Thursday's editorial notes the opening of the filing periods in several area elections, and notes how different the political landscape is now compared to two years ago.
With two years' hindsight, an ironic grin is tough to resist upon glancing back at the opening of The Sun News' assessment in 2007 of that year's upcoming elections.
"Myrtle Beach politics are quiet these days, and Mayor John Rhodes wants to keep it that way," it read. Sure enough, three council members sailed to re-election, with the most successful challenger's thousand-or-so votes 400 shy of the closest incumbent.
Oh, what a difference two years makes. Suffice it to say, few expect this election season to bring, as the city spokesman assessed back then, a "fairly light campaign."
Mayor John Rhodes and incumbent City Council members Wayne Gray, Chuck Martino and Randal Wallace have all faced overflow crowds angry over controversial, unanimous decisions last year to end the annual motorcycle rallies and this year to pass a 1 percent sales tax to raise money for tourism advertising. Citizens' groups have sworn both to unseat the council and reapportion the council into geographic districts.
Supporters of the council, meanwhile, insist that they outnumber council opponents within Myrtle Beach's narrow city limits, and that they will return to office the public servants who acted in accordance with their wishes.
If Nov. 3 will be the test of these statements, the coming weeks will frame the questions. Filing for prospective candidates opens at noon today in Myrtle Beach and runs through Sept. 4 to determine how intense a challenge Rhodes, Gray, Martino and Wallace will face.
North Myrtle Beach | Politics in North Myrtle Beach seemed likely to stay on a relatively quiet path as the city passed on both the biker and sales-tax issues, but ran into controversy of its own after April's destructive wildfire. Residents of Barefoot Resort have blamed the city for failing to alert them to the approaching disaster overnight, leaving them fleeing for their lives out the front door while flames consumed the back fence. Questions still loom about the city's forthrightness in assessing its response.
Filing in North Myrtle Beach opens at 8 a.m. Friday. On the ballot will be Mayor Marilyn Hatley's seat, the Ocean Drive ward held by Terry White, the Windy Hill ward held by Greg Duckworth and the at-large seat held by Bob Cavanaugh.
Conway | This year will be Conway's first to hold regular municipal elections in an odd-numbered year, and filings begins at noon Friday. On the ballot after a comparatively tranquil two years will be the seats now held by Jean Timbes, Irby Koon and Randy Alford.
Atlantic Beach | Unlike other Horry County towns, Atlantic Beach's 2007 election took controversy to new heights with Retha Pierce's yearlong battle to claim a disputed one-vote victory over former Mayor Irene Armstrong. This year, Atlantic beach may be among this year's quieter elections, as Josephine Isom (elected to fill the remainder of Pierce's council term) and Councilwoman Charlene Taylor's seats will be the only two on the ballot.
Georgetown | After two years of politics so acrimonious that Mayor Lynn Wood Wilson failed to make even the runoff for the Democratic nomination in a four-way race earlier this summer, Democrats in Georgetown nominated City Councilman Jack Scoville to face Republican Marty Tennant. Meanwhile, each party has nominated three candidates for the three city council seats, and the petition process remains open through the end of this week.
Elsewhere | The towns of Briarcliffe Acres and Aynor in Horry County and Andrews and Pawleys Island in Georgetown County will also hold elections on Nov. 3. Challenges by well-intentioned citizens serve to refresh any democracy, so we urge anyone with the time and inclination to consider a run.
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