By HEATHER RUPPE
The filing deadline has closed for candidates wanting to run for public office and there are seven Colleton County residents vying for one at-large seat on Colleton County Council.
Filing for candidates ended at noon on March 30th. Officially, there are seven Colleton County residents asking for voters to elect them to one partisan, at-large seat on Colleton County Council.
Four of these candidates are republicans.
Three of these candidates are democrats.
The candidates are Terri Tomedolskey (Republican); Kevin Williams (Republican); Hiram EM Davis, (Democrat); Maryann Blake (Democrat); David Gar Linder (Democrat); Bubba Trippe (Republican); and Josh Westbury (Republican).
This is a partisan seat on council, meaning there is political affiliation involved. A previous story ran by this newspaper saying the seat was non-partisan was incorrect. This at-large seat has previously been held by longtime Republican incumbent Gene Whetsell, who is not seeking re-election.
In addition to Whetsell’s at-large seat, there are two other Colleton County Council seats also up for grabs in the coming November election. These are for District 23 and District 45.
Two people are running for the District 23 seat: incumbent Art Williams and his challenger Scott Biering.
Longtime incumbent Steven D. Murdaugh is the only candidate who has filed for his District 45 seat on county council. This means he is not being challenged by anyone else for his seat.
Colleton County Probate Judge has one candidate - Ceth Utsey.
The Colleton County Auditor position has one candidate - Jeffrey Slocum.
The county Treasurer has one candidate - Becky S. Hill
Locals run for several state seats
Multiple other local, state and national seats are also going to be on the November ballot for the general election. These include seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the S.C. House of Representatives.
There is one local candidate who has filed thus far for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the S.C. House of Representatives.
U.S. House of Representatives District 06
Duke Buckner (R-Walterboro) is running for the U.S. House of Representatives, District 06. This district includes Allendale, Bamberg, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Hampton, Jasper, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter and Williamsburg counties.
Buckner is facing four opponents: Michael Addison (D-Orangeburg); Greg M. Dixon (D-Ridgeland); A. Sonia Morris (R-Charleston); and longtime incumbent James “Jim” Clyburn, (D-Orangeburg).
State House of Representatives District 121
Timothy Swain is another Walterboro resident who has filed to run for a large political seat.
Swain, who is a Republican, is a candidate for the State House of Representatives District 121, which represents Colleton and Beaufort counties. Swain is facing Democrat Michael Rivers.
State House of Representatives District 97
Glenn Posey, a Republican, is also from Colleton County and is a candidate for the State House of Representatives District 97 election. Posey is facing other candidates Candace Jennings (R-Summerville), ReZsaun Lewis (D-Summerville), and Robby Robbins, (R-Summerville).
S.C. House of Representatives District 122
For the S.C. House of Representatives District 122 seat, the candidates are Republican Bill Hager and Democrat Shedron Williams. Both candidates are from Hampton County. District 122 represents Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties.
State House of Representatives District 116
State House of Representatives District 116 (Colleton and Charleston counties) candidates are Chardale Murray (D-Hollywood), Matthew Leber (R-Charleston), and Dixie Button (R-Charleston).
U.S. House of Representatives District 01
Candidates are Katherine Arrington (R-Summerville); Lucus D. Faulk (Labor-Bonneau); Nancy Mace (R-Charleston); Joseph Oddo (Alliance-Goose Creek); and Lynz Piper-Loomis (R-Summerville).
