Musier moves forward in bid for Sheriff’s job

KINGSTREE, SC – Voters put their trust in Dudley Musier to become the countys top law enforcement agent in a Williamsburg County special election this week. Three of four candidates seeking to become the Williamsburg County Sheriff were eliminated in the Dec. 2 special election.

The final special election to determine who will be the countys Sheriff is set for Jan. 20.

Kristie Richardson with the countys Election Commission office said the four candidates all ran as Democrats and that in the January election only write-in candidates can be offered as an alternative to Musier.

Musier’s three opponents will not be eligible to run in the January election but could be eligible to run again in two years, she said, in the next general election.

The election results were certified Thursday morning. Musier garnered 2,771 votes of the 3,641 votes cast. Candidates Willie J. Bufkin garnered 218 votes; Randy Grayson had 248 votes; and Sandy Thompson 382 votes. There are more than 27,000 registered voters in Williamsburg County.

Tuesday’s special election was conducted following Gov. Nikki Haley’s appointment of John Bartell to serve as Sheriff after former Williamsburg County Sheriff Michael Johnson resigned. Law enforcement officials accused Johnson of creating more than 100 false police reports so customers of a Columbia credit repair business could claim their overdue bills were the result of identity theft.

In November a SC federal judge denied Johnson’s request for a new trial after he was found guilty of the charges. He is expected to be sentenced in about 60 days and faces up to 20 years in prison.

Gov. Haley suspended Johnson from office in February and Bartell was appointed the interim. Johnson is among eight South Carolina sheriffs in the past four years to face legal problems.

He was elected to the Williamsburg County office in May 2010, after Kelvin Washington left the post to serve as US Marshal for the District of South Carolina.

Bartell will continue to serve as Sheriff until after the January election when a new Sheriff will be sworn in.

Voter turnout was low, Richardson said. In the Henry-Poplar Hill precinct just outside of Hemingway by 3 pm on Election Day only 47 folks had voted. In the Muddy Creek precinct voting was equally as light, poll workers there said.