Few Laurens County incumbents in upcoming primaries in busy election cycle
Laurens County, South Carolina – At the time that filing closed at the Laurens County Voter Registration and Elections office, candidates had filed for each of the open partisan positions in Laurens County, including several open seats for Laurens County Council.
In the race for Laurens County Council, Chairman Jeff Carroll is among three council members who decided not to seek re-election. After initially filing to seek a third term on council, Carroll withdrew his candidacy with a formal written request on March 23.
Carroll, who represents District 5, leaves the Republican nomination to Enoree’s Darryl Halbert with his withdrawal. Barring a write-in campaign, Halbert will run unopposed.
All the other candidates for the county council seats are also Republicans.
They include, for District 1, Nancy R. Garrison, who is running unopposed to fill the seat currently occupied by Fountain Inn’s Kem Younts. In District 4, the seat occupied by Brown Patterson, there are three GOP candidates – Libby Pinson, Jimmy Poole and Lonnie Wilson – who are seeking their party’s nomination in the June 9 Primary Election.
At the state level, incumbent Rep. Luke Rankin is being challenged for the District 14 seat by Cross Hill’s Ricky Shealy for the GOP nomination. The winner of that Primary will face Democrat Michanna Tate of Laurens in the General Election.
The other county positions on the ballot are uncontested. Just an hour before filing closed at noon March 30, Kevin C. Nix registered as a Republican for the Probate Judge position. The current Probate Judge Kaye Fridy had previously announced her plan to retire after this term. Linda Walden Hodges is the sole candidate for county auditor and is expected to succeed the retiring Jim Coleman. Incumbent Cynthia M. Burke is uncontested for county treasurer. Each of those candidates are seeking Republican nominations.
The Republican and Democratic Primaries are set for Tuesday, June 9, and Laurens County Director of Voter Registration and Elections Lynne West said that voters will be asked by poll workers if they need Republican or Democratic ballots.
There will be plenty of candidates for other positions on most of the ballots, West explained.
At the state level, Rep. Luke Rankin filed for election to the District 14 seat, facing Cross Hill’s Ricky Shealy who is also seeking the GOP Nomination. The winner will face Democrat Michanna Tate of Laurens, the only Democratic candidate, in the General Election.
Other candidates who directly impact Laurens County include those seeking the Districts 16 and 42 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
District 16 Rep. Mark Willis of Fountain Inn is the Republican incumbent seeking a 10th term in the Statehouse. He is facing a challenge from Democrat Lynn Ramirez. District 16 is split between Greenville and Laurens counties and both filed in Greenville County.
Filing in Union County was Republican incumbent Doug Gilliam, for State House District 42 which includes Joanna and a portion of Clinton. In the General Election he will face Democratic Candidate Robert L. Williams, also of Union County.
In August, filing will open for nonpartisan offices, including openings for the Laurens County Soil and Water Conservation District and boards for Laurens County School Districts 55 and 56. Municipal elections, which are also nonpartisan, are set for March 2027.
This story originally ran Page 1 of the Wednesday, April 1 issue of The Laurens County Advertiser.
Thank you, Judith. This is very informative & helpful. I appreciate your time putting this information together. On other web sites they want one of my arms , and both of my legs just to tell me who is running for which office! Yall are THE BEST and I will come to The Laurens County Advertiser every time!