Darlington Mayoral Candidates Vow to Continue On
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
City of Darlington residents hit the voting booths again Tuesday, November 17 for a runoff election to decide on three new city council members and a new mayor, but the evening yielded more uncertainty as the mayoral election ended in a dead heat.
Mayoral candidates Jim Stone and Gloria Hines each received 814 votes, triggering an automatic examination of any challenge ballots on Thursday morning and a full recount on Friday at the Darlington County Elections and Registrations office at 131 Cashua Street in Darlington.
Hoyt Campbell, director of Darlington County Elections and Registrations, said if the vote total remains unchanged, another election will be held to decide the race.
In the city council contest, candidate Carolyn Bruce was the only clear winner, garnering 893 votes. The next three candidates were separated by just six votes: John Milling received 846 votes, Diane Sigmon received 842 votes, and Bryant Gardner received 840 votes. If these results stand through the challenge ballot and recount process, the top three candidates – Bruce, Milling, and Sigmon – would take the three available at-large council seats.
As the vote totals were announced, mayoral candidate and current Darlington City Council member Gloria Hines waited just outside the ballot counting room. She said her high spirits were not dampened by the results.
“I’m just thanking God we got that far. We did a great job and I had an excellent team, they couldn’t have done a better job. Now we just wait until Thursday and see,” said Hines.
Darlington Mayoral candidate Gloria Hines reviews election results
Asked if the results hold and a third election is triggered, Hines said she felt up to the challenge.
“We’ll do the same thing all over again. My team is ready to go,” she said.
Retired Darlington fire chief Jim Stone waited for election results at C’Boan’s restaurant with family and friends. Upon learning of the tie, he expressed gratitude to voters and – like Hines – said he would persist until a winner is clearly declared.
Darlington Mayoral candidate Jim Stone
“I’m thrilled that this many people came out. I wish that more would have voted, but we had over 1,600 votes and that’s about as many as we had in the November 3rd election,” said Stone. “I’m so appreciative of all the people that did vote for me and I hope they continue to support me because I’m in it to win it.”
