On June 12, 2018, the Clarendon County Democratic Party held a primary to fill the unexpired term of prior coroner Hayes Samuels, Jr. Bucky Mock, as well as LaNette Samuels-Cooper, filed, applied and ran for this position. Samuels-Cooper received the most votes for the office. After the election on June 14, 2018, Bucky Mock filed a lawsuit alleging Samuels-Cooper was not qualified to be coroner. The Election Commission took no position as to the qualification of either candidate.
After a multi-day hearing, the Honorable Ferrell Cothran found "it is this Court's finding that Ms. Samuels-Cooper is currently not qualified for the office of coroner and based on testimony and evidence in the record, will not be able to be qualified for the office within the one-year period specified by the statute." Based on the Court's finding, the State Election Commission required this office to find the affected candidate (Ms. Samuels-Cooper) "disqualified after the primary."
This disqualification reopens filing for Clarendon County Coroner under South Carolina Code of Laws ยง7-11-55. Because the candidate was unopposed in the general election, the filing is open to candidates of all parties.
Based upon the Court's ruling and in conjunction with the mandate of the State Election Commission, Ms. Samuels-Cooper has been removed and will not be placed on the ballot for the November 2018 general election.
What's more, a new election will be held. The new filing for the office of Coroner opens noon Tuesday, August 14, 2018, and will close at noon August 21, 2018. If a primary is necessary, it will be held September 4, 2018.
