No contenders have emerged to challenge any of the incumbents for the Williston and Barnwell municipal elections which will take place Sept. 8.

The filing for candidates ended June 26.

In Williston, there are three Town Council seats open as well as the mayor's seat in the at-large election.

The incumbents running are Milton Widener, Wanda Matthews, Jerry "Tuna" Holmes and Mayor Tommy Rivers. The town has elections every two years and the positions are for four-year terms.

In Barnwell, the seats open and the incumbents running for the single member district election are: J.T. Atkinson, District 1; Bob Patillo, District 5 and Ben Duncan for District 3.

Barnwell likewise holds elections every two years and each seat is for a four-year term.

However, write-in candidates have until July 10 to file their intentions to run in either election with the respective town halls, said Naomi DeFrenn, the director of the Barnwell County Office of Voter Registration and Elections.

If no contenders during the write-in phase of filing surface, the towns do not have to hold elections according to a state statute. The statute allows towns to not hold elections where incumbents up for re-election will be gaining another term unopposed.

In the event of the elections going unopposed, the Barnwell County voter registration and elections board could simply certify the election, DeFrenn said.

"We still have to declare the incumbents as winners and the board would have to go through the process to declare the winners," she said.

Elections are certified days after the voting is done, in this case Sept. 10, DeFrenn said.

However, both towns will likely hold elections anyhow, said Tom Boulware, a Barnwell attorney who is also the staff attorney for both municipalities.

"Historically, the city of Williston has one. I have not specifically talked to the council, but I feel sure they will follow like they have done in years past," Boulware said.

Despite both elections appearing as foregone conclusions, the towns should exercise this democratic process and cover themselves against what is seen as a controversial state statute, he said.

"I'd rather be safe than sorry. We might be the only towns in South Carolina to hold one," Boulware said of the conditions of these elections.

The statute, 7-13-190(E), states:

(E)(1) A special election to fill a vacancy in an office is not required to be conducted if 14 calendar days have elapsed since the filing period for that office has closed and:
(a) only one person has filed for the office; and
(b) no person has filed a declaration to be a write-in candidate with the authority charged by law with conducting the election.
(2) In such an event, the candidate who filed for the office is deemed elected and shall take office on the Monday following certification.
(3) The provisions of this subsection also apply to municipal general elections.

Boulware said the statute is controversial in that the governor didn't sign it, yet it was allowed to go into effect.

In 2007, the election for Williston cost the town $1,667.40, said Pat Fowler, the town clerk.

Barnwell's 2007 election cost the city $4,390, said Kim Vargo, the city clerk.