Greenville and Spartanburg County Voters Choose to Keep Incumbent Sheriffs in Office
Greenville and Spartanburg County voters decided to keep most incumbents in office during the statewide primary on Tuesday, June 11. Incumbents won in the sheriff races, with Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis and Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright securing their positions. The outcome also saw Mike Ellis elected as the new Greenville County Coroner after defeating Dale Arterburn.
Greenville County Sheriff Race
In Greenville County, Sheriff Hobart Lewis emerged victorious over challenger Mike Fortner. Lewis received 31,437 votes compared to Fortner’s 6,481 votes. Lewis, who first took office after a special election in 2020, has a background in law enforcement. Fortner, on the other hand, served over 28 years at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office before retiring in 2022. He and his wife currently own a wedding venue in Taylors.
Statement from Sheriff Hobart Lewis
Following his re-election, Sheriff Lewis has expressed his gratitude to the voters. However, as of now, no response has been received for further comments.
Spartanburg County Sheriff Race
In Spartanburg County, Sheriff Chuck Wright secured his position by defeating challenger Nick Duncan. Wright, who has been the sheriff since 2004, received 24,296 votes, while Duncan garnered 4,771 votes. Duncan had worked closely with Wright for most of a decade, transitioning to law enforcement in 2014 after starting his career with Spartanburg Emergency Medical Services in the late 2000s.
Statement from Sheriff Chuck Wright
Sheriff Wright expressed his appreciation to the voters for their support and confidence in him. He emphasized that the position is owned by the people and pledged to work tirelessly to serve them.
New Greenville County Coroner
Mike Ellis was elected as the new Greenville County Coroner after defeating Dale Arterburn. Ellis, who received 24,059 votes, has a long history of service in the Coroner’s Office, starting as a volunteer in 1991. Arterburn, with 11,674 votes, had a career in law enforcement, including investigative work on violent crimes for the Greer Police Department.
Statement from Coroner Mike Ellis
Following his election, Coroner Ellis expressed his gratitude to the public for trusting him with the responsibility of leading the office as an elected official. He acknowledged the humbling experience of serving as a trusted figure in determining the causes of individuals’ passings and investigating them.
Other Election Results
In the race for Greenville County Clerk of Court, Jay Gresham defeated Brice Garrett with 25,272 votes to Garrett’s 24,157 votes. Gresham, who had previously served as a judicial law clerk and assistant solicitor, expressed his gratitude to his supporters and emphasized his commitment to serving the people of Greenville County in his new role.
Overall, the election results reflect the choice of Greenville and Spartanburg County voters to maintain continuity with their incumbent officials, entrusting them with the responsibilities of serving and safeguarding their communities.
