Lexington County voters will go to the polls Tuesday Nov. 6. This is parts 2 and 3 in a voter awareness series by Mark Bellune.

Attack ads heat up race for Sen. Courson’s seat

A special election will decide who replaces Sen. John Courson who pled guilty to misconduct in office.

Democrat Dick Harpootlian took legal action against Senate Repubicans for TV attack ads linking him to Socialist Bernie Sanders.

Harpootlian backers then retaliated against Republican candidate Benjamin Dunn, accusing him of accepting donations from controversial SC Electric & Gas.

Dunn responded that his campaign finance filings with the state Elections Commission show he accepted nothing from SCE&G or its owners SCANA Corp.

Dunn is a real estate attorney and member of the Army National Guard.

Harpootlian is a former state Democratic party chairman and former 5th Circuit Solicitor. He is a private attorney now.

District 20 covers the Irmo and 7 Oaks areas.

SC Superintendent of Education candidate out

Democrat Israel Romero withdrew from the race after reports of a felony.

He was convicted in 2008 for the unauthorized practice of law and incarceration as late as April 2009, according to media reports.

Charleston teacher Michele Phillips said she will mount a write-in campaign in Romero’s place.

Opponents challenge 5 House members

Of the 9 House districts serving Lexington County, 3 incumbents face opposition.

• District 69, Republican primary winner Chris Wooten faces Libertarian David Morris and Democrat and Working Families party candidate Beth Ann Rocheleau.

She will appear as a candidate on both tickets. The state Elections Commission called her a “fusion candidate” whose votes from each party can be combined.

• In District 85, incumbent Republican Chip Huggins faces two-party candidate Sam Edwards as a Democrat and Working Families party. Those votes also can be combined.

• District 87 Republican primary winner Paula Rawl Calhoon faces Democrat Diane Summers, a former Lexington 1 board member.

• District 93 Democrat Rep. Russell Ott faces Republican Terry Kiser Sr. in southern Lexington County.

• In District 96, Republican Rep. Kit Spires faces Democrat Robert Vanlue.

Lexington mayor, council face opposition Nov. 6

The county’s largest municipality has contested races for mayor and council.

Elected in December 2013, Mayor Steve MacDougall faces a challenge from council member Ron Williams who was elected to the council in April 2014.

Three incumbents and 1 former council member will seek 3 council seats.

Seeking re-election are Mayor Pro Tem Hazel Livingston (elected April 1998) and council members Kathy Maness (elected November 2004) and Todd Lyle (elected in June 2018.

Lyle replaced council member Ted Stambolitis who resigned after moving out of the town limits.

Former member Todd Shevchik, publisher of Lexington Life magazine, seeks to return to council after losing in 2016 by 115 votes.

Lexington 1 asks voters to approve $365M bond

The district’s board of trustees is seeking $365 million in bond money to:

• Build 2 new elementary schools and update security.

• Replace Gilbert Elementary, Lexington Middle and Pelion Middle schools and repurpose or demolish the old school buildings.

• Renovate and expand Gilbert Primary and 13 elementary schools: Carolina Springs, Forts Pond, Lake Murray, Lexington, Meadow Glen, Midway, New Providence, Oak Grove, Pelion, Pleasant Hill, Red Bank, Saxe Gotha and White Knoll and 5 middle schools: Carolina Springs, Gilbert, Meadow Glen, Pleasant Hill, and White Knoll.

• Renovate and expand Gilbert, Lexington, Pelion, River Bluff and White Knoll high schools, Lexington Technology Center, Rosenwald Community Learning Center and the district maintenance facility.

• Build a transportation facility and buy more technology and furniture.

6 run for 3 seats on Lexington 1 board

6 candidates have filed for 3 school board seats covering the Lexington, Gilbert and Pelion areas.

They are Jada Boatwright Garris, Richard Kyle Guy-ton, Reese Lassiter McCurdy, Robert Christopher Rice and Timothy Franklin Oswald.

Former Dispatch-News editor Scott Vaughan has withdrawn. None of the candidates are incumbents.

Not seeking re-election are Chair Debra Knight, Secretary Dr. Brad Pitts and Sandra Backman.

A survey of the candidates can be found at www.Lexington1.net/lexnews .

8 run for 3 seats on Lexington 2 board

8 candidates have filed for 3 seats on Lexington District 2’s board covering the Cayce-West Columbia area.

They are incumbents Brad Giles and Linda Alford-Wooten and challengers Michael Neal, Christina Fitts Ruck-er, James Bud Summers, Wayne McKim, Denise Rish Setzler and Tonya Crawford Mozenko. Board member Cay Kessler is not seeking re-election.

Lexington 3 asks voter approval of $90M bond

The Lexington 3 board is seeking a $90 million bond “at one time or from time to time” for a new high school on the existing high school property including athletic facility upgrades, additions and renovations and funding renovations, upgrades, additions to and equipment for the Batesburg-Leesville Primary School.

6 run for 3 seats on Lexington 3 board

6 candidates are seeking 3 seats on the Lexington School District 3 in the Batesburg-Leesville area.

They are incumbents Gariane Gunter, Cheryl Burgess and Billy Berry and challengers Eddie Cogdill, Frances Bouknight and write-in candidate Jermaine Barr.

6 run for 3 seats on Lexington 4 board

6 candidates seek 3 seats on the District 4 Board in Gaston and Swansea.

They are incumbents Brad Frick, Zachary “Coach Zack” Smith and Sadie Kirkland Wannamaker and challengers Robert White, Donna Goodwin and Viola McDaniel.

7 run for 4 seats on Lexington 5 board

7 candidates are running for 4 seats, 2 each in Lexington and Richland counties in the Irmo and Chapin areas.

Lexington County candidates include incumbents Jan Hammond and Ellen Baumgardner and challenger Ken Loveless.

Richland County candidates include incumbents Larry Haltiwanger and Ed White and challengers Jeff Herring and Nikki Gardner.

The district has more information on the candidates at https://www.lexrich5.org/Page/9538 .