Chapin decides on new mayor in wake of Al Koon’s death
In the wake of the incumbent’s death in the middle of the campaign, Chapin voters chose a new mayor to lead them for the next four years.
Bill Mitchell won the race with 67% of the vote Tuesday, while 7% voted for Ron Colley. Twenty-four percent of the vote went to write-in candidates, while a single vote was cast for late Mayor Al Koon.
Chapin voters had three candidates for mayor listed on the ballot Tuesday, but one of them, the incumbent Koon, died two weeks before Election Day. His name was still listed on the ballot, but votes for the former mayor won’t be counted, the Lexington County Elections office said.
Mitchell is a pastor at Chapin Fellowship Church.
Koon’s family said after the mayor’s death that they encouraged a write-in vote for Town Councilman Gregg White, who otherwise focused on his re-election campaign to town council. It was not known on election night how many of the write-in votes were for White.
Chapin also had four candidates running for two open seats on the town council. Those council members and the mayor will serve for four years.
White appeared to have lost out in his bid for another term on town council, coming third with 19% of the vote. Ainslee Bost led with 36% followed by Warren Burritt with 30, which would put those two candidates onto the council on the two townwide seats. Jerry Taylor trailed with 13% of the vote.
All results are unofficial until the vote is certified.
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