The town of Surfside Beach is moving forward with plans to have Horry County take over its elections.
Debra Herrmann, the town clerk, tells News13 that town council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement at its meeting Tuesday evening.
Horry County Board of Elections Director Sandy Martin previously informed council members that before an ordinance could be adopted to potentially make the change, this agreement setting out the terms of the transfer would need to be executed by the town and the county.
The plan would mean Horry County would manage everything the town does now as far as elections, including filing candidates, advertising and counting the votes. Council Member Randle Stevens told News13 previously that he liked the idea of holding the town’s elections when ‘all the other elections are being held’.
Herrmann says the Intergovernmental Agreement will be sent to Martin, at the elections office in Conway tomorrow.
Next, the Horry County Administration Committee would make a recommendation to Horry County Council. Herrmann says once both councils approve the agreement, then an ordinance will be crafted for adoption by both councils.
If all of this happens, Herrmann says the next town election would be in November 2019, instead of April 2020.
Count on News13 for updates as this plan moves forward.
