Greg Kitchens, Carl Ritchie to meet in News 2 forum

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Two Republicans hoping to become the next Charleston County sheriff will meet in a forum on News 2 Sunday.

WCBD’s Riley Benson will moderate the conversation between Greg Kitchens and Carl Ritchie during a special live edition of ‘2 The Point’ starting at 11 a.m.

With just days until the GOP primary, each candidate making his final pitch to voters on why he should advance to a general election matchup with incumbent Sheriff Kristin Graziano in November.

Kitchens earned 9,519 votes, 45 percent, while Ritchie earned 8,908 votes, 42 percent during the June 11 primary election.

In South Carolina, a candidate must receive at least 50% of the vote to win outright. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff.

Kitchens previously served as a deputy at the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, and Ritchie was the longtime chief of the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

The runoff will be held on June 25 with polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Any voter, including those who did not participate in the June 11 primary, can cast a ballot in the runoff. Those who voted in the Democratic primary are not eligible.

The Alhambra Hall voting precinct will be moved to Miram Brown Community Center (118 Royall Avenue, Mt. Pleasant) for the runoff election, officials said.

Additionally, the Mount Pleasant National Guard Armory precinct, which serves voters in Mt. Pleasant 3, Mt. Pleasant 15, and Mt. Pleasant 16, will be moved to the Town of Mount Pleasant Municipal Complex (100 Ann Edwards Lane) for the runoff.