With Kevin Tolson out, York GOP votes to start filing again in 2024 sheriff’s election
The York County Republican Party has voted to re-open candidate filing for York County Sheriff after a wave of public and political pressure.
Filing reopens Thursday at noon and runs through April 17 at noon, county party chairman Larry Barnett said. South Carolina law allows for the party to re-open filing if there are less than two candidates when one dies or withdraws, and the York County Voter Registration and Elections Office administers all filings.
Current Republican Sheriff Kevin Tolson filed for the seat March 18, but withdrew after his wife, Beth Bryant Tolson, filed as a Republican for the seat on the last day of filing on April 1.
The GOP decision now opens the door for other candidates. Some lawmakers and party leaders said they were besieged with phone calls and messages asking for action to allow competitors in the Republican primary.
The primary is June 11. The general election is Nov. 5.
In South Carolina, any registered voter can vote in one party primary in the county where they live. South Carolina voters do not register to vote as Republican, Democrat or unaffiliated as voters do in North Carolina and some other states.
No Democrat or anyone from another party filed for sheriff during regular filing March 16 through April 1.
‘The people spoke’
The 34-21 vote Tuesday night to reopen filing came from the local Republican Party’s executive committee.
Republican State Rep. Brandon Guffey of Rock Hill said he supported re-opening.
“The decision was put back in the hands of the people and the people spoke,” Guffey told The Herald. “I don’t believe there was any nefarious intent to begin with, but the optics were bad. The people will have a choice now.”
Many Republicans wanted more filing time because of the timing of Kevin Tolson’s withdrawal coupled with his wife entering the race at the final hour. That potentially kept other candidates who did not want to oppose Kevin Tolson from filing, say those who wanted filing re-opened.
“The party did the right thing here — the people of York County deserve to make the choice of who they want as their top law enforcement officer,” said Republican State Sen. Wes Climer of Rock Hill.
Climer said the sheriff must earn the vote of the people.
Republican State Rep. Tommy Pope of York is former 16th Circuit solicitor who was in law enforcement before that. His late father, Elbert Pope, was York County Sheriff in the 1980s.
Pope said in a statement to The Herald he trusts there was “no ill intent” in Kevin Tolson’s withdrawal or Beth Tolson’s filing. He said Beth Tolson is “well-qualified” to be sheriff and he believes she will be successful on her own merits.
“I have worked with Kevin and Beth Tolson throughout my law enforcement and prosecution career,” Pope said. “I believe coming from a law enforcement family is a plus.”
What happens now?
The sheriff is a four-year term and is paid an annual salary of $209,260.83. The sheriff also runs the county jail and has more than 300 employees in law enforcement and detention.
Beth Tolson remains a filed candidate.
Retired deputy Heath Clevenger told The Herald in an exclusive Monday he is running for sheriff. Clevenger said early Wednesday he expects to file as a Republican.
Other current and retired law enforcement have been talked about as potential candidates by party members, but no one else has made an official announcement. The sheriff must have at least five years of law enforcement experience to hold the office under state law.
The filing fee for sheriff is $7,770.43. It is one percent of the annual salary times the length of term. Candidates must pay the filing fee when they file.
Kevin Tolson was first elected sheriff in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. He plans to serve out the rest of his term. The sheriff elected in November will take office in early 2025.
