Staff Writer

A light turnout of Fairfield County voters on Tuesday gave the Democratic nomination for the District 41 South Carolina House of Representatives seat to political newcomer Boyd Brown and re-elected Sheriff Herman Young.

In other action, Winnsboro attorney Creighton Coleman will face Leah Bess Moody in a runoff on June 24 for the Democratic nomination for the District 17 Senate seat. The winner of that contest will face Republican Mark Bennett of Richburg who received 631 votes to 444 for Joanie Winters.

Barkley Ramsey received the Democratic nomination for Fairfield County coroner. There is no Republican candidate for the office and, as a result, he will succeed retiring coroner Joe Silvia.

Four thousand eight hundred four of the county’s 13,061 registered voters participated in either the Republican or the Democratic primary.

S.C. Senate

The District 17 Senate seat covers Fairfield and Chester counties and parts of Union and York counties.

Coleman was the front runner in the contest for the seat, receiving 5,677 votes. Rock Hill attorney Moody received 4,423 votes. Businessman Michael Squirewell received 1,828 votes.

In Fairfield County, Coleman defeated Moody by a vote of 2,511 to 958.

South Carolina House

The House District 41 seat covers Fairfield County and Chester counties.

Brown defeated School Board member Annie McDaniel by a vote of 3,080 to 2,257. In Fairfield County, Brown defeated McDaniel by a vote of 2,664 to 1,699.

“It feels great,” Brown said. “I?have been working hard for months and it has finally paid off. I?am looking forward to getting to work for Fairfield County.”

Brown hopes to schedule meetings with both County Council and the School Board to help encourage intergovernmental cooperation.

“We have got to move this County forward and it starts locally,” he said. “First of all though I?want to thank all of you who voted for me. I?couldn’t have done it without you and I?am going to make you proud.”

Fairfield County Sheriff

Incumbent Young beat back challenger Will Montgomery by a vote of 2,666 to 1,777 to receive the Democratic nomination. There is no Republican candidate for the post.

“I?am very happy and deputies from Chief (Keith) Lewis on down have shown their dedication, getting out to help with this campaign,” Young said. “I appreciate it.

“Dedication - that is what it is all about. At the sheriff’s office, there is no such thing as I. We are all working together. We are a team. That’s what it is all about.”

Fairfield County Coroner

In the race for coroner, Ramsey received 2,178 to 1,987 for Danny Odom.

U.S. Senate

At press time, Bob Conley led Michael Cone by fewer than 1,000 votes for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate. In Fairfield County, Cone received 1,804 votes to 1,602 for Conley.

Republican United States Sen. Lindsey Graham defeated challenger Buddy Witherspoon by a vote of 186,779 to 92,707. In Fairfield County, the vote was 206 for Graham to 93 for Witherspoon.