Vote November 7th!
Remember to get out and vote November 7th! Charleston Animal Society’s Carolina Tails Magazine posed questions to mayoral candidates in the City of Charleston and the City of North Charleston. See where the candidates stand on issues important to animals!
CHARLESTON MAYORAL RACE
Election Day is November 7th and there is a crowded field vying for the top job in the City of Charleston. Incumbent Mayor John Tecklenburg faces challenges from former Statehouse Representative William Cogswell, activist and podcaster Mika Gadsden, Charleston School of Law Professor Debra Gammons, public affairs professional and National Guardsman Clay Middleton and Charleston City Councilman Peter Shahid.
Carolina Tails asked each candidate two questions (below) to let you know which candidates are putting animals on their policy agendas. Mika Gadsden did not respond to our request.
The community is in dire need of stringent measures to curtail the overpopulation of dogs and cats, which is increasing, leading to more dog attacks and costs to taxpayers and donors. Will you support ordinances for incentivized spay/neuter of owned animals through a registration system, along with subsidized mandatory spay/neuter for the most overpopulated animals?
By the time of this printing, a local entrepreneur will have received South Carolina DMV approval for his electric carriages. Will you support his application to provide tours in Downtown Charleston as an additional alternative to the animal-drawn vehicles tourist attraction?
NORTH CHARLESTON MAYORAL RACE
Voters in North Charleston go to the polls on November 7th to pick their next mayor. After 29 years, Keith Summey announced he will not run for re-election. 10 candidates have stepped forward to throw their hats in the ring including:
- Former Police Chief Reggie Burgess
- FedEx Operations Manager and veteran Russ Coletti
- Retired Summary Court Judge Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley
- District 2 Councilwoman Rhonda Jerome
- Defense and information technology professional Curtis Merriweather
- Realtor and former Councilman Todd Olds
- County Councilman Teddie Pryor
- Businessman John Singletary
- Samuel Whatley
- Take it to the Streets Nonprofit Founder Jesse Williams.
Each candidate was given the opportunity to respond to the question below from Carolina Tails magazine (Coletti, Olds, Singletary and Whatley declined to respond).
The community is in dire need of stringent measures to curtail the overpopulation of dogs and cats, which is increasing, leading to more dog attacks and costs to taxpayers and donors. Will you support ordinances for incentivized spay/neuter of owned animals through a registration system, along with subsidized mandatory spay/neuter for the most overpopulated animals?
