COUNTY — A new wrinkle developed last week in the race to become Pickens County’s first new sheriff in more than 40 years.
Keith Culbreath, who has been on the ticket from day one as the Independence Party candidate, said last week that he will withdraw his bid for the sheriff’s position and plans to throw his support toward petition candidate Tim Morgan. Culbreath cited the choice as a personal decision.

The race has been full of changes since the beginning, when four candidates sought the Republican nomination. A South Carolina Supreme Court decision on filing procedures left two candidates, Stan Whitten and Kerry Avery, off the ballot. The republican nomination was then down to two — 40-year incumbent C. David Stone and Rick Clark.
Clark defeated Stone and looked to be set to battle it out with Culbreath in the November General Election, but following Stone’s loss Whitten and long-time assistant sheriff Tim Morgan got to work to get their names on the November ballot as petition candidates. Both got the needed signatures verified and will be included.

At that point the ballot had four, until last week’s announcement by Culbreath.

“This has certainly been an interesting year,” Pickens County Election Commission director Rodney Allen said.