MORNING HEADLINES | Charleston County Council members voted 5-4 Tuesday to elect Republican Joe Boykin of Johns Island to be their chairman for 2026, succeeding Democratic member Kylon Middleton.
East Cooper area council member Larry Kobrovsky will continue to serve as vice-chair. Kobrovsky, one of five Republicans on council, was the swing vote. Last year, he voted for Middleton.
Boykin and Kobrovsky got votes from fellow Republicans Jenny Honeycutt, Brantley Moody and Herb Sass. The pairing of Middleton and council member Rob Wehrman received four votes from Democrats: Middleton, Wehrman, Henry Darby and Teddie Pryor.
Boykin’s first act as chairman was to recognize Middleton’s service and leadership through 2025, as well as his passion for resilience and sustainability.
Boykin was first elected in 2022 and has since outlined priorities including transportation infrastructure and increasing funding for the county’s popular greenbelt program.
In related news, the county continues to seek public input through Saturday on a proposed half-penny sales tax for transportation. —Skyler Baldwin
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