Incumbent Gary White wins District 1 seat in run-off
Daniel Island resident Gary White will return to Charleston City Hall as the City Council member representing District 1.
White, who has held the seat for the last eight years, was challenged by fellow Daniel Island resident Shawn Pinkston. The two were forced into a run-off election on November 17, after neither received 50 percent of the vote, plus one vote, as required by state law, in the November 3 election.
According to the official run-off results, released on November 19, White finished at the top with 1,134 votes (51.66 percent) over Pinkston’s 1,061 (48.34 percent). The November 3 results were much closer for the candidates, with Pinkston receiving 49.95 percent of the vote, compared to White’s 49.58 percent. White expressed excitement over his win and attributed much of his success at the polls to a vigorous surge in campaign volunteers over the last two weeks, as well as better voter turnout in four of the Daniel Island/Cainhoy area precincts.
“We actually had a higher voter turnout than we did in the general election,” said White. “A lot of people who had voter fatigue or apathy chose to come out and vote. It was also beautiful weather, which we didn’t get the first time. And we had quite a bit of people who said ‘Wow, we didn’t think it was going to be that close so we really made an effort to get out this time.’ All those things really pushed the higher voter turnout…and that was good news.”
The day his campaign found out there would be a run-off race, White said he received a number of calls from folks offering to help.
“Our volunteer group probably tripled overnight,” he said. “I spent 12 hours a day for three days in a row with people calling me asking me what they could do and how they could help. People from all over the city…who were very interested in making sure we had all the resources we needed…The support was overwhelming and it was really humbling, when that many people came out, not just friends and family, but people I see from time to time, who felt a big desire for me to be re-elected. That was great.”
White also thanked six of his fellow City Council members for endorsing his campaign prior to the run-off.
“It’s very rare for council members to endorse each other in races,” he said. “The reason is regardless of the outcome ultimately those people have to come and work together…It shows the support I had, and really worked hard to gain, over the last eight years in working with them.”
After all the ballots were counted, Pinkston saw his initial victory on November 3 over-turned in the run-off. He told The Daniel Island News he was thankful for all the support he garnered throughout his campaign and was honored by each and every vote he received.
“It was a close and hard-fought run-off,” he said. “For all of those people who came out and voted for both of us, thank you. It was truly a special election. Mr. White won and congratulations to him…I look forward to working with him and all of our community leaders to make sure that the people of Daniel Island and Cainhoy area are properly represented.” Mayoral candidate Tecklenburg wins Daniel Island/Cainhoy vote In the City of Charleston Mayoral race, candidate John Tecklenburg earned the highest number of votes over opponent Leon Stavrinakis in each of the Daniel Island/Cainhoy area’s seven precincts. Tecklenburg, a former Daniel Island resident, won the citywide race overall, becoming the first new mayor in 40 years. He will be sworn into office in January 2016. White said he received a congratulatory voicemail message from Tecklenburg after his win and reported that the two will be meeting in the coming weeks to talk about the needs of District 1. “It was good to spend time with him on the campaign trail,” added White. “And I’m looking forward to working with him.”
ELECTION RESULTS:
DANIEL ISLAND/CAINHOY Run-Off Election Results November 17, 2015
CITY COUNCIL RACE Gary White - 1,134 (51.66%) Shawn Pinkston - 1,061 (48.34%)
Precinct Breakdown:
DANIEL ISLAND 1 Registered Voters = 1163 Ballots Cast = 407 Voter Turnout = 35%
Mayor of Charleston John Tecklenburg - 260 (64.20%) Leon Stavrinakis - 145 (35.80%)
City Council District 1 Gary White - 273 (67.57% Shawn Pinkston - 131 (32.43%)
DANIEL ISLAND 2 Registered Voters = 1119 Ballots Cast = 305 Voter Turnout = 27.26%
Mayor of Charleston John Tecklenburg -185 (61.46%) Leon Stavrinakis - 116 (38.54%)
City Council District 1 Shawn Pinkston - 174 (57.62%) Gary White - 128 (42.38%)
DANIEL ISLAND 3 Registered Voters = 1524 Ballots Cast = 419 Voter Turnout = 27.49%
Mayor of Charleston John Tecklenburg - 251 (60.19%) Leon Stavrinakis - 166 (39.81%)
City Council District 1 Shawn Pinkston - 229 (55.45%) Gary White - 184 (44.55%)
DANIEL ISLAND 4 Registered Voters = 1856 Ballots Cast = 479 Voter Turnout = 25.81%
Mayor of Charleston John Tecklenburg - 300 (63.03%) Leon Stavrinakis - 176 (36.97%)
City Council District 1 Shawn Pinkston - 267 (56.21%) Gary White - 208 (43.79%)
THE VILLAGE Registered Voters = 953 Ballots Cast = 100 Voter Turnout = 10.49%
Mayor of Charleston John Tecklenburg - 57 (57%) Leon Stavrinakis - 43 (43%)
City Council District 1 Gary White - 59 (64.13%) Shawn Pinkston - 33 (35.87%)
YELLOW HOUSE Registered Voters = 562 Ballots Cast =101 Voter Turnout = 17.97%
Mayor of Charleston John Tecklenburg - 67 (67%) Leon Stavrinakis - 33 (33%)
City Council District 1 Gary White - 64 (64.65%) Shawn Pinkston - 35 (35.35%)
CAINHOY Registered Voters = 3 Ballots Cast = 2 Voter Turnout = 66.67%
Mayor of Charleston John Tecklenburg - 2 (100%) Leon Stavrinakis - 0
City Council District 1 Shawn Pinkston - 2 (100%) Gary White - 0
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 PRECINCTS IN CHARLESTON COUNTY
CHARLESTON 2 Gary White - 38 (55.07%) Shawn Pinkston - 31 (44.93%)
CHARLESTON 6 Gary White - 56 (50.45%) Shawn Pinkston - 55 (49.55%
CHARLESTON 7 Gary White - 88 (53.33%) Shawn Pinkston - 77 (46.67%)