SUMTER, S.C. — A longtime member of the Sumter City Council member has died, city officials confirmed to News19 on Thursday.
A city spokesperson said that Mayor Pro-Tem Thomas "Bubba" Lowery died on Wednesday. A longtime member of the council, Lowery had only recently decided not to run for re-election.
According to The Sumter Item, Lowery had served as the representative of Ward 1 for 20 years. The newspaper added that he died at age 76 at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital though the specific cause was not specified.
Meanwhile, as a community just begins to come to grips with the loss of a longtime public servant and representative, the race to fill his seat is already underway.
State elections information shows five candidates vying for the seat he held for so many years. Early voting in the race is already underway with the official election being held on Nov. 8.