Here’s who won Midlands election with no candidates on the ballot

Chapin has a new town council member after a special election Tuesday in which no candidates were listed on the ballot.

Vicky Shealy will join the town council after 38 people wrote in her name on their ballots. Another voter cast a ballot for “Kay Shealy” while one simply wrote “Shealy,” according to the Lexington County Election and Voter Registration Office.

Shealy will serve until the seat next comes up for a vote in November 2023. Other candidates receiving votes were Sam Bolton with 17 and Dan Lambert with 14.

No candidates filed in time for the names to be placed on the ballot, but multiple candidates organized write-in campaigns to fill the at-large seat vacated by Councilwoman Kay Hollis.

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