4/3/08
Summerton Votes
Way, Ardis, Stewart win for Summerton Town Council
By Jerriod Grizzle

JERRIOD GRIZZLE/Manning Times

Ritchie Way, Ellen Ardis and Seth Stewart were elected Tuesday to the Summeton Town Council.

In a close race for Summerton Town Council, the victors for three council seats up for grabs were Ritchie Way, Seth Stewart and Ellen Ardis.

Ardis won her seat again with 148 votes.

Stewart, who has recently returned to his hometown from Walterboro was victorious with a total of 158 votes. He tied with Way, who also a political newcomer .

There were four candidates for three seats. Council member Tony Junious was not re-elected this term.

Due to out of town work requirements, council member Brian Rembert decided not to run for a second term.

More than 216 people cast ballots in the election at Summerton Town hall.

Election Chairman Margaret Eagerton said that the turnout for voting, despite the day’s overcast weather, was average.

“We would have had more (voters) if it was a mayoral election but people did come out which means they care,” she said.

Complicating the voting process was the fact that a sewage line burst inside the Town Hall around 3 p.m.

Public Works Director Bucky Brailsford and maintenance crews were able to quickly fix the problem.

Long into the night, poll workers counted ballots by hand, tallying up the votes by scoring them on paper.

Eagerton questioned the validity of some of the absentee ballots.

“We have some people that live outside the city limits that try to vote. If you don’t live inside the city limits you can’t vote for town council,” Eagerton said.

Of the 40 absentee ballots cast, two were catagorized “fail safe.” Eagerton looked over each one to make sure the voters lived inside the city limits.

Ardis, Way and Stewart all said that they looked forward to their upcoming year on the council.

“I’m very surprised and excited,” said Stewart.

Ardis, a council veteran, seemed more relieved than surprised at her re-election.

“It’s an honor to be re-elected. Now it is back to work to continue the town’s success,” she said.

Way said that he was glad to have won and that he could not wait to get to work.

“It is a good thing and I cannot wait to sit on the council and express my ideas,” he said.

Mayor Jay Bruner congratulated all the winners.

“I am excited at the changes that are coming and I look forward to working with all of council in a new session to hear their ideas and thoughts,” he said.