The South Carolina Baptist Convention’s officers for 2013, from left: Luella Sargent, recording secretary; Keith Shorter, first vice president; Ralph Carter, president; Micah Lane, second vice president; and Shane Donald, registration secretary.
South Carolina Baptist messengers elected a new slate of officers Nov. 14 at their annual meeting at the TD Convention Center in Greenville.
President
Ralph Carter, pastor of Brushy Creek Baptist Church in Taylors, was elected president with 349 of 553 votes cast. Ty Childers, pastor of Fairview Baptist Church, Spartanburg, received 204 votes.
First Vice President
Keith Shorter, pastor of Mt. Airy Baptist Church, Piedmont, was elected first vice president. Shorter received 234 of 389 votes in a runoff with Jeff Whaley, pastor of Secona Baptist Church, Pickens, who received 155 votes in the runoff.
In the vote preceding the runoff, in which no candidate received 50 percent of votes, Shorter received 237 of 550 votes cast, Whaley received 169 votes, and Frankie Melton, pastor of Heath Springs Baptist Church, received 144 votes.
Other offices
Micah Lane, pastor of Socastee Baptist Church in Myrtle Beach, was elected second vice president without opposition.
Luella Sargent, a member of Pickens First Baptist Church and ministry assistant at Eastside Baptist Church, Liberty, was elected recording secretary without opposition.
Shane Donald, pastor of Tanglewood Baptist Church, Easley, was elected registration secretary without opposition.