Atlantic Beach replaces slain council member with a special election
As Will Thomas stood outside Atlantic Beach’s community center, a child was pumping his legs on a playground swing and traffic moved swiftly behind him on U.S. Route 17.
By all appearances, just another quiet Tuesday in this historically Black community sandwiched between North Myrtle Beach.
An “I Voted” sticker affixed to Thomas’ blue fleece wasn’t a remnant from November’s election. Thomas was at the town’s lone precinct to pick a replacement for slain council member James DeWitt.
“Everybody’s happy that it’s going to start over and excited to get going again,” Thomas said. “It’s a big closure, because you know, that takes our mind off of that and puts it back on the town.”
John David defeated two other candidates with just less than 16% percent of the vote in a special election to replace DeWitt, according to Joe Montgomery, chairman of the town’s election commission.
Results will be certified Jan. 19. David received 32 votes to 22 each for Lenny Evans and Michael Isom. The town has 205 registered voters.
David could not immediately be reached for comment Jan. 17.
DeWitt, 52, had been on the body for less than a year when he was killed in early October along with two other people in a multi-county crime spree.
Authorities have charged DeWitt’s son, Matthew, with murder in connection with the killing. He’s been in custody at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center since Oct. 8. A judge denied him bail.
Chris Whitmire, a spokesman for the S.C. Election Commission, told The Sun News Atlantic Beach is among some 100 other cities and towns that conduct their own races.
“All municipalities began with a municipal election commission, which is the authority responsible for conducting its elections,” he said in an email. “Municipalities can transfer authority to conduct elections to the county board of voter registration and elections.”
Of the state’s 372 municipalities, 170 have handed their election operations to county officials, Whitmire said.
This story was originally published January 17, 2023 at 7:35 PM.