Doug Seifert declares victory as Beaufort County sheriff

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Doug Seifert has won the race for Beaufort County sheriff, taking the helm of the department as its first new leader in more than two decades.Seifert defeated Alphonso Small Jr. in a historic election cycle that drew record turnout, including roughly a third of the county’s registered voters casting ballots during early voting.The outcome concludes a campaign focused heavily on public safety priorities and agency leadership:Doug Seifert campaigned on doubling the department’s drug division, creating a dedicated traffic team, and exploring a new substation on St. Helena Island.Alphonso Small Jr. centered his platform on increasing transparency, hosting more community meetings, and boosting deputy visibility in neighborhoods.Both candidates cited their prior service as elected officials as key preparation for overseeing county law enforcement and managing the department’s budget.