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North Charleston Elects New Council Members Amid Scandals

Exterior view of North Charleston City Hall with community members.

News Summary

In a special election on May 27, North Charleston voters elected Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley and Christopher Emde to fill vacant council seats. This election followed corruption scandals that led to the resignation of former council members Sandino Moses and Jerome Heyward. Both newly elected officials emphasized their commitment to restoring public trust and integrity in local governance.

North Charleston – In a special election held on May 27, voters in North Charleston’s Districts 3 and 5 elected Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley and Christopher Emde, respectively, to fill vacant council seats. This election was necessitated by a federal corruption investigation that resulted in the resignation of former councilmembers. Ganaway-Pasley and Emde each garnered 32% of the vote in their respective districts, contributing to an overall voter turnout of 11%. This turnout represents approximately 1,470 of the 13,055 registered voters in those districts.

The special election took place in the wake of serious corruption scandals involving previous council members. Former councilmembers Sandino Moses and Jerome Heyward resigned after being implicated in corruption charges, leading to their seats becoming vacant. Heyward was charged with bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering, while Moses faced charges for failing to report a bribery attempt. Both pleaded guilty to their charges on February 28 earlier this year. A third councilman, Mike Brown, was also charged but has pleaded not guilty and remains suspended from the council.

Ganaway-Pasley, who is a former judge for the Charleston County Summary Court, has been a resident of North Charleston since 1974. She previously ran for mayor in the 2023 North Charleston Mayoral race and currently works as an adjunct professor with Trident Technical College and the Charleston County School District. Upon her election, she highlighted the importance of transparency, integrity, and collaboration in her service to the city council.

Christopher Emde, the other newly elected council member, has a 20-year background in the U.S. Marine Corps and currently works for Defense Health Logistics. In his campaign, Emde focused on building trust and integrity within the community, expressing gratitude for the support he received from voters. The special election featured a total of 15 candidates: seven for District 3 and eight for District 5, reflecting a competitive race for the council seats.

The special election cost the city between $30,000 to $40,000 and served as a vital step in restoring public trust in local governance following the scandals. Following the election results, Mayor Reggie Burgess expressed eagerness to certify the results so Ganaway-Pasley and Emde can be sworn in as the new council members as soon as possible.

The newly elected officials will be stepping into their roles at a critical time for North Charleston, where issues of corruption have shaken community trust in local governance. The next city council election for all districts is set for November 2027, offering residents another opportunity to engage in the democratic process and hold their elected officials accountable.