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Aiken County Council

What the County Council Does:

Aiken County Council plays a central role in shaping how and where development happens across the county by adopting zoning ordinances, approving rezonings, and setting policies that guide growth, infrastructure, and land use. While planning staff and planning commissions review proposals, the Council ultimately makes the decisions that determine whether large projects move forward, what conditions are applied, and how they align with the community’s long-term plans, including the County Comprehensive Plan. Because council members are elected to represent specific districts, they rely on input from residents to understand local concerns about issues like traffic, environmental impact, rural character, and property values. That’s why it’s important to share your thoughts directly with your council member—your feedback can influence how they vote and help ensure that development reflects the priorities of the people who live there.

Local Elections Matter. How the County Council Gets Elected:

Aiken County Council members are elected by voters within their individual districts, ensuring each area of the county has local representation. Council members typically serve four-year terms, with elections held on a staggered cycle so that not all seats are up for election at the same time—this provides continuity in leadership while still allowing for regular voter input. Elections are partisan and take place during the general election cycle, with primaries held beforehand if needed. Because of this structure, residents have ongoing opportunities to influence county leadership by voting in their district’s election when their council seat comes up.

For the 2026 election cycle, key dates generally follow South Carolina’s statewide schedule. The primary elections are typically held in June 2026, with any necessary runoff elections two weeks later. The general election will take place in November 2026. Voter registration deadlines usually fall about 30 days before each election, and early voting is offered in the weeks leading up to the primary and general elections. Because exact dates and any changes are set by the state election commission, residents should check official South Carolina election resources as the election approaches to confirm deadlines, polling locations, and early voting options.

How to Contact Your Representative:

Option 1: Easiest Way - Check Your Voter Registration

If you are registered to vote, the easiest way to determine your representative is to look up your voter registration on SCVOTES.ORG

Once you pull up your registration, check your County Council voting district (highlighted in yellow below):
Option 2: Check your address on this interactive map:

Once in the map:

  1. Search for your property address
  2. Under layers, select Political>County Council Districts
  3. Your council district will display
Now that you know your district, find your representative's contact information below:

Please note, we encourage all your interactions with officials be professional and respectful. Professional interactions will get more attention and be taken more seriously. If your council person frequently votes against your community’s interests, then get involved in local elections. Often council members run unopposed. 

Upcoming Council Meetings

05
May, 2026

Aiken County Planning Commission

The Aiken County Planning Commission is basically the group that helps guide how land gets used and developed in the county. They don’t usually make the final decisions—but they make recommendations that carry a lot of weight with County Council. Here is what they do:

Review Development and Zoning Requests

This is their biggest role

Then they recommend approve / deny / modify to County Council.

Help shape land-use policy

They work with the county’s long-term plan (Comprehensive Plan), which guides:

Think of this as the “big picture” for Aiken’s future growth.

Review plats and site plans

More technical side:

They’re making sure developments are safe, logical, and compliant.

Public input forum

Planning Commission meetings are often where:

This is often the first battleground before something goes to County Council.

Contact information for current Planning Commission members

Joel Duke

Planning Director
JDuke@aikencountysc.gov

Andrew Marine

At Large
amarine@mindspring.com

Grace Vance

District 1
grace467@icloud.com

Rex Nordeen

District 2
behive222@aol.com

Jason Palmer

District 3, Chair
jasonpalmer0000@gmail.com

James Hudgins

District 4
hudgins.jodi@gmail.com

David McGhee

District 5
david.sitec@comcast.net

Liz Stewart

District 7
lstewart@stewartandassociates.com

Vacant Seats

District 6
District 7

Aiken County Legislative Delegation

The Aiken County Legislative Delegation is made up of state senators and representatives who represent the county in the South Carolina General Assembly. They pass state laws, influence local board appointments, and advocate for funding and policies that affect Aiken County.