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Political newcomer is high vote getter for Columbus Council

POLK COUNTY—Challenger Tangie Morgan is the City of Saluda’s new mayor, upsetting current mayor Fred Baisden by 56 votes, according to unofficial election results Tuesday night.

The 2021 municipal election was held Tuesday.

Morgan, a political newcomer received 145 votes compared to Baisden’s 89 votes, according to the Polk County Board of Elections Office.

Incumbent Saluda commissioners Paul Marion and Mark Oxtoby retained their seats with 148 and 113 votes respectively, according to unofficial results. There were 13 miscellaneous write-in votes for council in Saluda and John Morgan received 10 write-in votes.

In Columbus, political newcomer Becky Kennedy was high vote getter for town council with 83 votes compared to incumbents Richard Hall and Mark Phillips retaining their seats with 61 votes and 42 votes respectively. Ernestine Kan received 10 write-in votes and there was 1 miscellaneous vote.

Columbus Mayor Patrick McCool retained his seat with 86 votes, which was the most votes of any candidate.

Tryon only had incumbents file this year for mayor and council. Incumbent mayor Alan Peoples retained his seat with 88 votes. There were 7 write-in votes for John Vining and 4 miscellaneous write-in votes for Tryon mayor.

Incumbent Tryon commissioners Bill Ingham and Bill Crowell retained their seats with 94 and 89 votes respectively. There were 8 miscellaneous votes for Tryon council.

The results will not be made official until the board of elections does an official canvassing of votes and counts any provisional and absentees that may be still outstanding.