Clarendon County Council elections: Richardson retains District 1, Coker ousts Blakely in District 3

Billy Richardson will serve another term on Clarendon County Council for District 1, representing the Summerton area, following Tuesday night’s election.

According to unofficial election-night totals, Richardson took 51.06% of the vote, or 1,611 votes, over his Republican challenger Joseph A. Pedalino who took 48.84% of the vote, or 1,541 votes.

Votes are unofficial until they are certified later this week.

Richardson, a Summerton native, will represent District 1 for Clarendon County with hopes of continuing to improve Clarendon as a place to live and work while listening to the concerns and needs of District 1 residents.

Richardson has served on Clarendon County Council for 27 years and served six years on the school board in Summerton before consolidation.

While Richardson won his bid to return to council, the other contested councilman saw a different outcome.

Republican Challenger Pat Coker won the Clarendon County Council seat representing District 3 in the Turbeville area, ousting Democrat Benton Blakely, who had served on council for 27 years.

Coker took 61.34% of the votes, or 1,680 votes, over Blakely who had 1,057 votes, or 38.59%.

Coker has lived in Turbeville his entire life and is a farmer, owner and operator of South Park Auto Sales, South Park Towing, Anytime Tire and Towing and JPC Properties LLC.

He said he hopes to see business growth in Clarendon in the next few years with improvements to roads, lowered taxes and improved education.

“I will work together with other councilmen to make not only District 3 but the entire county a better and safe place to live,” Coker said.