Voters in eight Orangeburg County towns, along with the Calhoun County seat of St. Matthews and the three Orangeburg consolidated school districts, go to the polls Tuesday for nonpartisan municipal and school board elections.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Although all but two (Branchville 2 and Elloree 2) of the regular precinct polling sites will be open in Orangeburg County for school board elections, the municipal elections all take place in the town halls.

On election eve in Springfield, the already bizarre election picture has taken an even stranger turn, with the on-again, off-again, now on-again write-in campaign of Councilman Dickie Phillips. The councilman is mounting a write-in challenge against a council colleague, Mayor Pro Tem Marilyn Owens McCormick, for mayor.

Citing "personal reasons," Phillips apparently had a change of heart late last month and contacted town officials about withdrawing his write-in candidacy. However, before making his withdrawal official, Phillips changed his mind again and continued in the race.

Election Assistant Pam McArthur said Monday there had been a rumor that Phillips was dropping his write-in bid.

"I talked to the town and told them they couldn't take a verbal word; they had to have it in writing," she said. "By the time they got in touch with him, he'd changed his mind."

Although Phillips, who did not seek re-election to his council seat, did file as a write-in candidate, the only name on the ballot will be McCormick's.

Two municipal elections scheduled for Tuesday have been cancelled. In the town of Vance, incumbent Councilwoman Alma Mazyck and former council member Freddie Bozard were elected without opposition, after the third candidate, Councilwoman Neivory Reaves, was disqualified for failing to return a required statement of economic interest. Also, in the Bamberg County town of Ehrhardt, no election will be necessary after former council member Sara Caldwell withdrew her candidacy. Incumbents William Edinger and Amy Cohn Lee were reelected without opposition.

Although candidates for several school board seats have no opposition, their names are still on the ballot, along with the potential for write-ins.

Uncontested school board candidates are Alice M. Pinkney, seat 4 of OCSD 3; Minnie L. Skinner, seat 6 of OCSD 3; Peggy James Tyler, seat 2 of OCSD 4; Paul Bidwell, seat 4 of OCSD 4 and Mary F. Brant, seat 6 of OCSD 4. All are incumbents.

The following local government and school board races are contested:

St. Matthews -- Veteran Mayor Julian Fair is being challenged for the second time by former council member Joe Sikes.

Norway -- Mayor Brad Fogle will face challenger Thomas "Chuck" Blake. Running for the District 1 seat on council are incumbent Bonnie Fogle and Sara Ann Johnson. In District 2, incumbent Geraldine Bell will face Cindy Bates Williams.

Bowman -- Mayor Zelda Pelzer is being challenged by Joseph "Jody" Pendarvis, while Councilmen Nathaniel Gaines and Marion Glenn Jr. and Margaret Jones are seeking the two seats up for election on council.

Springfield -- Councilwoman Marilyn Owens McCormick, the mayor pro tem and acting mayor, has a write-in challenge from Councilman Dickie Phillips. The five candidates running for the four seats on council are incumbent Hattie Wood; David "Rusty" Fogle, the former mayor; John Baxley, a former council member; Lydia Lackey and Eddie Lee.

Branchville -- Seven candidates are seeking the three seats up on council. Charles Dukes, Glenn Miller and Chris Ott are the incumbents. Charles Bamberg, Debra Perugini, Betty Skolasty and Luvenia Williams are the challengers.

North -- Six candidates are running for the four seats on council. The incumbents are Rose Binyard, Paul Drew, Aubrey Gleaton and Harriett Lane. Deborah Salley Cook, a former council member, and Joseph Gleaton are the challengers.

Rowesville -- In Rowesville, four candidates are vying for the two seats on council. Sidney Bowman is the only incumbent. Challengers are Deborah Bonnett and former council members Carolyn Groom and Richard Morris.

Elloree -- Running for the District 2 seat on council are incumbent Councilman Barry Pauling and former councilman Harold Void. Candidates for a new six-year term on the Water Commission are incumbent Bill Irick and former commissioner Charles Denniston.

Neeses -- Councilman Joseph Corbett is facing a write-in challenge from former councilman Michael Hyman.

Seat 2 OCSD 5 -- Samuel Farlow, incumbent, is being challenged by Robert "Bo" Gathers.

Seat 3 OCSD 5 -- Incumbent Dr. Kalu A. Kalu, chairman, is being challenged by Lisa Thomas Jenkins, William E. Smith and Linda Umbayemake.

Seat 4 OCSD 5 -- The Rev. E.T. Jones, incumbent, is being challenged by Mary Berry Ulmer.

Seat 3 OCSD 3 -- Margaret Belser, incumbent, is being challenged by Jacqueline Pelzer Shuler.

T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached by e-mail at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5545. Discuss this and other stories online at The TandD.com.

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