Here’s how Roddey, Gettys can become Rock Hill’s next mayor in Oct. 31 runoff

Halloween candy and ghouls might play a key role in depressing voter turnout in a critical upcoming city runoff election.

York County Council member William “Bump” Roddey (3,986 votes, 45.13 percent) and Rock Hill Sports Commission chairman John Gettys (3,952 votes, 44.74 percent) were separated by just 34 votes in Tuesday’s razor-thin mayoral election, according to unofficial results.

Third-place finisher Duane Christopher, a landscape architect, garnered 890 votes (10 percent).

The election results will be certified 10 a.m. Thursday.

Because neither Roddey nor Gettys picked up 50 percent plus one vote, the two are expected to compete in a runoff election Oct. 31 on Halloween.

Just over 18 percent of Rock Hill’s 48,321 registered voters made their pick Tuesday for the city’s new mayor.

Winthrop University professor Scott Huffmon said he was decently impressed with the turnout, but expected it to drop in two weeks when eligible voters are forced to balance their families and their voting duties.

“Most people are going to be concerned about getting home and having the candy ready that night,” Huffmon said. “It will be very important to turn out the base than it will to get the people who didn’t vote initially to come out and vote.”

Both the Roddey and Gettys campaigns will focus now on re-energizing their bases, according to political scientist Rick Whisonant.

“That’s the name of the game,” said Whisonant, a York Technical College professor. “They will really need to take a look at the precincts they won, look at the percentage of the vote they received and make sure they don’t lose any of the votes they had. Where they can pick up votes, they’ll say: ‘We’ve go to maintain what we’ve got,’ then figure out how to increase that turnout.”

On Tuesday, Gettys won 22 of Rock Hill’s 34 precincts, including the three most populous precincts of Rosewood, Rock Hill No. 7 and Anderson Road.

But Roddey’s campaign, heavy on social media engagement, brought out large swaths of voters in southern Rock Hill. Roddey picked up emphatic wins in Edgewood, Rock Hill No. 2 and Rock Hill No. 3, all based in the south of the city. In all three precincts, Roddey picked up more than 90 percent of the vote.

Another race may have a lasting impact, Huffmon said. The election for the Ward 5 representative on the Rock Hill City Council also will likely head to a runoff on Halloween.

Challenger Nikita Jackson picked up 792 votes (44.12 percent) Tuesday night, ahead of incumbent Ann Williamson (601 votes, 33.48 percent). Fellow candidate Brandon Smith earned around 22 percent of the vote.

Ward 5 represents the southernmost portion of Rock Hill, including neighborhoods throughout Albright Road and Saluda Street.

It’s possible, Huffmon said, that voters in that ward will have reason to vote in higher numbers because of the two elections that affect them close to home.

“You’re going to see much higher turnout in Ward 5 than in the others,” he said. “The two runoffs in that district helps the candidate that won that district.”

Endorsements will likely become a factor in the coming days. Christopher indicated Tuesday night that he would be willing to throw his support behind Gettys or Roddey.

On the campaign trail, Christopher agreed with Roddey’s criticism of the Rock Hill’s financial standing. Gettys told The Herald late Wednesday afternoon that he would be receiving several endorsements Thursday from local elected officials.

Every vote will be critical, Whisonant said, especially after a vote Tuesday with such a close margin.

“You’ve got to give them a reason to vote,” he said. “Candidate appeal is very important. You’ve got to like the person before you vote for the person.”

This story was originally published October 18, 2017 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Here’s how Roddey, Gettys can become Rock Hill’s next mayor in Oct. 31 runoff."