CONTACT YOUR COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES
South Carolina has 46 counties, 270 municipal governments, 90 public school districts, and 301 special districts of various types. Ten regional councils provide a broad range of technical and advisory services to county and municipal governments. In 1975, South Carolina passed the Home Rule Act, because many state legislators’ districts crossed county lines. The Home Rule Act created county councils for each of the SC counties that are independent of the SC General Assembly. Legally, the county is a creation of state government. Counties have only those powers and duties authorized by the laws which affect all counties, or by specific statutes that affect individual counties.
Beaufort County
Beaufort County is run by a County Council comprising 11 Districts. County Council members are partisan and serve four-year terms. Beaufort County operates under the Council-Administrator form of government under which the Council may hire a professional administrator to carry out Council policy. The Council has the power to dismiss the appointed administrator, although it cannot dismiss employees hired by the administrator. Under this form of government, the County Treasurer and County Auditor are elected officials. Beaufort County has five additional elected offices: Sheriff, Coroner, Clerk of the Court, Probate Court Judge, and head of the Solicitor’s Office.
Beaufort County Council:
District 1
Gerald Dawson (D)
64-A Horace Dawson Lane
Seabrook, SC 29940
Office: 843.986-7265
gdawson@bcgov.net
District 2
David Barthoilmew (R)
7 Wade Hampton Dr.
Beaufort, SC 29907
Office: 843.255.2183
dbartholomew@bcgov.net
District 3
York L. Glover Sr. (D)
31 Oaks Plantation Road
St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Office 843.812.2909
yglover@bcgov.net
District 4 (Term Expires December 2022)
Alice G. Howard (R)
1705 Riverside Drive
Beaufort, SC 29902
Office: 843.986-7403
mailto:ahoward@bcgov.net
District 5
Joseph Passiment (R)
26 Schooner Lane
Bluffton, SC 29909
Mobile: 843.941.3605
jpassiment@bcgov.net
District 6
Anna Maria "Tab" Tabernik (r)
25 Petigru Drive
Beaufort, SC 29902
Office: 843.255-2200
brianf@bcgov.net
District 7 (Term Expires December 2022)
Logan Cunningham (R)
4 Royal Holly Court
Bluffton, SC 29910
Office: 843.986.4772
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District 8
Paula Brown (R)
17 Waterford Dr.
Bluffton, SC 29910
Office: 843.841.9936
District 9
Mark Lawson (R)
64-A Horace Dawson Lane
Seabrook, SC 29940
Office: 843.986-7265
gdawson@bcgov.net
District 10
Lawrence P. McElynn (R)
584 Colonial Drive
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Office: 843.941.3519
lawrencem@bcgov.net
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District 11
Thomas Reitz (R)
47 Glouscester Rd.
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Office: 843.255.2183
thomas.reitz@bcgov.net
Other County Offices:
Country Administrator (appointed)
Eric Greenway
P.O. Drawer 1228
Beaufort, SC 22901
843-255-2000
Board of Education
The Beaufort County Board of Education is a nonpartisan board that consists of 11 members elected to four-year terms.
Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation
The Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District includes three elected Commissioners (and 2 appointed Commissioners). The three Commissioners are elected during the Federal election cycle and are non-partisan positions.
CONTACT YOUR MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES
Beaufort
The county seat of Beaufort County, Beaufort is governed by a 5-member Council, which includes the Mayor. Each member is elected at-large by voters within the city limits to four-year, staggered terms, with elections held every two years. Council members set policy and govern through their single employee, the city manager.
Public council meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 1911 Boundary Street at the Beaufort Municipal Complex inside City Hall, 2nd Floor - Council Chambers
Mayor Stephen Murray
843-525-7070
smurray@cityofbeaufort.org
City Hall
1911 Boundary Street
Beaufort, SC 29902
City Manager William A. Prokop
Phone: 843-525-7070
City Hall
1911 Boundary Street
Beaufort, SC 29902
Beaufort Council members do not maintain offices at City Hall; however, official correspondence may be sent to the attention of the City Clerk: 1911 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902; Phone: 843-525-7070
Bluffton
The town of Bluffton is governed by a Mayor and four Town Council members, all non-partisan and all elected for four-year terms. Elections occur in November of odd years.
Council meetings are held at 5 pm on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at Town Hall, 20 Bridge Street, Council Chambers, Bluffton, SC 29910
Mayor Lisa Sulka
Term: 2020 to 2024
Email Lisa Sulka
Bridgette Frazier, Council Member
Term: 2020 to 2024
Email Bridgette Frazier
Fred Hamilton, Council Member
Term: 2022 to 2026
Email Fred Hamilton
Dan Wood, Council Member
Term: 2020 to 2024
Email Dan Wood
Hilton Head Island
The Island is governed by a Mayor and six Town Council members, all non-partisan and all elected. In addition, there are seven elected members of the Public Service District governing water resources in the middle part of the Island. All elected officials serve four-year staggered terms following the Congressional election schedule. An appointed Town Manager directs the administration of Town departments, implements policies and projects, and oversees about 250 employees.
Click here to find your Town Council District and Council Member
Mayor Alan Perry
AlanP@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-384-2895
Ward 1
Alex Brown
AlexB@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-290-5943
Ward 2
Patsy Brison
PatsyB@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-384-4181
Hilton Head Town Council:
Ward 4
Tamara Becker
TamaraB@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-816-6372
Ward 5
Steve Alfred
SteveA@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-384-2421
Town Manager
Marc Orlando
MarcO@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-341-4705
Hilton Head PSD Commissioners:
Frank Turano
Chair
Term of Office 2022-2026
Jerry Cutrer
Vice Chair
Term of Office: 2020-2024
Stuart Bell
Treasurer
Term of Office: 2020-2024
Patti Soltys
Secetary
Term of Office: 2020-2024
Ibrahim Abdul-OMalik
Commissioner
Term of Office: 2022-2026
Michael Marks
Commissioner
Term of Office: 2022-2026
Andy Paterno
Commissioner
Term of Office: 2022-2026
Daufuskie Island
is governed by the Daufuskie Island Council which serves as the official voice between Daufuskie and the County. Members are elected by island residents and property owners. There are nine elected positions that serve four-year staggered terms. Elections are held yearly on the second Saturday in February.