Polls open for special Dorchester County Council election

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) — Voters in Dorchester County will head to the polls Tuesday to decide who fills a vacant seat on the county council.

Democrat Peter Smith Jr. and Republican George Bailey are seeking the open District 1 seat, which covers the upper part of the county.

The winner will serve the remaining two years of Republican Hariett Holman’s term. Holman resigned from the council last year after being elected to the South Carolina House.

Smith Jr. is the owner of Saxmore Farms and the co-founder of the P. Saxmore Foundation, a nonprofit that provides access to fresh fruit and vegetables in the Dorchester area and sponsors an annual school supply drive and back-to-school celebration. He is involved in the South Carolina Black Farmers organization and the Rural Coalition, which advocates for federal agricultural policy on Capitol Hill, including the robust Farm Bill.

Bailey served on the Dorchester County Council for more than a decade after a nearly 20-year stint in the South Carolina House. His platform priorities include lowering taxes, repairing and paving roads, and bringing an urgent care facility to the St. George area, according to his campaign website.

Registered voters must bring a valid photo ID to their polling location to cast a ballot.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.