Conway keeps Bellamy in mayor’s seat as city continues to see infusion of growth

Conway Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy picked up another term, winning the city’s top elected spot by a comfortable margin.

The 71-year-old has led Horry County’s government seat since 2016, and been involved with local politics since 1993.

With 12 of 12 precincts reporting, Blain-Bellamy took nearly 56 percent of the vote to challenger Ken Richardson’s 44 percent according to unofficial results set to be certified Wednesday morning. Blain-Bellamy got 2,025 votes to Richardson’s 1,597.

She was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday night.

Blain-Bellamy made headlines over the summer when she issued a proclamation recognizing Pride Month — a gesture never before seen in the city.

Critics including Richardson said the move injected partisan politics into local governance, but Blain-Bellamy said it was meant to show the growing city’s commitment to welcoming residents from all backgrounds and sexual orientations.

There’s plenty of work ahead for Bellamy and the three council members who were also tapped for seats on Tuesday. Voters returned incumbents Justin Jordan and Larry White along with political newcomer Julie Hardwick.

Big ticket issues including the future of Conway’s Whittemore School property, ongoing development of its waterfront district and a controversial proposal to build more than 1,300 homes on a swath of open land are all on the agenda in coming months.

“We got a lot big things on the books but we’ll work through them and make the right decision for Conway,” Jordan said.

This story was originally published November 7, 2023 at 8:56 PM.