Who Controls Public Safety and DUI Policy in Horry County?
County Council pays for police, jails and 911. The General Assembly writes DUI law. Here is how the pieces fit, with the records to check.
Horry County politics, sorted by who actually has the authority
County council, city hall and the State House each control different pieces of life on the coast. We explain which one decides, what the ordinance or bill says, and which public record backs it up.
Most arguments about local government start with the wrong office. A pothole on a state highway isn't a county problem. A DUI penalty isn't a council vote. Growth, drainage and patrol staffing, on the other hand, run straight through the county budget. We start every story by naming who decides, then we link the document.
Posted: where this site came from
Voteforjohncassidy.com was John Cassidy's campaign site in 2022, when he ran as a Republican for S.C. House District 61. He was also known locally through Duplicates INK in Conway. The site no longer campaigns for him or anyone else. His 2022 material is kept as a labeled archive in the District 61 section, separate from current reporting.
What's moving this week
- Gov. McMaster declines calling for SC-wide data center moratorium as more counties pass their ownSouth Carolina Public Radio
- SC inmate guilty in stabbing death of 3 during prison riot, jury decidesSC Daily Gazette
- Officials say SC needs more housing options for military service members and their familiesSouth Carolina Public Radio
- SC governor recognized for preserving records, making them easy to accessSC Daily Gazette
- Facing a lawsuit, SC Ports ratifies former CEO's severance deal a year laterSC Daily Gazette
- SC gets approval for 2-week red snapper season as lawsuit continuesSC Daily Gazette
County Council sets the budget, the tax rate and the ordinances for everyone outside city limits, plus countywide services like the jail, 911 and emergency medical service. We read the agenda packets so the meeting makes sense before it starts.
Latest: Who Controls Public Safety and DUI Policy in Horry County?
From the Grand Strand political desk
- Stumbo vs. Goldfinch for Republican AG NominationGrand Strand Daily
- School Board Chairman RaceGrand Strand Daily
- Three Candidates Vie for School Board District 3 Republican NominationGrand Strand Daily
Conway is the county seat, but its city council answers to city voters, not the county. Zoning, city police and downtown projects inside the city limits are decided on Main Street, a few blocks from the county building.
Read the Conway sectionGovernor, attorney general and the other statewide offices are on the November 3, 2026 ballot, and Gov. Henry McMaster leaves office in January. We track what statewide races mean for coastal counties, sourced to filings and public statements.
Statewide this week
- Gov. McMaster declines calling for SC-wide data center moratorium as more counties pass their ownSouth Carolina Public Radio
- Officials say SC needs more housing options for military service members and their familiesSouth Carolina Public Radio
- SC lawmakers start new committee to tackle AI regulationsSouth Carolina Public Radio
DUI law, school funding formulas and the rules for county government all come out of the State House. We follow bills from filing to vote and link the text so you can read what passed.
Out of Columbia
- SC inmate guilty in stabbing death of 3 during prison riot, jury decidesSC Daily Gazette
- SC governor recognized for preserving records, making them easy to accessSC Daily Gazette
- Facing a lawsuit, SC Ports ratifies former CEO's severance deal a year laterSC Daily Gazette
This domain began as a 2022 campaign site for House District 61. Here we keep that history clearly labeled as an archive, and cover the seat itself through the public record.
Read the District 61 sectionDates, ballots, filing deadlines and where to check your registration. We don't rank candidates or predict winners; we tell you what's on the ballot and where the official information lives.
Read the Local Elections sectionBefore your first council meeting
What should I know before getting into Horry County politics?
Start with who decides. Horry County Council, the city councils in places like Conway and Myrtle Beach, and the General Assembly in Columbia each control different things, so a complaint sent to the wrong body goes nowhere. County Council meets the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Government & Justice Center in Conway, and agendas are posted ahead of time. Read the agenda before you go.
How much does Horry County politics cost in Conway, Horry County, Myrtle Beach, Grand Strand, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest, Aynor, Loris, Georgetown County, South Carolina, South Carolina House District 61?
Following local government costs nothing. Council and city meetings are open to the public, agendas and minutes are posted online, and South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act lets anyone request public records, though agencies may charge reasonable fees for searching and copying. Running for office is different: candidates pay a filing fee set by state law, and the S.C. Election Commission publishes the current requirements.