome (incumbent); Kenneth Ray.
District 3: Lou Baker; Curtis Clark; Reneah Jones; Sandino Moses; Monica J. Mumme; Maurice Ray; Chuck Stall.
District 4: Samuel Bellamy Jr.; Joshua Gale; Richard Hayes; Brian Hill; Charmaine Palmer Roberts.
District 5: Jerome Heyward (incumbent); Belinda Thomas Swindler; Brandon Trollinger; Samuel Whatley II.
District 6: Bailey-Erb; Nefertiti Brown; Brandon Trollinger; Alton White.
District 7: Michael Brown; Dan Gregory.
District 8: Brandon Hudson; Kay Hyman; Andre Middleton; William Parker; Greg Perry.
District 9: Kenny Skipper (incumbent).
District 10: Michael A. Brown (incumbent); Aaron Hicks; Kevin D. Hollinshead Sr.; Rebecca Rushton.
Three different people in North Charleston named Michael Brown filed for different seats on city council. They have different addresses and filed on separate dates.
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