Hilton Head Island voters have full slate of candidate forums
With the Nov. 3 election approaching, Hilton Head Island voters will have several opportunities in October to hear directly from candidates seeking election as mayor and to Town Council.
This year’s election includes the at-large mayoral race and Town Council races in Wards 2, 4 and 5. Candidate forums and meet-and-greets scheduled throughout the community will give residents opportunities to hear candidates answer questions, share their priorities and explain why they want to serve.
The candidates
Three candidates are running for mayor: Alan R. Perry, Dave Ferguson and Palmer E. Simmons.
Town Council candidates listed for Ward 2 are Patsy Brison and Josh Peeples. Ward 4 candidates are Tamara Becker and Rick Ross. Ward 5 candidates are Charles Dowd, David Ellis and Rob Guthrie.
Hilton Head Island’s mayor is elected at large, while Town Council members represent individual wards. The town operates under a council-manager form of government, with the mayor and six ward representatives serving four-year terms.
Know your ward
Understanding which ward you live in is important before heading to the polls.
Ward 2 generally includes areas such as Hilton Head Plantation, Allenwood, Chinaberry Ridge, Hanahan Place, Squiresgate and portions of Gum Tree Road.
Ward 4 includes areas such as Indigo Run, Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, Singleton Beach, Chaplin, Bradley Beach, Folly Field, Honey Horn, Jarvis Creek Club, Broad Creek Marina and portions of Spanish Wells and Marshland Road.
Ward 5 includes areas such as Sea Pines, Ashton Cove, Point Comfort, Bay Pines, Beach Arbor, Broad Creek Landing, Cedar Woods, Cordillo Parkway and portions of Palmetto Bay Road.
Because ward boundaries do not always correspond exactly with neighborhood boundaries, voters should consult the town’s official ward map at hiltonheadislandsc.gov/our_island/transportation/maps.php.
October candidate forums - All open to the public
Wednesday, Oct. 7: The League of Women Voters will host a Town Council candidate forum for Wards 2, 4 and 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. James Baptist Church, 209 Dillon Road.
Thursday, Oct. 8: The NAACP Candidate Forum for mayor and Town Council will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Central Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 161 Mathews Drive. The forum is hosted by the NAACP, NIBCAA, the Beaufort County Chapter National Panhellenic Council, Native Island Leaders Group and the Local African American Ministerial Alliance.
Sunday, Oct. 11: A housing forum will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church. The forum is hosted by the Home Builders Association, Habitat for Humanity, HHI HOME Coalition and HHI Community Partners. Housing is an important topic for local voters, given the island’s ongoing conversations around workforce housing, attainable homeownership and the ability of people who work here to live here.
Monday, Oct. 12: The Coastal Conservative Alliance will host “Conversations with the Candidates” from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hilton Head Beach & Tennis. Solicitor Duffie Stone will moderate the debate-style event.
Thursday, Oct. 15: The League of Women Voters will host a mayoral candidate forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 829 William Hilton Parkway.
Monday, Oct. 19: Caitlin Lee and I will host “So You Want to Be on Town Council?” beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Community Center at Hilton Head Island Community Church, 860 William Hilton Parkway.
The event will combine elements of a game show with a candidate forum and take a conversational approach to learning more about the candidates and their understanding of the role of Town Council.
Thursday, Oct. 22: The Arts & Culture Candidate Forum will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Center at Hilton Head Island Community Church. The forum is hosted by the Arts & Cultural Council of Hilton Head Island, and all mayoral and Town Council candidates have been invited. Topics will include ATAX, affiliated agencies and venues, among others.
Make a plan to vote
Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 19, and continues through Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voting is available Monday through Saturday.
Hilton Head Island voters can vote early at any early-voting location, including:
Hilton Head Island: USCB Hilton Head Campus, Room 115, 1 Sand Shark Drive
Beaufort: Main Voter Registration Office, 15 John Galt Road
Bluffton: Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way
St. Helena Island: St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road
Election resources and a possible runoff
The League of Women Voters encourages voters to visit VOTE411.org to review candidate responses and contact candidates with additional questions.
Voters can also check their registration through SC Votes, find their polling location and review a sample ballot.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters should cast their ballots at their assigned polling places.
If no candidate receives the required majority in a race, a runoff may be necessary. A runoff election would be held Tuesday, Nov. 17, with early voting Nov. 12-13 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Voters who expect to be out of town during the runoff period should plan ahead if they intend to vote absentee and qualify to do so. An absentee application must be requested from the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, completed and returned by the applicable deadline.
For a Nov. 17 runoff, the application deadline would be 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
The turnaround is short. Voters who believe they may need an absentee ballot for a runoff should contact the elections office early to determine their eligibility and begin the process.
The Beaufort County elections office can be reached at 843-255-6900.
Local elections have consequences that residents encounter in their daily lives, including decisions involving land use, development, infrastructure, housing, taxes, public services, community events and the environment.
The October forums give voters several opportunities to learn more about the candidates seeking to represent them before ballots are cast.
