Recently, we had a mayoral race in Ridgeway that got my attention.
Because it was close.
And Belva Bush nearly won … as a write-in candidate … who didn’t campaign.
I just saw Belva and she didn’t say anything about running for mayor. She had no signs. No speeches. No Facebook posts. None of that.
Just… people writing her name in.
That’s impressive.
That’s like almost winning a basketball game that you were watching on TV.
But Mayor Rick Johnson was able to hang on to his seat in Ridgeway.
In Winnsboro, Demetrius Chatman serves as mayor. (I still love the fact that the mayor of Winnsboro is originally from Ridgeway. That gives me a laugh from a good healthy place.)
A lot of people know those names.Then my self-diagnosed ADHD kicks in. Do people even know what a mayor does?
I’ve been telling people I’m running for County Council, and way too many people respond with:
“Oh that’s great.” “We’re so proud of you.” “Wait … who’s on County Council now?”
*Activates teacher mode.*
Ok, class! Here’s your Fairfield County Government Cheat Sheet:
District 1 — Dan Ruff, Ridgeway
District 2 — Don Goldbach, Lake Wateree
District 3 — Peggy Swearingen, Blair
District 4 — Carl Bell, Jenkinsville, Monticello area
District 5 — Doug Pauley, south-central Fairfield County
District 6 — Oren Gadson, Central Winnsboro area
District 7 — Clarence Gilbert, East Winnsboro
Now be honest… how many of those names did you know? It’s okay—you can use your fingers to count. I will not judge! Because it’s important that you know. County Council helps decide things like:
- Roads
- Economic development
- Budgets
- Infrastructure
- Growth
In other words… the things we complain about every day. But let’s keep going.
Everybody knows Sheriff Will Montgomery. But Fairfield County has several other elected officials:
Clerk of Court — Dorothy Boyd Belton
Treasurer — Norma Branham
Auditor — Anne Bass
Probate Judge — Brad Caulder
Coroner — Chris Hill
These roles may not always be front page news, but they matter. They manage money. They keep the courts running.
They handle investigations.
And most of us probably couldn’t name them without looking them up. I get it. Most of us know who’s the President, Governor, and whether or not we like them. But the offices that impact your day-to-day life the most?
County Council.
Sheriff.
Treasurer.
Auditor.
Clerk of Court.
Which brings me back to Belva Bush.
Because when a write-in candidate nearly wins without campaigning… that tells me something.
People are paying attention.
Now it’s time to act on it. If you’re not registered to vote, go get registered. Do it while it’s still simple. Because easy doesn’t stay easy forever.
If you are registered, make sure your information is correct. And when it’s time to vote, you’ve got options:
- Early voting
- Absentee voting
- Election Day voting
Pick one. No excuses. And one more thing. The voter registration office in Winnsboro? They take really good pictures. So if your current ID looks like you lost a bet in 2008, it’s time for an upgrade.
New registration.
New ID.
New level of participation.
Because Fairfield County doesn’t move based on opinions alone. It moves based on decisions. And those decisions are made by the people who show up.
So the real question isn’t just, ‘Who’s on County Council?’ or ‘Who’s making the decisions?’
The real question is: Are you in the room, or just talking about it after it’s over?
Kenny Robertson, an educator and comedian, is a native of Ridgeway.