A special election for the Town of Summerton has been scheduled for January 7, 2025, to fill a vacant council seat, which became available after Keith Bowman, the current mayor, was elected to his new position on September 24. Bowman had to resign from his council seat upon becoming mayor.
The filing period for candidates interested in running for the open council position will begin at noon on Friday, October 25, 2024, and will close at noon on Monday, November 4, 2024. Candidates can submit their applications at the Clarendon County Voter Registration Office, located at 3 South Church Street in Manning, during the office’s regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. The filing fee for council candidates is $50, payable to Clarendon County.
In addition to filing for candidacy, prospective candidates are required to submit a Statement of Economic Interests and a Campaign Disclosure with the State Ethics Commission, with failure to file possibly resulting in fines but not disqualification from the election.
Early voting will be available from December 23, 2024, through January 3, 2025. On election day, polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at three precincts in Summerton: Summerton Fire Station, Summerton Cultural Arts Center, and Clarendon 1 Resource Center Gym.
The Clarendon County Board of Voter Registration and Elections will begin reviewing absentee ballots on the evening of January 7, 2025. A hearing regarding provisional ballots will be held on January 9, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the Clarendon County Voter Registration & Elections Office.