New sheriff for Aiken

Aiken County voters signaled in last month's GOP primary that they want a change in the Sheriff's Department when they overwhelmingly favored Aiken Public Safety Department Lt. Mike Hunt over interim Sheriff Jody Rowland, a protege of Howard Sellers. Sellers resigned in midterm to take a Homeland Security post.

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Today, Aiken Countians will decide how much change they want - whether to keep the department in Republican hands or turn it over to a Democrat. Hunt is considered a certain winner over his city public safety colleague, Democratic Lt. Donald Butler.

Hunt is an impressive, experienced law-enforcer with some good plans for the department, but elections are like sports - upsets happen all the time. If Butler has no chance of winning, there'd be no need to hold the election.

The danger for both sides is complacency. Hunt's voters may take the day off because they figure the election's in the bag. Butler's people may do the same because they don't think their man can win. Regardless of what the pundits say, the winner will be whoever does the best job of getting his supporters to the polls.

Remember, the lower the turnout the more important each vote becomes. Aiken Countians who have a preference for sheriff would be foolish to take anything for granted. Be sure to vote.

--From the Tuesday, May 13, 2003 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle