There has been much discussion and speculation concerning the date of municipal elections in the City of Mullins.  To set the record straight and dispel as much of the disinformation being circulated as possible, the following is the official position of the City of Mullins:

On January 29, 2026, the Interim City Attorney was asked, at the request of Council, to be prepared to address Council at a meeting on the topic of a change of dates of the municipal elections for the City of Mullins, what procedure would be required, and how Council would proceed should a decision be made.  That topic was placed on the Agenda of the February 10, 2026, Council Meeting. 

In the course of his preparation for such a presentation, the Interim City Attorney discovered that although municipal elections in Mullins had been held in November of even-numbered years (in conjunction with the General Election) for many years, Section 2.08.10 (b) of the Municipal Code of City of Mullins stated the municipal elections would be held on the first Tuesday, following the first Monday in April of odd-numbered years.  The initial version of the Ordinance was passed by City Council in May, 2004.  When the Mullins Code of Ordinances was recodified and adopted as the Municode in January, 2016, Section 2.08.10 in its current form became the most current version of the Ordinance, any prior conflicting or inconsistent ordinances being specifically repealed.  Despite significant effort, no changes or modifications to the Ordinance have been found that would modify the Ordinance 2.08.10 to provide for municipal elections to be held in November of even-numbered years.  Further, searching of the records of the City of Mullins and the office of Marion County Voter Registration and Elections, no evidence of any notification of Marion County Voter Registration and Elections had been made.

Prior to Council Meeting the February 10, 2026, Mayor Pickett, the City Administrator and the Clerk were advised of the situation and the potential issues, and that all of Council needed to be made aware the potential consequences of having elections that did not comply with the City of Mullins’ own Ordinance.  In addition, once Council had been made aware that the City Ordinance was not being followed, that Marion County Voter Registration and Elections would have to be notified of the Ordinance and municipal elections would have to be held in accordance with the existing Ordinance until such time as the Ordinance was changed through appropriate action of Council.  On February 16, 2026, Marion County Voter Registration and Elections was notified by the Interim City Attorney of the necessity of conducting municipal elections for the City of Mullins in accordance with the City Ordinance, that is, on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of April in odd-numbered years.

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Carolyn Wilson, Mayor Pro Tem