Special election set for December 12; Filing period opens October 6
From staff reports
The filing period for the Special Election to elect a mayor of the City of Beaufort doesn’t open until noon, Friday, Oct. 6, but one person has already thrown his hat in the ring.
Mike Sutton announced on Facebook on Sunday, Oct. 1, he will be a candidate in the Special Election being held on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
“Beaufort, we will be having a ‘special election’ on December 12th and I have decided to toss my name back into the hat,” Sutton wrote in his Facebook post. “Filing is October 6th at city hall. Please take the time to vote if your registered in the city. Please share this post and ask others to do the same.”
Sutton, a building contractor, ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2020, losing to Stephen Murray. He was the first to announce he was running in that race, as well.
He served on City Council from 2006 through 2019 and has served on various city boards and committees. He is married to downtown business owner Nan Sutton, who was elected to City Council in 2016 and did not run for re-election in 2020.
Sutton also thanked Murray in his Facebook post.
“I also want to say thank you to Stephen Murray for his dedicated service and the untold sacrifices he and his family made during his term on Council and as our Mayor,” he wrote.
This election will fill the unexpired term of Murray, who resigned as mayor on September 15, at which time Mayor Pro Tem Michael McFee became acting mayor of Beaufort. This term will expire in December 2024.
The filing period to run in the December 12 special election will close at noon on Monday, Oct. 16.
Those interested in running for mayor must be a registered voter in South Carolina and a resident of the City of Beaufort. You can verify your registration status at the South Carolina Board of Elections website (https://vrems.scvotes.sc.gov/Voter/Login) or by calling the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at 843-255-6900.
Candidates must pick up a Candidate Information Packet from City Council Clerk Traci Guldner, whose address is City Hall, 1911 Boundary St., Beaufort, second floor. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
That packet includes a Statement of Intention of Candidacy—Nonpartisan form, which must be completed and filed, along with a $250 filing fee, and returned to the council clerk’s office, by the noon Oct. 16 deadline. Make checks payable to the City of Beaufort.
Candidates must also file by the Oct. 16 deadline two additional forms, a Statement of Economic Interest and Campaign Disclosure, with the South Carolina Ethics Commission. These must be filed online here (https://ethicsfiling.sc.gov/filing/home). Late submissions cannot be accepted in accordance with South Carolina election law.
