The South Carolina Democratic Party voted Saturday to overturn the Dillon County Democratic Party’s to overturn the results of the Dillon County Council District 6 primary held last Tuesday following a protest hearing, according to officials.
Officials said the state party also voted to reinstate the results of the election with Incumbent Gerome McLeod losing to Robbie Coward who gained 54% of the vote.
McLeod filed a protest two weeks ago regarding Coward's residency.
He added Coward filed and ran in the wrong district.
A portion of McLeod's protest reads as follows:
“Robbie is in eligible to vote in district 6; however he somehow managed to secure the majority of the votes on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 in a district he is not qualified to represent."
Coward appealed the county party’s decision to the state party.
A hearing on the appeal took place Saturday morning in Columbia.
Coward's attorney, M.W. Cockrell, III released the following statement earlier this week on the Dillon County Democratic Party’s decision to throw out the race.
"The ruling of the county executive committee ignores the voice of the voters of county council district 6. We believe the county executive committee misapplied the law and facts of this election; and while we appreciate the ruling of the county executive committee. We intend to ask the state executive committee to review this decision and correct any errors!"
Cockrell said he had a good feeling that the South Carolina Democratic Party would reinstate the results of the election allowing Coward to run as a Democrat on the ballot for the November election.
McLeod can appeal the party’s decision to the S.C. Supreme Court.
Coward is involved in an ongoing situation involving the Latta mayoral election held last November.
Coward won the election, but the Municipal Election Commission overturning the results of the election.
The commission ruled that Coward is “not domiciled in the Town of Latta Municipal boundaries as required by S.C. 7-5-610 in that he failed to have resided within the municipal limits for at least 30 days prior to the election.”
He's filed a notice of appeal and is waiting for a court date.
Cockrell said Coward didn't break the law while running for Dillon County Council District 6, while waiting for the Latta mayor's race to play out.
“Even if he was sworn in as mayor presently, he can still run for County Council. Which ever district he chose so to speak. Or which ever one was appropriate. He just wouldn’t be able to be sworn in as the County Council. If he were to win wit without resigning his mayor position," explained Cockrell.