Republican Carl Ritchie has defeated Democrat Kristin Graziano in a tight election for Charleston County sheriff, carrying 51% of the turnout. The result brings the sheriff’s office back under GOP leadership after Graziano was elected in 2020. Ritchie, who has 33 years of local law enforcement experience, will take over as sheriff in January and plans to “right this ship” immediately.
Ritchie vows to make the jail safer, recruit more deputies, and provide stronger leadership and training to staff. He also aims to lower crime rates through a visible community policing strategy. His plan includes hiring a jail administrator, private security, and an HR professional to onboard new staff. Ritchie plans to pay for these positions using existing budget funds.
Ritchian’s campaign focused on public safety, not politics, and he has pledged to enforce the law equitably. He will meet with Graziano in the coming weeks to facilitate a smooth transition.
The outgoing sheriff, Kristin Graziano, had faced criticism for the high number of inmate deaths during her tenure and an ongoing federal investigation into potential abuse at the jail. A Post and Courier analysis found over 30 lawsuits filed against the sheriff’s office under Graziano’s leadership.
Source: https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/carl-ritchie-wins-charleston-county-sheriff-election/article_df0fb554-9148-11ef-937d-efd5ae9d9b59.html