In an election with no candidates, write-in votes will decide SC town council winner

The filing deadline for an open town council seat came and went on Friday without any candidates coming forward to have their names placed on the ballot.

A Sept. 13 special election has been called in Chapin to replace outgoing councilwoman Kay Hollis, who decided to step down from the five-person town council last month.

The deadline for candidates to file for the special town council seat was noon on Friday. But no candidates filed with the Lexington County Election Commission for the open seat. Elections director Lenice Shoemaker confirmed to The State that the election will go forward without any listed candidates on the ballot and a write-in option.

The person who receives the most write-in votes will take the council seat until the end of Hollis’ term in November 2023.

Chapin is a town of about 1,800 people located 24 miles northwest of Columbia, near the north shore of Lake Murray.

Bristow Marchant

The State

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Bristow Marchant covers local government, schools and community in Lexington County for The State. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 2007. He has almost 20 years of experience covering South Carolina at the Clinton Chronicle, Sumter Item and Rock Hill Herald. He joined The State in 2016. Bristow has won numerous awards, most recently the S.C. Press Association’s 2024 education reporting award.  Support my work with a digital subscription