Municipal candidates quickly file for November election

Election season is now in full swing as the candidate filing period for Lowcountry offices opened Aug. 7. When it ends at noon Aug. 21, voters will have a clear picture of candidates seeking office in the Nov. 7 election within 48 hours.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 20 candidates electronically filed for the fall election set for Nov. 7. Plenty more are expected to file in coming days as voters will pick mayors in Charleston and North Charleston, as well as half of city council seats in Charleston and all of them in North Charleston.

Isaac Cramer, executive director of the Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration, said today that the best way for residents to stay up-to-date on the status of candidate filing and other important election information is to visit scvotes.gov and use its online candidate tracker for a full breakdown of upcoming elections.

“It’s very important that residents know who’s filed for office because elections are right around the corner,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for our voters to participate in the democratic process, and it will affect issues locally.”

North Charleston elections are crowded

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection, sparking a crowded and competitive race to fill the seat. Within 24 hours of the filing period opening Monday, eight candidates filed for the mayoral election. In alphabetical order:

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, but he made his bid official in March.

Russell Coletti. A veteran who recently retired after working 30 years for FedEx Express, Coletti announced his bid for mayor in April. He ran unsuccessfully for city council in 2015.

Rhonda Jerome. First elected to North Charleston City Council in 2003, Jerome announced her mayoral candidacy in March.

Todd Olds. A former city councilman and real estate investor, Olds said he would join the race in June.

Teddie Pryor. A project manager with the city of North Charleston, Pryor is a current member of Charleston County Council and its former chairman. He announced his long-expected candidacy in April.

John Singletary. A North Charleston native and businessman, Singletary is a Citadel graduate who ran for the mayor’s seat in 2019.

Samuel Whatley Sr. A local pastor, Whatley has flown mostly under the radar in this election cycle, not giving a formal campaign announcement prior to filing.

Jesse Williams. A community advocate, Williams founded the nonprofit Take it To the Streets in 2007 to focus on positively transforming North Charleston. He announced his bid in April.

Eight candidates filed for North Charleston City Council seats as of Tuesday morning, with only one seat being competitive at the time. In North Charleston, all council seats are up for election at the same time: Rhonda Jameson Jerome filed for District 2. Curtis Clark filed for District 3. Jerome Heyward filed for District 5. Nefertiti Brown filed for District 6. Dan Gregory filed for District 7. Greg Perry filed for District 8. And Michael A. Brown and Kevin D. Hollinshead filed for District 10.

Ryan Johnson, with the North Charleston Mayor’s Office said voting precincts may have changed since last year. He suggested residents should refer to scvotes.gov ahead of time to confirm their voting location.

City of Charleston elections calmer for now

Only incumbent Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg filed for election as of Tuesday morning, but several others have announced their intent to run. All candidates together raised nearly $2 million in campaign funds as of June.

“Being mayor isn’t about big talk, it’s about getting big things done for our residents. And with more than 30 active drainage projects all across the city, the best-trained and most well-funded police and firefighters in the state, and historic investments in neighborhood parks, recreation and workforce housing, we’re getting big things done every day,” Tecklenburg said in a statement.

Others who have indicated they were running include:

William Cogswell. A former Republican member of the S.C. House of Representatives, Cogswell is a developer with a “reputation for structuring collaborative and innovative projects,” according to his bio. He announced his bid for mayor in March.

Mika Gadsden. A local social media influencer, Gadsden leads the Charleston Activist Network. She announced a bid for mayor in March.

Debra Gammons. A visiting professor and director of the office of Diversity Initiatives at the Charleston School of Law, Gammons announced her candidacy in March.

Clay 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 made it official this year.

Peter Shahid. A downtown lawyer, Shahid is a current member of Charleston City Council who represents part of West Ashley. He announced his bid for mayor in March.

Four candidates for city council filed for election as of Tuesday morning, with only one seat being competitive at the time. Half of Charleston’s council seats — the odd numbered districts — are up for election in November.

James McBridge filed for District 3. William Gilliard and Kenneth Marolda filed for District 9. And Ross Appel filed for District 11.

Board of Elections gets new HQ

The Charleston County Board of Elections opened a new headquarters on Monday as well, which will allow more parking and easier access for county residents. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held that morning.

“I’m in between the old and the new building just trying to get the rest of our stuff moved over completely,” Cramer said. “But we’re fully operating from the new building already, which is nice.”

The new office, while still in North Charleston, has moved to 4340 Corporate Road — about two miles away from the previous site on Headquarters Road.

“We’re moving to not only a bigger facility for us as a staff, but for voters as well,” Cramer said. “It’s a big step forward for Charleston county, giving residents the best services and voting experience in the state of South Carolina.”

The new building will be used as an early voting precinct, meaning election officials will no longer be using the North Charleston Coliseum for early voting. The upgrade in size will also allow for better accommodations for training classes, officials said.