Filing began at 8 a.m. today for elections to three seats on the Rock Hill City Council.
The elections for Wards 1, 2 and 3 - represented by Susie Hinton, Kathy Pender and Kevin Sutton, respectively - will take place on Oct. 18. If necessary, run-off elections will take place Nov. 1.
To file, potential candidates must live in the ward they wish to represent. They also must be registered to vote.
Candidates must fill out their intention of candidacy and statement of economic interest forms online at ethics.sc.gov.
They must then fill out a filing form, which can be found online at www.yorkcountygov.com/regelect, and bring it to the York County Registration and Elections Office at the E.C. Black Building, 13 S. Congress St., York. They also may file in person.
A candidate must be able to provide identification and pay a $160 filing fee.
Some Rock Hill residents might notice a change in their representation after the City Council approved a redistricting plan this month, based on the 2010 U.S. Census.
City officials spent months trying to divide the city's 66,154 residents as evenly as possible among six wards, with the ideal size being 11,026 residents.
Neighborhoods along Hagins, Hampton, Green and Saluda streets have been split between Wards 1 and 5. Ward 1 has been extended north along Constitution Boulevard.
A map of the wards can be found on York County's Registration and Elections website at www.yorkcountygov.com/regelect.
Filing for Rock Hill's City Council elections will end at 5 p.m. Aug. 19.
Election filing for other cities and towns begins at 8 a.m. Aug. 10 and closes at 5 a.m. Sept. 9.
The following will hold their elections Nov. 8.
Clover
What's open: Mayor and six Town Council seats
Filing fee: $60 for mayor; $45 for Town Council
Plurality method
Fort Mill
What's open: Mayor and Town Council Wards 2, 4 and at-large
Filing fee: $100 opposed; $50 unopposed
Runoff: Nov. 22 if necessary
Majority method
Hickory Grove
What's open: Mayor and four Town Council seats
Filing fee: None
Plurality method
McConnells
What's open: Mayor and four Town Council seats
Filing fee: None
Plurality method
Sharon
What's open: Mayor and four Town Council seats
Filing fee: Candidates must file petition forms, securing signatures of at least 5 percent of the qualified voters in Sharon. Petitions must be submitted no later than noon Aug. 25.
Plurality method
Smyrna
What's open: Mayor and four Town Council seats
Filing fee: None
Plurality method
Tega Cay
What's open: Two City Council seats
Filing fee: $25
Plurality method
York
What's open: Mayor and City Council Districts 2, 3 and 4
Filing fee: $100 for mayor; $50 for City Council
Plurality method
