2023 elections: 3 incumbent Greenville City Councilmembers will run again along with mayor

Incumbent city councilmembers Dorothy Dowe, John DeWorken and Ken Gibson are all running for re-election this year, The Greenville News has confirmed.

Dowe’s announcement came March 15, a day before election candidate filing opened statewide, while DeWorken sent out a statement March 7. Gibson confirmed to The News Feb. 27 he would run again.

"As a first-time candidate I ran on my vision for Greenville; this time I am running on my record," Dowe said in her statement. "I hope citizen confidence in my abilities has solidified over the past four years and that I have earned the privilege to keep serving and making a difference. "

Incumbent mayor Knox White announced he will seek re-election for an eighth term March 9.

Here's what to know about Dorothy Dowe

Dowe, originally from New York City, has lived in Greenville for 30 years. She has served on City Council since 2019, when she soundly defeated Republican incumbent at-large George Fletcher in a high-turnout city election, triggering a shift to Democratic majority on City Council.

Dowe, who is one of two women on City Council, serves as vice mayor pro-tem. She is the council liaison to the Greenville Transit Authority, the Greenville Downtown Airport and serves on the VisitGreenvilleSC board of directors. Aside from her official duties, Dowe serves as director of her academic consulting firm.

While on council, Dowe has worked to support affordable housing, public transportation and green space, and to manage the city's growth, among other issues. A vocal representative, she often speaks her mind at council meetings and is unafraid to be a lone vote on high-profile city issues, saying she "votes with her conscience."

Her first of such votes came in 2020 when she was newly elected to City Council. Councilmembers voted 6 to 1 to approve the county's $1 billion proposal for redeveloping County Square, 37 acres of publicly owned, prime real estate in downtown Greenville. Dowe, who ran on a platform that included skepticism for the project, said she voted against it due to community concerns about the project's impact on housing affordability and displacement in the area.

Dowe also voted in favor of a city-wide moratorium in 2021 alongside minority district representatives Lillian Brock Flemming and Gibson, and voted against the Woven project in West Greenville in 2022 due to the project's scale and timing of the city's new development code.

Her most controversial vote came in spring 2022, when City Council voted 5-2 to use tourism taxes to partially pay for the Honor Tower in Unity Park. Dowe voted against using the money along with councilmember at-large Russell Stall, expressing concerns about government transparency and political prioritization of the park. Her decision drew ire from some residents and community leaders at the meetings.

In addition to affordable housing and public transit, Dowe is running on other issues such as sustainability, infrastructure and public safety.

Here's what to know about John DeWorken

DeWorken, a Republican, was elected in 2019 after Democrat Russell Stall beat him for an at-large seat in 2017. He represents District 1, which covers neighborhoods on the north end of the city including North Main, the Stone Lake area, the Bob Jones University area and Overbrook.

DeWorken is originally from Michigan but has spent 31 years in South Carolina. He has worked for over 20 years in state-level advocacy and spent seven years at the Greenville Chamber, where he ultimately became the vice president of public policy. Now, he runs a pro-business government relations firm with his wife, Sunnie Harmon.

DeWorken served as president of the North Main Community Association and was active in the Overbrook neighborhood prior to moving to North Main. He is also a former vice-chairman of the Greenville Transit Authority board, and was instrumental in moving it under city administration.

DeWorken is campaigning on issues like strengthening neighborhoods, protecting green space, shoring up city parks and investing in traffic safety and infrastructure. He played a key role in securing funding in 2021 for the city's citywide pedestrian safety study, and used his state connections to help city officials interpret state pandemic guidance during COVID-19 in 2020. He has also brought improvements to North Main Rotary Park and Bobby Pearse Community Center, which was severely damaged by a storm.

"Although we have made many strides on those issues, we still have more work to do," DeWorken said in his statement. "That is why I am running for re-election. With your support, I have the energy and passion to fight for those issues important to all of us."

DeWorken was a vocal advocate for the Honor Tower in 2022, saying it would bolster economic development and tourism in the city and keep a promise to the city's minority community. He also supported the Woven project, saying it would support the neighborhood and small businesses. DeWorken also voted against the moratorium in 2021, saying the city could tailor better solutions to fix the problem.

Here's what to know about Ken Gibson

Ken Gibson has represented District 3 since 2019, when Jil Littlejohn reversed course on her months-long public intention to seek re-election just as the deadline to run passed.

The District 3 seat she held for 10 years passed to Gibson, a Democrat whom Littlejohn endorsed via Facebook as part of her announcement not to run again. District 3 includes neighborhoods like Nicholtown, Sterling and the areas off Laurens and Haywood roads and around the downtown airport.

During his time on council, Gibson has secured funding to rehabilitate Nicholtown Community Center and rebuild infrastructure in minority neighborhoods traditionally excluded from public investment. He has also voted to support affordable housing and public transportation.

Gibson supported the Honor Tower, saying it would honor the city's commitment to the Southernside community, and he voted against the Woven project due to concerns about gentrification and lack of integration with the surrounding neighborhood.

Gibson is a Greenville native and the son of Dr. W.F. Gibson, a civil rights leader, and Lottie Gibson, a civil rights activist and former longtime member of Greenville County Council. After graduating with honors from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, Gibson served in the United States Army and went on to obtain his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC.

After working at law firms like Jones Day, Greenberg Traurig and Womble Carlyle, Gibson opened his own criminal defense law office in Greenville. He formerly served on Greenville's Public Safety Citizen Review Board, the county Board of Zoning Appeals and the board of directors for Faces and Voices of Recovery – Greenville.

Greenville polls open Nov. 7

Filing for election candidates opens March 16 and closes March 30. Primaries will run in June and the general election is Nov. 7.

A commissioner of public works seat, held by Phillip Kilgore, is also up for grabs. Kilgore announced March 14 he would run again.

Check back for updates.

Macon Atkinson is the city watchdog reporter for The Greenville News. She's powered by long runs and strong coffee. Follow her on Twitter @maconatkinson. 

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: 3 Greenville city councilmembers will seek re-election in 2023 race