Incumbents defeated challengers in sheriff races in Greenville and Spartanburg counties
Greenville and Spartanburg County voters decided they wanted to keep most incumbents in office during the statewide primary on Tuesday, June 11.
Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis defeated challenger Mike Fortner. In Spartanburg County, longtime Sheriff Chuck Wright defeated a challenge from Nick Duncan.
Mike Ellis will become the new Greenville County Coroner by defeating Dale Arterburn.
Greenville County Sheriff
Lewis won re-election with 31,437 votes against Fortner's 6,481. Lewis was first elected after a special election in 2020.
The Greenville News reached out to Sheriff Hobart Lewis; no response has been received yet.
Fortner spent over 28 years at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office before retiring in 2022. He started his law enforcement career as a reserve deputy and became a full-time uniform patrol deputy. He also worked in the white-collar criminal investigation division and focused on family violence, robbery, and homicide units.
Fortner worked in the Office of Professional Standards and finished his career in the Professional Compliance unit. Fortner and his wife currently own a wedding venue in Taylors.
More: Timmons versus Morgan: Here's where the Republican candidates stand on three key issues
Spartanburg County Sheriff
Sheriff Chuck Wright won with 24,296 votes to Duncan's 4,771 votes.
Wright has been the sheriff since 2004.
"I want to thank God first always, and I want to tell all the voters how appreciative I am of their support and their confidence in me, and I promise we will work harder than ever," Wright said. "This is not my position; it's your position, it's your seat, and I'll keep it clean. I'll work very hard and make you proud that you reelected me for your sheriff."
Duncan worked with Wright for most of a decade. After several years with Spartanburg Emergency Medical Services, starting in the late 2000s, Duncan transitioned to law enforcement with the Sheriff’s Office in 2014. He started in the criminal investigation unit in 2017 and finished his career investigating property crimes.
Greenville County Clerk of Court
In the Clerk of Court race, Jay Gresham defeated Brice Garrett with 25,272 votes, compared to Garrett's 24,157 votes.
Garrett was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster in July 2023. She was appointed after former Clerk of Court Paul B. Wickensimer retired. Wickensimer served as clerk of court for 23 years. Garrett spent 20 years in the healthcare business, communications, facility, and provider liaison roles.
Gresham served as the judicial law clerk for Judge Edward W. Miller in Greenville from 2020 to 2021. He became the assistant solicitor in 2021 and remains in that position.
"I would like for my supporters to know that I'm very thankful to them, and I appreciate them coming out the polls today. I think I read an article, it was a low turnout, but it was wonderful that they turned out, I'm very grateful," Gresham said. "I look forward to serving the people of Greenville County. I look forward to continuing to serve them as I served them as a prosecutor, and I'm going to serve them in this new role."
More: Protecting the planet in Congress: Where Upstate candidates stand on climate change
Greenville County Coroner
Mike Ellis is the new Greenville County Coroner after defeating Dale Arterburn. Ellis received 24,059 votes and Arterburn received 11,674 votes.
Bobby Parks Evans Jr. is stepping down after two decades as the coroner.
Ellis joined the Coroner’s Office in 1991 and worked for over 32 years. He spent his first five years as a volunteer coroner at the Coroner’s Office. He was hired as a full-time deputy coroner in 1996. In 1999, Ellis was promoted to chief deputy coroner.
"It feels extremely good to know that the public put their trust in me to lead the office as the elected official coroner," Ellis said. "I want to thank them so much for having faith in me now as an elected official. It's a humbling experience to know that the largest county in the state has confidence in you to determine what causes their loved ones to pass away and how to investigate it."
Arterburn joined the Greer Police Department in 1996 and spent six years as a patrol officer. Arterburn also served on the Special Response Team (SWAT). After being a patrol officer, Arterburn spent the last 21 years of his career as a detective investigating violent crime for the GPD.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Voters decided to keep Sheriffs Hobart Lewis, Chuck Wright in office
