Richland County Auditor Paul Brawley has announced he will not seek re-election for a sixth term.
First elected in 2006, Brawley was the first African American elected to one of Richland County’s seven county-wide elected positions. Brawley will not file for re-election in March but will complete his current term, which ends June 30, 2027. In South Carolina, auditors and treasurers assume office July 1, the first day of the fiscal year following their election.
“It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Richland County as their County Auditor,” Brawley said. “I have taken great pride in making the Auditor’s Office transparent and accessible to the taxpayers of Richland County, while stressing to my staff the importance of prompt and courteous customer service,” Brawley said.
Brawley modernized the Auditor’s Office with innovative technology and implemented a system that allowed staff to safely continue serving taxpayers during the height of the pandemic shutdown. He revised County tax bills to improve transparency and more capably show taxpayers where their tax dollars are spent among County agencies.
Brawley often speaks at neighborhood and community meetings throughout Richland County, answering taxpayers’ questions and sharing information and updates on property taxes. His leadership is respected and recognized by his colleagues throughout the state, who elected him as President of the South Carolina Association of Countywide Elected Executives and President of the South Carolina Association of Auditors, Treasurers and Tax Collectors.
After 38 years of public service in state and local government, Brawley, a life-long Richland County resident, said he intends to remain active in his community after retirement.
