Richland County Council primary sets up runoff in Lower Richland. See the election results
An incumbent Richland County councilwoman is headed for a runoff against a former longtime councilman looking to reclaim the seat.
Current County Councilwoman Chakisse Newton will square off against former Councilman Norman Jackson in a June 28 runoff election for the District 11 council seat, representing parts of Lower Richland, after they claimed the first and second-most votes in Tuesday’s primary.
Meanwhile, the council’s longest-serving member, District 4’s Paul Livingston, easily held off a primary opponent.
In the District 11 primary, Newton got 46.84% of the vote, while Jackson got 34.63%, and newcomer Eva Young-Prioleau came in with 18.53%. The results of the election are set to be certified on Thursday.
Newton, a consulting firm owner, is in her first term on County Council. This election represented a rematch between her and Jackson, a former County Council chairman who previously served in the District 11 seat for a number of years. Newton handily defeated Jackson in a 2018 Democratic primary. Young-Prioleau recently retired after a 27-year career with Richland County’s department of public works.
District 11 is located in parts of Lower Richland and the southeastern part of the county.
In the District 4 Democratic primary, County Councilman Paul Livingston handily held off challenger Booker T. Little. Livingston unofficially grabbed 75% of the votes, while Little got 25%.
Livingston has been on Richland County Council for more than 30 years and is the longest currently serving member of the body. He has served several terms as the council’s chairman through the years. District 4 is in the western-central portion of Richland County, covering parts of downtown Columbia and north Columbia.
