Almost One Forth of eligible voters turned out Tuesday for municipal elections in Laurens, Clinton, Gray Court and Waterloo. The 2,189 votes cast represent 23.29% of those able to vote. 1,725 voted on election day while 442 voted in “Early Voting.” A former Clinton Mayor won election without need of a runoff in a 3-way race, while the current Laurens Mayor will be in a runoff.
Randy Randall, who formerly served ten years as Mayor of Clinton, received just under 62% of all votes cast to win the unofficial vote count. He received 407 votes to 147 for Ronnie Roth and 104 for Lenard Pitts.
In Laurens, incumbent Nathan Senn led the ticket with is 565 votes representing just over 40% of the 3-way vote. He’ll face a runoff in two weeks with Randy Garrett, who received 33 ½ percent – with 474 votes. City Council member Alicia Sullivan came in 3rd with 370 votes.
In contested City Council contests yesterday, Johnnie Bolt won another term representing District 6 on council, with 244 votes. Challenger Jeremy Hudson received 109 in his first run for council.
In the four-person contest to replace retiring Clinton City Council member Shirley Jenkins for District 2, Anita H. Williams won with just under 59% of the vote. Her 55 votes surpassed the total from the other three candidates.
Incumbent Gary Kuykendall won re-election to Clinton City Council from District 4. His 76 votes represented just over 66% of all votes cast in a three-way race.
Incumbent Clinton District 6 Councilwoman Megan Walsh narrowly held off a serious challenge from Andy Howard. She received 55 votes to Howard’s 52, which was 51.4% of the votes cast.
Gray Court Mayor Stellertean Jones withstood a write-in campaign, winning just over 57% of the Gray Court vote in the officially uncontested contest. She defeated a write-in challenge from Billy Pearson, 54 votes to his 37.
Other uncontested contests yesterday re-elected Laurens City Council members Cassandra Campbell and Martin Lowry. Re-elected as Commissioners on the Laurens CPW were Tomika Craig and Jeff Thompson. Elected to Gray Court Town Council were Laura Cook and Nadine Phillips. Elected to Waterloo Town Council were Johnny Cheeks and Gina Fleeman.
All results are unofficial until the Election Commission conducts a Canvas of the votes this Thursday morning at 11:00. The run-off elections will be March 21st.