Sumter County probate judge: Candidate Q&As
This set of candidate Q&As is being published as a supplement to our 2026 Voter Guide. For more about where to vote, more candidate Q&As and what to know before you go to the polls, hover your phone's camera over the QR code and click on the link that pops up. It will take you to our full voter guide, which is free to read as a public service. Follow www.theitem.com for election coverage after the polls close on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Holly Thompson Blackwood
What are you running for?
Sumter County probate judge
Why are you running?
When I learned of our current judge of probate's plans for retirement nearly two years ago, after much thought and prayer, I approached him with my desire to run for the office. Since then, I have been working, training and preparing to become the next judge of probate. I was born and raised in Sumter County. I love my town, the citizens of Sumter, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and wish nothing more than to serve the citizens of Sumter County with the same care, compassion, fairness and respect that we've all been accustomed to during the past 24 years under the leadership of the Honorable Dale Atkinson.
Have you run for political office before? If so, explain:
No
How long have you lived in your district?
I've lived in Sumter County for more than 51 years.
Current job/profession:
I currently work in the Sumter County Probate Court serving the citizens of Sumter County in the daily matters of probate and as the hearing clerk for Judge Atkinson. I work with attorney's offices and pro se litigants assisting in scheduling hearings for the many matters of probate.
What makes you qualified for the seat?
With more than four years' experience working in the Probate Court directly with the probate judge, the Honorable Dale Atkinson, our amazing staff of judges and clerks and for the people of Sumter County, I am the best, most qualified and most experienced candidate running for the office of probate judge. In addition, I know what it's like to run a business. I owned and operated Quality Drug Screening Inc. with my father-in-law, the late William Kenneth Blackwood. For more than 20 years I served the Sumter community, working throughout the state with federal, state and local government offices and private-sector employers providing drug and alcohol testing as well as private, state and forensic DNA testing for individuals, state contracts and law enforcement agencies, testifying in court when necessary.
I have also been a licensed insurance agent for more than 25 years. I am ready to serve the citizens of Sumter County as your next probate judge.
What challenges/concerns do you see in your district (up to 3), and how do you intend to improve them?
Over the years we've seen more families divided over their families' estates. My hope would be to lead these families to meaningful mediation that would help them resolve their differences peacefully, bringing restoration to their relationships. Likewise, there are families dealing with heirs' property who are struggling to understand what is needed to complete the probate process. I hope to assist them in navigating the closure they desire.
What successes have you seen in your district that you want to build on?
Our probate office is known to have a reputation for being helpful, compassionate and fair to families in times of grief and need. I will continue to provide the same level of care and compassion, moving forward for many years to come.
Are you actively involved in the community? How so?
Yes, I have had the privilege of spending time with a local school's elementary students during their lunch getting to know them and telling them a little bit about what we do in the probate office. I have also had the opportunity to serve on a board of trustees for an educational fund that helps provide Sumter County students with the financial resources to attend colleges and universities in South Carolina.
Anything else you want to add?
I am committed to leading the office of probate with integrity, performing the duties of the office in a fair and ethical manner, and look forward to serving as your Sumter County probate judge in 2027.
Charles Eddie Drayton
What are you running for?
Sumter County probate judge
Why are you running?
To better serve our community with fairness for all
Have you run for political office before? If so, explain:
Yes, I ran for city council two times and for Senate District 34.
How long have you lived in your district?
My entire life
Current job/profession:
I own a private investigative company (Drayton Investigations LLC). I handle criminal cases, domestic cases of marriage and child custody as well as many cases involving estates within the probate concerns. I have been involved with the courts for over 21 years.
What makes you qualified for the seat?
My education is Criminal Justice, where I graduated with a 3.5 magna cum laude. My education gives me an understanding of the legal profession, and my work of over 21 years in the legal profession gives me the practical experience needed to sit on the bench making decisions for estates and other areas of reason.
What challenges/concerns do you see in your district (up to 3), and how do you intend to improve them?
1.) Handling of estates for families in difficult times of death and other tragic events as well as the compassion and empathy for my fellow citizens. I've experienced tragedy in families with my years of experience which have given me compassion for people in their most difficult times.
2.) I have a problem when probate takes too much time to settle estates for families, especially in the new world of digital processing. I plan on pressing our state legislators to shorten the time within reason to help families reach resolution in their family affairs.
3.) Requiring the expense of lawyers for matters of small amounts of money puts a burden on what little inheritance a person receives from their family estates. It doesn't need to be that way. I will push for reform in the probate process through our current Speaker of the House Murrell Smith for new legislation.
What success have you seen in your district that you want to build on?
While success can be measured in different ways, I want to evaluate the office and try to reform it for efficiency.
Are you actively involved in the community? How so?
I've coached church league basketball on and off for many years and enjoy the joy of young people learning the sport. I've been active in my church in the choir. I am a 50-year Mason who has served as a past master and currently in good standing with Claremont Lodge #64. I am the legislative affairs co-chair of the South Carolina Association of Legal Investigators, which makes me knowledgeable of how to get legislation moving for reform. I've studied Public Policy under Blease Graham at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where I was the VP of the Criminal Justice Association at Currell College. I feel as though my experience and education have given me the temperament and knowledge for this position to better serve the people of my community and the state.
Anything else you want to add?
Everyone who has dealt with me either personally or through my experiences as an investigator knows that I am fair and considerate of both sides to any grievances that will come before my court. That is what I will take to this position in the court for the next four years.