New election will be held if Preacher gives up job
By DALE LINDER-ALTMAN, T&D Correspondent Monday, November 16, 2009County and state election officials say the Town of Norway will have to hold a special election for mayor if mayor-elect James "Jim" Preacher follows through with his stated intention to give up the job.
Preacher, who is employed by the Town of Ehrhardt as its police chief, announced Wednesday he will not be mayor of Norway, the position he was elected to fill in the Nov. 3 nonpartisan municipal election. Preacher defeated incumbent Brad Fogle, who had fired him as Norway's police chief.
Preacher said he based his decision not to accept the mayor's job on S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster's response to an inquiry by Ehrhardt Mayor Billy Stanley about the legality of Preacher serving as both mayor of Norway and Ehrhardt police chief.
McMaster said if Preacher held both positions simultaneously, he would be violating the S.C. Constitution, which states, "no person may hold two offices of honor or profit at the same time ... "
Carl Steadman, chairman of Norway's Election Commission, says Preacher had not notified the town of his intentions as of Friday.
Both Howard Jackson, director of the Orangeburg County Election Commission, and Chris Whitmire, information officer for the S.C. Board of Elections and Registration, say a special election will have to be called once Preacher issues a letter stating his intentions.
"We had a legal election so, therefore, as soon as we get his resignation letter, we will have to have a special election," Jackson said.
According to Whitmire, Preacher was elected mayor; if he refuses the position, it will create a vacancy requiring a special election.
"To set things in motion, he will have to notify the town in writing that he is not accepting the position," Whitmire said.
The town will then have to call a special election to be held on the 13th Tuesday following the date the vacancy takes place, he said.
Whitmire says the person who fills the position of mayor during the 13 weeks prior to the special election depends on the town's ordinances.
Brad Fogle could not be reached for comment.
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T&D Correspondent Dale Linder-Altman can be reached by e-mail at jerryanddale@lowcountry.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
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ROOSTER wrote on Nov 25, 2009 8:09 PM:
ROOSTER wrote on Nov 25, 2009 8:08 PM:
shlomoe wrote on Nov 23, 2009 6:27 PM:
Gunocologist wrote on Nov 21, 2009 10:07 AM:
Is that Correct? "
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 19, 2009 3:30 PM:
tim132000 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 5:21 PM:
rump wrote on Nov 18, 2009 4:53 PM:
ROOSTER wrote on Nov 18, 2009 1:07 PM:
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 10:57 AM:
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 10:53 AM:
rump wrote on Nov 17, 2009 8:30 PM:
rump wrote on Nov 17, 2009 5:03 PM:
Thank You very Much. "
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 17, 2009 4:01 PM:
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 17, 2009 3:49 PM:
rump wrote on Nov 17, 2009 2:13 PM:
I did not say Brad straightened it out!!
I said it was Dukes' mess!! "
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 17, 2009 10:00 AM:
rump wrote on Nov 16, 2009 5:24 PM:
tim132000 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 4:26 PM:
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 3:19 PM:
tigger_616 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 3:17 PM:
tim132000 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 2:17 PM:
trojanhero wrote on Nov 16, 2009 12:32 PM:
tim132000 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 11:15 AM:
ROOSTER wrote on Nov 16, 2009 10:52 AM: