UPDATED: Springfield, North elect new mayors; Rhett re-elected mayor in Bowman

Meanwhile, the Town of North elected a 12-year council veteran as mayor. Springfield voters elected a write-in candidate.

In Springfield, Leroy Ballard received 77 of the 143 total votes cast, beating out Troy T. Thomas. Thomas received 27 votes.

Thomas’ name was the only one on the ballot for the mayoral election, but a total of 116 write-in votes were cast for the seat.

Current Mayor Ed Furtick chose not to seek re-election.

In the race for the sole vacant council seat contested by three candidates, Rebecca Jones won with 68 votes. She beat out Tiffany Brice, who received 62 votes, and Christina Warriner, who received 60 votes. Councilman Doug Kinard did not seek re-election.

Council members Francine Edwards, Allen Stanley and Gregory Abendroth were all re-elected. Edwards received 128 votes, Stanley received 99 and Abendroth received 82.

All votes in Orangeburg County will be certified Thursday at 11 a.m.

Bowman residents re-elected their incumbent Mayor Patsy Rhett to another four-year term.

Rhett beat challengers Town Councilman Ike Carter and Jody “UFO Man” Pendarvis.

Rhett received 146 votes, or 66 percent, while Carter received 68 votes and Pendarvis received six.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all the voters who came and cast their vote for me as mayor,” Rhett said. “I thank them for their confidence in me.”

“I ask them to continue to pray for me and work with me as we go through our next phase,” Rhett continued. “I appreciate all of them and I hope we continue to grow Bowman and come together as a united community as we go forward.”

Rhett has served as mayor since 2019.

Also in Bowman, Deleasera Rogers retained her council seat with 125 votes. Newcomer Ada Smith also won a seat with 124 votes.

Incumbent Councilwoman Shaquetta Pelzer lost with 115 votes and Pendarvis received seven votes for his council bid.

Jeffrey Washington beat out his fellow council member Wanda Whetstone, receiving 56 votes (53 percent) to Whetstone’s 24 votes.

“I am going to do what the voters want me to do,” Washington said. “I sure thank them for everything and that they think I can handle the job.”

Washington also thanked his family members and friends and all those who supported him.

Incumbent Mayor Julius Jones did not seek re-election.

The town will also have a new councilman. Daniel Jackson was elected, receiving 71 votes. He did not face any opposition.

The town’s other vacant seat was filled in by write-in candidate, but the name of the winner was not available Wednesday morning.

In other elections:

Branchville

The town of Branchville brought back its incumbent council members.

Clayton Baker, Paulus Pauley Jumper and Gregory Oliver all retained their seats, beating out Eddie Hewitt Sr. and Crystal McKibbin. Baker received 66 votes, Jumper received 59 and Oliver received 120. Hewitt received 31 and McKibbin received 32 votes.

Incumbent Mayor Franklin Dixon retained his mayoral seat as he faced no opposition. He received 107 votes to 15 write-ins.

The town of Cope will have a new mayor.

William Workman was elected as the town’s new mayor as incumbent Mayor Janet Joye did not run for re-election. Workman received seven votes to three write-ins.

Marlene Workman and Billy Workman both were re-elected to council. Each received seven votes.

Two write-in candidates were also elected to fill the remaining two seats, but their names were not available Wednesday morning.

The town of Elloree will have a new District 3 councilman and perhaps a new write-in water commissioner.

James Kelly Ulmer received 29 votes, beating out Luke Hartung. Hartung received 19 votes for the District 3 seat. District 3 incumbent Jefferson Chip Davis did not run.

District 2 Councilwoman LaKeisha Pauling Ellison retained her seat with nine votes. She did not have a challenger. There were no write-in votes.

A write-in candidate won the seat on the town’s Water Commission as incumbent Hugh McLaurin did not run. The name was unavailable Wednesday morning.

Eutawville

The town of Eutawville may have one new council member elected by write-in.

A write-in candidate won a seat on the council, filling the seat previously held by Christopher Barker, who did not run. The name was unavailable Wednesday morning.

Harry Lee Brown retained his seat, as he faced no opposition. Brown received 28 votes. There were 21 write-in votes.

Holly Hill

There were no surprises in Holly Hill as both council members retained their seats. Neither faced any challengers.

District 1 Councilmember LeAnne Troutman received 63 votes to no write-ins and District 2 Councilman Charles David Barber received 17 votes to four write-ins.

Livingston

There were no surprises in Livingston as all council members retained their seats. None of them faced any challengers.

Incumbent Mayor Bobby Gordon will remain as mayor with 20 votes. There were no write-ins.

Brian Corey Driggers received 18 votes, Maretta J. Hewitt received 20 votes, George Widener received 19 votes and Robert Bobby Yongue received 19 votes. There was one write-in vote.

The town of Neeses has a new council member.

John A. Anthony won the council seat formerly held by Joseph Corbett, who did not seek re-election. Anthony received 20 votes.

Incumbent Mayor Kenneth L. Gleaton retained his seat, as he did not face a challenger. Gleaton received 22 votes against no write-ins.

Paula Dyches Hutchins, Julie Renee Olenick and Wylie Williams all retained their seats on council as none of them faced a challenger. Hutchins received 22 votes, Olenick received 21 votes and Williams received 22 votes. There was one write-in.

The town of Norway will have at least one new council member, with another seat filled by a write-in candidate.

Council District 2 was filled by a write-in candidate as incumbent Kelvin Crosby did not run. The name of the winner was unavailable Wednesday morning.

Council District 3 will be represented by Charles N. Bowers. District 3 Councilman Gregg Covington did not run for re-election. Bowers received 15 votes to four write-ins.

Mayor Lynn Garrick, who won a special election on March 28 to fill the unexpired term of former mayor Tracie Clemons, was re-elected. Garrick received 44 votes to no write-ins.

Rowesville

The town of Rowesville elected two new council members.

William Billy Hurst and Lauren L. McDaniel were elected to council to fill the seats previously held by Benjamin Boensch and Amber Bishop Heyward. Boensch and Heyward did not run for re-election. Hurst received 19 votes and McDaniel received 15 votes. There was one write-in.

Caroline E. Bush and Barbara Montgomery held on to their council seats. The two did not have any challengers. Bush received 20 votes and Montgomery received 23 votes. There were no write-ins.

In Woodford, two write-in candidates were elected to fill two town council seats.

The seats were held by Andrea Clifton and Billy Taylor, who both did not file for re-election.