Candidate filing is over in the Rock Hill region. Here are the ‘biggest’ races

Tega Cay will elect a new mayor this fall, after Mayor Chris Gray withdrew his name Friday from the Nov. 4 ballot. The race to replace Gray in Tega Cay is one of more than a dozen contests that voters across the Rock Hill region will decide this fall.

Mayoral candidates dropping out of the Rock Hill and Tega Cay races made for an eventful end to election filing on Friday.

The biggest race in the region would’ve been for mayor of Rock Hill, between Mayor John Gettys and York County Councilman William “Bump” Roddey. Roddey, though, withdrew on Friday and decided to remain on county council.

Gray also changed his mind, opting not to run for mayor of Tega Cay after filing for the position early last month.

“It’s time to turn the page,” Gray told The Herald on Monday morning. “I just feel like it’s time for me to do what dads need to do at my age and my children’s age.”

Gray has twin daughters in Charleston and just sent a son off to Anderson for college. Gray plans to travel more, so he’ll step aside for a new mayor. The region could get half a dozen new mayors this fall.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest races:

Three candidates run for mayor of Tega Cay

The biggest mayoral race in the region with multiple candidates comes in Tega Cay.

Even without Gray, voters will have three options. Longtime city Planning Commission member Alice Dobleske, City Councilwoman Carmen Miller and political newcomer John Tukker filed for the city’s top post.

The winner from that field will lead a City Council with at least one new member. Four candidates filed for two City Council seats, and only one of them sits on council now. Incumbent Tom Hyslip, city volunteer Heather Jones, former Councilman Ron Kirby and small business owner Thomas Rackley are the candidates.

Rock Hill to decide two ward seats

The races in the biggest community are in Rock Hill.

The Ward 5 race pits incumbent Perry Sutton against the person he unseated three years ago, former Councilwoman Nikita Jackson. Ward 5 covers southern Rock Hill, from Ogden and Crawford roads on the west to areas past Interstate 77 on the east.

Ward 6 also has multiple candidates. Realtor and former city Planning Commission member Nate Mallard takes on business owner Sarah Vining. Both candidates are Rock Hill natives. Ward 6 spans from Oakland Avenue to the Catawba River, mostly south of Cherry Road.

The winners in Wards 5 and 6 will join Gettys and John Black in Ward 4, with both of them running unopposed.

Clover has a full list of council candidates

The biggest single election comes in Clover, where 11 candidates file for three at-large Clover Town Council seats.

Those candidates are Jeffrey Becker, Jeremy Brashears, Kathy Rae Brewer, Rorie Brooks, Teresa Hurst, Jeffrey Kidd, Darnella Lindsay, Jason Manos, Melissa Mason, Ian Moyer and Stephen Widener. There’s also an unexpired term on Town Council, but only Joyce Jackson filed to fill it.

Other Rock Hill region races with multiple candidates

Here’s a look at other races this fall. Of note, York and Lancaster counties closed candidate filing on Friday. Chester County filing runs through Sept. 15 so the list isn’t final for Fort Lawn, Lowrys and Richburg.

• Bob Gray and Kellie Wine Harrold vie for York City Council Dist. 6.
• Bryan Jenkins and Bill Nance filed for mayor of McConnells. Liz Christenberry, Bill Covington, James Hoban, James Sciba and Kelley Stewart filed for Town Council, with four seats available.
• Nicole Perkins and Jennifer Ramsey filed for mayor of Sharon.
• Robert Faulkner, Jr. and Kirsta Green are running for mayor of Smyrna. Frances Faulkner, Robert Faulkner, Sr., Tyler Nivens, Ann Wilson and Jeff Wilson contend for four Town Council seats.
• Mike Davis, Wendy Duncan, Jeremy Murphy and Danny Williams compete for one at-large seat on Kershaw Town Council.
• Peggy Bowers, Steve Drakeford, Lendia Johnson and Deborah Truesdale filed for the two open Heath Springs Town Council seats.
• Sean Corcoran, Donnie Hicks and Kyle Starnes will run for mayor of Van Wyck. Laura Clark, Justin Milasauskas, Tia Sargent, Erica Smith and Mike Waterbury are up for two Town Council seats.

Here’s the full list of candidates, including ones running unopposed:

John Marks

The Herald

803-329-4076

John Marks graduated from Furman University in 2004 and joined the Herald in 2005. He covers community growth, municipalities, transportation and education mainly in York County and Lancaster County. The Fort Mill native earned dozens of South Carolina Press Association awards and multiple McClatchy President’s Awards for news coverage in Fort Mill and Lake Wylie. Support my work with a digital subscription