It’s official: Some Rock Hill residents need to vote again in a runoff election
The results from Rock Hill’s 2022 city council races are official. Two incumbents will continue on council and residents of Ward 5 will head back to the polls in two weeks for a runoff election.
The York County Board of Voter Registration and Elections met Thursday morning to certify the results from Tuesday’s election.
Rock Hill’s city council voted several months ago to delay the three ward races, which originally were scheduled for October, until city officials could redraw its six voting districts. Redistricting is required every 10 years based on new census data.
About 7% of the city’s 26,819 registered voters living in Wards, 4, 5 and 6 participated in Tuesday’s election, according to official results. A total of 1,892 ballots were cast, official results show.
Ward 4
Incumbent John Black, who’s held his position for over a decade, won re-election. He faced newcomer Maggie Schwietert.
For the seat, 1,041 total votes were cast. Black got about 68% of the vote and Schwietert received about 32%, official results show.
Ward 4, which covers the northwestern part of the city, has the highest population of the six wards. Out of the ward’s 12,537 people, 10,272 are registered to vote, according to the elections office.
Ward 5
Incumbent Nikita Jackson, who was first elected to her position in 2017, will face youth football coach Perry Sutton in a runoff election on Feb. 22, official results show.
Jackson, Sutton and newcomer Kenneth Harris ran to represent Ward 5, which includes East Main Street and the southern part of the city. In a field of three, a candidate must obtain 50% plus one votes. Neither Jackson nor Sutton secured a majority, resulting in a seven-point difference, according to official results.
For the seat, 644 total votes were cast. Jackson received 317 votes, or 49% of the vote. Sutton got 310 votes, or 48%. And Harris earned 17 votes, or 2%, according to official results.
Out of the ward’s 12,517 people, which is the second-highest population of the six wards, 8,684 are registered to vote, according to the elections office. The ward, made up of about 66% Blacks and 26% whites, also has the highest minority population, according to the city.
Ward 6
Incumbent Jim Reno, who has been on council for more than 20 years, ran unopposed for Ward 6.
A handful of write-in ballots were cast for the Ward 6 seat. Reno secured 82% of the 203 total votes cast. About 18% of the vote, or 37 votes, were write-in ballots, according to official results.
Ward 6, which covers Winthrop University and runs up to the Catawba River, has 12,471 residents, according to the city.
