Estill elects its first female mayor in delayed runoff following dramatic tie vote
After an unprecedented election and runoff following a tie vote, challenger Kim E. Wiley was chosen Tuesday to be the Town of Estill’s mayor, unofficial results show.
Once the votes are certified, Wiley will become the first woman elected to lead the town, which has about 2,800 people. Estill is known for its timber and agricultural industries and houses a medium-security federal prison. Just under one in three residents is living in poverty.
The mayoral election between Wiley and incumbent Corrin F. Bowers III lasted weeks longer than expected, starting on April 13 when it appeared Wiley won by two votes. An election hearing subsequently certified provisional votes that resulted in a 174-174 tie.
After some delays with the town election board, S.C. law allowed Gov. Henry McMaster to step in and schedule Tuesday’s runoff election.
Initial results show Wiley with 335 votes and Bowers with 314. That means more than 100 additional residents voted in the second election, according to the Hampton County Board of Voter Registration and Elections. Results will be certified Thursday, taking four provisional ballots into consideration.
“The voter turnout encourages me to get up every morning and say, ‘What can I do for the Town of Estill today, knowing they have those expectations and trust me?’” Wiley told The Island Packet in a phone interview Wednesday.
Wiley, 57, has lived in Estill 33 years and works at a local nursing home, PruittHealth, and as a victim advocate for the Estill Police Department.
Although she’s never held a political position, Wiley says she frequently volunteers in the community and saw a need that needed to be filled.
“I felt like I could be an answer for the Town of Estill and thought, ‘Why wait for someone else to take the lead?’” she said.
She also wants to be a role model for young women and show them “women can do things, and women can be leaders.”
Among her goals: She wants to build town and community relations, expand opportunities for youth, revitalize downtown Estill, be transparent about the town’s budget, and improve the water system.
She said during the past two weeks, she and her campaign team knocked on a lot of doors and learned a lot about what voters want, ideas she hopes to put in action soon.
