All Charleston municipal elections are required to benon-partisan, but most candidates can be affiliated with political parties. Charleston uses atwo-round system, where election runoffs are held if no candidate obtains the majority of the vote.
The2019 Charleston mayoral election took place on November 5, 2019, to elect themayor ofCharleston, South Carolina. IncumbentDemocratic MayorJohn Tecklenburg ran for re-election to a second consecutive term. A runoff was held on November 19, 2019, since no candidate surpassed 50%. In the runoff, John Tecklenburg was easily re-elected.[1]
The2023 Charleston mayoral election took place on November 7, 2023, to elect themayor ofCharleston, South Carolina. IncumbentDemocratic MayorJohn Tecklenburg ran for re-election to a third consecutive term. A runoff was held on November 23, 2023, since no candidate surpassed 50%. In the runoffRepublicanWilliam Cogswell defeated Democratic Mayor John Tecklenburg. Cogswell became the first Republican mayor of Charleston sincereconstruction whenGeorge Cunningham left office in 1877. Tecklenburg became the first mayor of Charleston to lose a re-election since 1959.[4][5][6]
The election was officiallynon-partisan, but several candidates were affiliated with political parties.
