Major Changes Proposed to Mayor's Election

A Mount Pleasant councilman is proposing significant changes to how the town elects its mayor.

As it stands now, no matter how many candidates are on the ballot for mayor in Mount Pleasant, the highest vote-getter takes the office. County, statewide and federal offices require 50 percent or greater portions of the vote to win. 

"If we ended up with 10 candidates or so, we could easily see the winner be a candidate who got 25 percent of the vote or less," said Councilman Chris Nickels, who plans to ask the council on Tuesday to amend the town's election law.

Nickels wants the mayor elected with 50 percent or greater vote. Now that changes to voting law in South Carolina do not require U.S. Dept. of Justice pre-clearance, Nickels thinks the time is right for a change. 

"Following the recent Supreme Court decision, I think the town needs to set it's mind to changing this," Nickels said. "I don't want it to be a partisan position, but if you get less than 50 percent of the vote, there should be a runoff."

Already a handful of candidates are considering running for the mayor's seat. Last week Mayor Billy Swails announced he would not seek a second term on the council. The position is up for election in November 2013.

Councilman Ken Glasson and Councilwoman Linda Page said they will decide on whether to run for the position after the July 4 holiday. Former Councilman Joe Bustos, who ran against Swails in 2009, has already decided he will seek the office.

Bustos said he has no preference on the type of election.

"We're not going to run for mayor planning to get second place, no matter the type of election," Bustos said. "We're not getting into this race planning to get 30 or 40 percent of the vote, as has happened in the past."

Swails was elected with 45 percent of the vote in 2009. Bustos and former Councilman Gary Santos received 33 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

Nickels said he will present the rule change proposal at the council's Police, Legal and Judicial Committee meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday in meeting room No. 3 at town hall.

Changing the ordinance would require an affirmative vote at Tuesday's committee meeting and two votes before the full town council before being adopted.