News Summary
Mike Ward has been elected as the newest councilmember of Irmo after winning a special election. Securing 57.3% of the votes, Ward aims to use his background in technology for the betterment of the community. Despite low voter turnout, he expressed gratitude to supporters and emphasized the importance of listening in his new role. The vacant seat followed Erik Sickinger’s resignation amid legal issues. Ward previously ran for mayor and held positions in local organizations involving community engagement and education advocacy.
Irmo – Mike Ward has been elected as the newest councilmember of Irmo following a special election held on June 3, 2025. Ward secured his position with 57.3% of the votes, totaling 333 votes. His competitors, George Frazier and Ed Greco, received 166 and 82 votes, respectively. These election results are based on unofficial counts, with 83% of the precincts in Richland County and 67% in Lexington County reporting their results. The election marked a low voter turnout, with 6.3% participation from registered voters in Richland County and 7.8% in Lexington County.
The voter registration numbers from both counties indicate 5,556 registered voters in Richland and 2,937 in Lexington. Although turnout was modest, Ward expressed his gratitude towards the over 300 supporters who turned out to cast their ballots. He shared his intent to approach his new role with humility, focusing on listening and learning about the council’s functions before taking action.
Ward’s main objectives as a new member of the town council are informed by his professional background in technology and cybersecurity, which he plans to leverage for the betterment of Irmo. The council seat became available following the resignation of Erik Sickinger, the former Mayor Pro Tem, who left his position on March 6, 2025, after facing serious legal issues related to criminal sexual conduct with a minor. In light of this vacancy, Barb Waldman was unanimously appointed as the new Mayor Pro Tem during a town meeting held on March 18, 2025.
Mike Ward is currently the chair of the Okra Strut Commission, which organizes Irmo’s annual Okra Strut Festival, an event that brings the community together. He also owns two small businesses: Turtle Creek Concepts and Tech for Older Adults. In addition to his local involvement, Ward plays a significant role in education advocacy as the vice president of advocacy for the South Carolina PTA and serves as president of the South Carolina chapter of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and the private sector aimed at promoting security awareness.
This is not Ward’s first attempt at a political office; he ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2019 and also contested for a seat on the Board of Trustees for the Lexington-Richland School District Five in 2024. The official certification of the election results is set to take place on Thursday, following the unofficial announcement.
As Irmo welcomes Mike Ward to the town council, residents and stakeholders look forward to seeing how he will implement his innovative ideas while ensuring to listen to the community he serves.
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Additional Resources
- WLTX: South Carolina Election Results – June 3
- Wikipedia: Elections in South Carolina
- ABC Columbia: Voters Head to Polls for Town of Irmo Special Election
- Google Search: Irmo Special Election 2025
- Post and Courier: Mike Ward Wins Irmo Town Council Seat
- Google Scholar: Irmo Town Council
- The State: Irmo Town Council Election Results
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Election
- WACH: Irmo Passes Instant Runoff Voting Resolution
- Google News: Irmo Political News
Author: STAFF HERE LEXINGTON WRITER
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