Voters Say 'Yes' to Riley's 10th Term

CHARLESTON - Charleston's long-serving Mayor Joe Riley will begin his 10th term in January, on track to serve 40 years in the city's top job.

Despite a contentious race in which Riley took aim at an anonymous group running ads against him, and a bevy of challengers who campaigned on change in the city, Riley walked away from a five-way race without a runoff.

"We will win it outright," he said Tuesday night before the election results were certified. "I am very proud of the confidence the voters have shown in me."

With all precincts reporting shortly after 10 p.m. Riley had racked up 10,663 votes - 67.52 percent of ballots cast. His closest challenger, City Councilman Dudley Gregorie pulled in 4,202 votes for 26.61 percent.

Outspoken Charleston conservative David Farrow placed third with 474 votes for 3 percent. Charleston school teacher David Jelks wound up fourth with 280 votes for 1.77 percent. John's Island business owner Joshua Kennedy got 151 votes for .96 percent. Twenty-two people cast write-in ballots.

"I'm looking forward to the best four years we've ever had," Riley said.

Riley ran on his record, a laundry list of accomplishments and accolades the city has received in recent years. From being named the top tourist destination in the U.S. and the third best worldwide by Conde Nast, to a crime rate that has dropped by 50 percent in the past three years, to a successful small business incubator program that has given birth to more than 20 local tech companies, Riley focused on a theme of proven leadership throughout the campaign and voters appeared to have taken the message to heart.

Riley said he thought that despite the change mantra coming from opposing campaigns, when voters looked critically at the criticism that he has been in office too long, they found them empty.

"The bromides in the election, it's time for a change, 36 years is too long, but what does that mean?" Riley said.

Instead, Riley said, voters were looking to see if the city administration is working hard to make the city safe, keeping the city clean and fostering a high quality of life by creating and maintaining parks and usable public space.

"I think this vote was a resounding affirmation of that," Riley said.