Merchant wins 2nd term as Sumter mayor

The City of Sumter will see the same leader at its helm for the next four years, as David Merchant won enough votes to secure a victory outright Nov. 5.

Merchant's 57.91% of the vote between four candidates, or 8,818 votes, avoided a runoff situation because he earned a majority of the votes. It will be Merchant's second term.

"We just feel positivity prevailed in the city of Sumter tonight and just a positive message, trying to move Sumter forward, and in our race we're excited about the confidence that voters have in me for four more years," Merchant told The Sumter Item Tuesday night. "We're excited about the confidence [voters] have in the penny and the excitement that we have moving forward with the success of the penny tonight, so just positive messages all around prevail."

Before becoming mayor in 2020, Merchant served two terms on city council under former Mayor Joseph McElveen. In his time as mayor, Merchant has put his focus on the Manning Avenue and North Main Corridor project - a project that has been in the works throughout Merchant's first term and is set to begin construction next year. Throughout his campaign for a second term, Merchant has said that he has "unfinished business" he wants to see through, such as the above-mentioned projects.

Foxy Rae Campbell, who ran against Merchant in 2020 as well, came in second with 26.2% of the vote, or 3,990 votes. T. Frank Adams II came in third with 7.83% of the vote, or 1,192 votes, followed by Reginald Evans, who got 7.51% of the vote, or 1,143 votes.

There were 85 write-ins.