Marion city elections are Tuesday

Rodney Berry, Marion County's Economic Development Director and two-time candidate for Marion Mayor, has declared himself a write-in candidate in the April 14 mayoral election in the City of Marion.

Nancy Harrelson is the only other declared candidate running for the position. At the time of his death in March, Marion Mayor Bobby Gerald was seeking his seventh reelection. Harrelson's is the only name on the ballot for mayor, and then there is the write-in option, Marion County Voter Registration and Election Commission Director Teresa Moody said.

Nancy Harrelson

Berry, a two-time challenger to the late mayor, lost to Gerald by 160 votes in 2005 and by 60 votes in 2001. Berry said he was approached by citizens who knew of his past interest in serving the citizens and he and his wife, Melia, decided that he should again run for the city's top seat. A Marion businessman, Berry is originally from Dillon. His wife runs the monthly magazine for women, She!, and he is the county's Economic Development Director.

Rodney Berry

Harrelson, who ran against U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn as a Republican, in this past November's general election, was born in Mullins, and now lives in Marion. She and her husband, Larry, were students at Marion High School and moved to Oklahoma, where they attended the Oklahoma Baptist Institute. Harrelson raised the couple's children while she worked in real estate. After the family returned to Marion, she continued selling real estate and began working for her husband's construction business. She now works only in construction and real estate development with her husband. The couple has two children.

Harrelson said she is running for Mayor "because I want Marion to be a vibrant thriving community where people have jobs and feel safe to walk the streets at night. Marion County has the highest unemployment rate in the state. We need jobs desperately in Marion and I will roll up my sleeves and work to bring jobs into our town."

Berry said this is a critical time for our city and it is paramount that we elect a mayor that exemplifies public service and who has a solid business track record, "and one who has shown the ability to serve all people in the city." He said county officials told him there would be no conflict between his elected position as a city leader and his job with the county.

In what Berry called an open letter to all citizens of Marion, he said he had not elected to run in this year's election for several reasons, but that "circumstances have now changed. As a city, we find ourselves in the unforeseen position of having an election just two weeks away and a filing period for candidates already closed. Without a write-in candidate, the voters would have had no choice in the important election..."

Harrelson said "I also know crime is on the rise in Marion. We need a mayor who supports law enforcement and one who will make sure everyone in our community feels safe. Lastly our infrastructure needs to be built up. Our sewer system is over 50 years and is starting to crumble. We can’t attract jobs if we don’t have the infrastructure to support it." She added that she loves Marion and wants to see it be the best it can me. "I think I can lead this town and make it the best ..."

In other city elections, also seeking reelection in the upcoming race is incumbent City Council Member Ronald Davis, shown below.

His District 3 seat is opposed by political newcomer Betsey Atkinson, shown below

Seats held by Poiette McGill-Bromell and Michael Baker, districts 5 and 6, respectively, are uncontested.

Voters may cast their ballots from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. in the following precincts:
Marion I precinct in the Marion Fire Department;
Marion II in the Opera House;
Marion North in the Marion Intermediate School; and Marion South in the Eloise Grice Recreation Center.

At 9 a.m. on election day, the county voter registration and election commission will begin their examination of the absentee ballots. On April 17, at 8:30 a.m., the Commission will have its hearing to determine the validity of all ballots challenged. If needed, a runoff election will be on April 28.

How to vote for a write in candidate
To cast a vote for a write-in candidate, voters will have to press "write-in" as an option on the screen of the electronic ballot, Voter Registration and Election Commission Director Teresa Moody said.
A keyboard screen will appear and the voter will press letters to spell a candidate's name. After the name is typed, voters will press "accept." The screen returns to the ballot and will only show the first four letters typed in. But the end of the night tapes will print the full name typed by the voter, Moody explained.