William Cogswell to be sworn in as Charleston’s new mayor

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- The City of Charleston will welcome new leadership to City Hall on Monday as mayor-elect William Cogswell officially takes his oath of office.

Cogswell’s swearing-in ceremony will take place at noon in front of City Hall at 80 Broad Street with a reception to follow in Washington Square Park. Cogswell has extended an invitation to attend to President Joe Biden, who has a planned visit to Mother Emanuel AME Church on the same day.

The former State Representative defeated incumbent John Tecklenburg, earning about 51 percent of the vote in the Nov. 21 runoff election. The race advanced to a runoff after none of the six candidates running earned more than 50 percent of the vote in the Nov. 7 election.

 “The people have spoken and we’re ready, we’re ready for a new direction,” Cogswell said at his watch party in downtown Charleston shortly after declaring victory.

He will now be tasked with leading the state’s largest city, which had an estimated population of 150,227 as of 2020, according to U.S. Census data.

Leaning on his background as a real estate developer, Cogswell worked to position himself throughout the campaign as the candidate best suited to tackle the city’s mounting challenges related to flooding and infrastructure.

He emphasized his experience in renovating historic sites, such as the old Cigar Factory, as evidence that he could manage Charleston’s population boom while preserving the city’s charm and history.

Cogswell also differed from Tecklenburg in his approach to protecting the peninsula and surrounding areas from worsening flooding. While Tecklenburg championed a project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to place an eight-foot protective sea wall around the peninsula, Cogswell opposed the current plan due to its cost and scope.

Cogswell, who bills himself as a moderate, is the first person elected to lead the city with ties to the Republican Party since the Reconstruction Era of the 1870s, though the office is nonpartisan.

But, Cogswell will not be the only person swearing an oath to the city on Monday.

Newly elected Charleston city council members will also be sworn into office during the approximately 45-minute ceremony. A reception will follow in Washington Square beginning at 1:00 p.m., which is open to the public.

Seating for the ceremony is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees are encouraged to arrive approximately 20 to 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled noon start time.

“The City of Charleston invites all residents and well-wishers to join in the celebration of this historic event,” said Cogswell’s director of communications, Deja Knight McMillan. “Mayor William Cogswell is eager to serve the community, and his inauguration marks a new chapter in the city’s leadership.”