Fort Mill voters will get a chance to question the six candidates running for four school board seats at a public forum on Sunday, Sept. 27, at Catawba Ridge High School.
The Fort Mill School Board Parent + Taxpayer Candidate Forum runs from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Former CN2 anchor Lucas McFadden, who spent more than 25 years in broadcasting, will host, according to the Fort Mill Sun. All candidates have been invited to participate.
The forum comes ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election, in which three incumbents and three challengers are competing for four at-large trustee seats on the board.
Who's running
Three sitting trustees filed to keep their seats by the Aug. 17 deadline: Joe Helms, Lipi Pratt and Michele Branning. Incumbent Wayne Bouldin did not file for reelection, according to the Post and Courier.
Three challengers also filed: Larry Barnett, Keith Griffin and Melissa Maynard.
Bouldin's open seat guarantees at least one new face on the board. With six candidates competing for four spots, at least two will be eliminated.
A growing district
The stakes are high for a district that has absorbed some of the fastest enrollment growth in South Carolina over the past decade, according to the Fort Mill Sun. All three Fort Mill high schools placed among the state's top 20 in the 2026 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings.
Catawba Ridge, the forum's host site, reported 1,704 students and a 95 percent graduation rate in those rankings. The next board will oversee decisions on budgets, facilities and staffing as enrollment continues to climb.
How to attend
The forum will focus on issues affecting Fort Mill families, students, schools and taxpayers, according to the Fort Mill Sun. A registration link is available through the event's Google Form.
Polls open for the general election on Nov. 3.
