Bluffton residents will vote on open town council seat 11 days before Republican primary
For voters in Bluffton who love casting ballots, February 2024 is their month.
With town council member Larry Toomer ascending to the mayor’s office on Jan. 9, the Town of Bluffton will hold a special election to fill the new mayor’s old council seat and it is scheduled on Feb. 13 – when there’s no other races on that day’s ballot. The town is carefully following the state’s election statutes in selecting the February date.
According to Marie Smalls, Director of Beaufort County’s Board of Voter Registration and Elections, the election for the town council seat could not happen 11 days later on Feb. 24, the same day as the state Republican primary, because the primary is funded by the Republican National Committee and the council vote is funded by the town of Bluffton.
Voters in Bluffton will be going to the polls on Feb. 13 for the council race and again 11 days later on the Feb. 24 for the Republican primary. Smalls acknowledged that this could lead to confusion and her office will be working on ways to inform voters about the unique two February dates.
The winner of the council election will have the seat until 2026 and, if interested, would need to be elected again in 2025 to keep it.
Candidates interested in running for the seat must file to run between noon on Friday December 1, and noon on Monday December 11. Late filings cannot be accepted, the town said.
Toomer’s term as mayor will begin on January 9, when he’s inaugurated at the first Town Council meeting of the year. His successor will be begin on March 12 after winning the election.
Between January 9 and March 12 the council will be one member short of it’s current makeup. This means two meetings at the beginning of the year will have only four members.
Despite the temporary loss of a member, 3 votes will remain the majority to have items move forward. However, in the case of a 2-2 tie vote, the item will fail.
The election day of February 13 was selected in accordance with S.C. law on special elections.
