Newberry City Commission incumbents swept the races for Seats 1, 2 and 3 in Tuesday’s election at the Mentholee Norfleet Municipal Building, securing new two-year terms.
With 72% of the votes, Rick Coleman will remain in Seat 1 after defeating challenger Brandy Oldman 602 to 234.
”Thank you for your trust, your support, and your vote,” Coleman posted on Facebook. “We have achieved so much together—from record investments in Ag Tech to keeping our utility rates the lowest in the region—and I am ready to get back to work to keep Newberry moving forward.”
Mark Clark and Monty Farnsworth will also return to Seats 2 and 3, respectively, in what each has announced will be their final terms.
Clark’s 531 votes defeated youth sports coach David Wallace’s 296. In a text to Mainstreet after the win, Clark said, “Glad it’s over.”
Wallace congratulated Clark in a Facebook post.
“To Mark’s supporters naturally I voted for myself but your vote for Mark was a good choice. He’s done the job, he’s put in the effort and he’s earned your votes,” Wallace said.
A 68-vote margin awarded Farnsworth the plurality win with 399 votes versus Newberry Planning and Zoning Board Member Naim Erched’s 331 and J.D. Mercado’s 111. The new term will add to Farnsworth’s title of Newberry’s longest serving official.
“Thank you to all the citizens of Newberry for allowing me to serve you for 2 more years. You don’t realize what an honor it is for you to allow me to do so,” Farnsworth posted to Facebook.
Erched also posted, writing, “While we fell short tonight, I am incredibly proud of the campaign we ran and deeply thankful for every person who stood beside us.”
In thanking her supporters on Facebook, Oldman said the volume of attacks and misleading, AI-generated content made the race challenging. Oldman also still awaits charges of battery that are under review by the state for throwing Planning and Zoning Board Member Jessica Carey’s phone after a candidate forum.
Regardless, Oldman said she was proud of the campaign she ran.
“Although the results didn’t go our way, this is not the end of my involvement,” she said. “The work doesn’t end on Election Day. I will continue to stay engaged and work to hold our leaders accountable, as should you.”
The city will swear in the commissioners at an upcoming regular City Commission meeting.
“Congratulations to all the winners, incumbents will maintain, will keep Newberry rolling,” said City Manager Jordan Marlowe while livestreaming the Board of Canvassers meeting where the votes were tallied.
He also encouraged additional voter turnout at the next election, saying residents can’t use traffic as an excuse for missing the polls.
