GREENVILLE — In recent primary runoffs, two current members of the Greenville County Council successfully defended their positions, while Frank Farmer is set to take over District 22 after Councilman Stan Tzouvelekas chose not to run for reelection.
In District 25, Councilman Ennis Fant, the only Democratic member of the council seeking reelection this year, managed to win against Derrick Quarles by a narrow margin of just 25 votes, receiving 822 votes to Quarles’ 797.
In District 20, Councilman Steve Shaw emerged victorious in the Republican primary runoff, defeating his opponent Alex Reynolds with a significant lead of 2,584 votes to 1,875.
Frank Farmer, who missed securing a majority in the initial primary earlier this month, triumphed over Jay Rogers with a vote count of 2,451 to 1,397.
Tzouvelekas, who had been in office since 2020, did not pursue reelection after an unsuccessful bid for the state House District 22. Former Greenville County Clerk of Court Paul Wickenseimer defeated Tzouvelekas in the primary held on June 11.
These runoffs followed a lively primary earlier this month, during which three council incumbents, including the longest-serving member, Butch Kirven, lost their seats. This was largely attributed to their support for the county’s first property tax increase in thirty years, which was passed by a close 8-4 vote. The tax hike amounts to approximately $58 annually for homeowners with properties valued at $200,000.
Supporters of the tax increase argued that it was essential for maintaining the county’s budget amidst rising costs, while opponents criticized sitting council members, claiming they should have made greater efforts to limit spending or identify alternative funding sources.
