Summerville Election Guide

As we look ahead to November’s elections, Summerville Patch is devoted to bring you the information you need about every race in town. 

Here's our start on the candidates and issues we'll be covering as November draws near.

Bookmark this page for updates. You can also click here to see the latest election news.

The Ballot Mess knocked hundreds of candidates off the June primary ballots and leaves dozens working on petition campaigns. We have our own campaign mess going on in Dorchester County after initially candidates being deemed "safe."

The Red Palmetto and Blue Palmetto surveys are weekly attempts to connect our readers to the influential Republicans and Democrats on the ground in South Carolina.

2012 Presidential Race

Barack Obama has some people .

Mitt Romney becomes the .

Local Elections

Sean Bennett upset incumbent Sen. Mike Rose . He will go into the general unopposed.

Ed Carter narrowly beat his fellow Republican Jordan Bryngelson . He will challenge Democratic incumbent Rep. Patsy Knight in the fall. 

Incumbent Sheriff L.C. Knight resoundly defeated his Republican challenger Mike Turner in June. He will go into the general unopposed.

Both Dorchester County incumbents up for reelection won the party's nomination in June. District 4 Councilman Larry Hargett will go into the general unopposed. District 6 Councilman Bill Hearn will be opposed by petition candidate Miriam Birdsong, who was kicked off the Democratic ballot for filing incorrectly.

Dorchester County GOP Chair Carroll Duncan is also running for county council. Councilman Richard Rosebrock will retire from District 5, and Duncan goes into the general unopposed. 

Petition candidates for school board have also filed. .

Also up for reelection this year, but running opposed are:

• Chris Nisbet, coroner
• Margaret Bailey, registrar of deeds
• Mary Blunt, probate judge
• Bill Long, water and sewer
• Mary Pearson, treasurer
• David Pascoe, solicitor 
• J.J. Messervy, auditor