Runoff election to be held for vacant Conway City Council seat

CONWAY, S.C. (WMBF) - The City of Conway will hold a runoff election in two weeks to fill the vacant seat on city council.

This comes after none of the original five candidates were able to gain 50% of the total votes needed to win on Tuesday.

Kendall Brown and Autry Benton were the only two candidates to gain over 400 votes before heading into the runoff, with Brown holding a slim lead.

The Horry County natives both have called Conway home all their lives. Each hopes to make a difference if elected as the city continues to grow.

“I believe it’s very important our growth is responsible, because we cannot hide or shy away from growth,” said Brown.

“I want to continue to keep our growth at a good place but I want people to be able to experience how great Conway is,” said Benton.

Since 2013, Kendall Brown worked in the registered deeds office of Horry County and is involved with the city, having served on the planning commission since 2015.

Benton, meanwhile, is a retired Marine and local business owner working in concrete construction and says this is his second time running for Conway City Council.

While an outright victory on Tuesday would have been great, they’re both ready to keep campaigning.

“It shows myself and others the need for a new face on council, one not only caring and connected but committed to improvements for Conway,” said Brown.

“Sometimes politics is not about talking so much - but listening to people,” said Benton.

Both are proud of the work Conway City Council has accomplished in recent years and hope to bring a new perspective if elected.

As for the election process Brown and Benton say they’ve learned a lot about the city, voters and themselves along the way.

“I’ve learned perseverance and the ability to use my current strength within the city and discover new needs that others have,” said Brown.

“I want to serve this city and would love the voters to give me a chance and serve this great town and show everyone what I can do,” said Benton.

The winner of the runoff will not have a very long term on city council.

They will have to file and run again in November for the general election if they wish to serve a full four-year term.

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