Here’s who you can vote for in 2019 Myrtle Beach area council, mayor races
The deadline for South Carolina municipal election filings passed Friday, and there are a handful of challengers to incumbents across Horry County.
Myrtle Beach has seven candidates vying for three open council positions including incumbents Mary Jeffcoat, Phil Render and Michael Chestnut, currently serving as Mayor Pro Tempore. Their challengers include former mayoral candidate Ed Carey, former councilman Wayne Gray, Charles Gasque and John Krajc.
Surfside Beach should see the most change among its elected officials as three town council members and its mayor are not seeking re-election.
The town has three candidates for mayor — Bob Hellyer, David Pelligrino and Julie Samples — and eight for council: Jenn Cribb, Michael Drake, Paul Holder, Cindy Keating, Laverne Kreklau, Kathryn Martin, Laurence McKeen and Cody Sluder. Pelligrino is a current town councilman.
The incumbents not running for re-election are council members Mark Johnson, Ron Ott and Randle Stevens and Mayor Bob Childs, who was elected to the position in 2016.
In North Myrtle Beach, incumbent Fred Coyne is running unopposed as councilman representing Cherry Grove, while fellow incumbent councilmen Hank Thomas (at large) and J.O. Baldwin III (Crescent Beach) each face challenges from Greg Richardson and Ed Ramey, respectively.
In Loris, Todd Harrelson and Michael Suggs are vying for mayor. Harrelson previously beat Suggs in a special election to replace former Mayor Henry Nichols, who died in February after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Incumbents Jan Vescovi, Joan Gause and Lewis Hardee Jr. are running for full terms in Loris council, as is challenger Veda Nichols. Carroll Padgett Jr. and Richard Dew are running for two-year council terms.
Conway’s candidate list wasn’t immediately available Friday due to Hurricane Dorian-related closures.
