Staff Writer

A former deputy wants to be Union County's next sheriff.

David Taylor says he will seek the Democratic nomination for sheriff in June 2008. Even though the primary is eight months away, Taylor said he decided to announce his candidacy in response to rumors that he would run.

“In this day and age, you need to start early; I want to get my name out there,” Taylor said. “There's been rumors that I was going to run and I wanted to eliminate the rumors. I'll definitely be running and I'll be filing in March.”

Taylor is running to succeed Howard Wells, who is in his fourth term as sheriff. Wells said this morning that he plans to seek a fifth term.

A lifelong resident of Union County, Taylor, 51, graduated from Jonesville High School in 1974 and attended USC-Union. He went to work for the sheriff's office in 1981 and remained there until 1993 when he went to work for the Spartanburg County Environmental Services Division. After retiring from government service in 2005, Taylor went to work for Olber Inc., a Charlotte, N.C.-based engineering firm. To devote himself to his campaign for sheriff, Taylor said he has notified the company that he will resign as of Dec. 31.

While he will announce a detailed platform after the first of the year, Taylor said he is running to provide a new direction for law enforcement in Union County that will enable deputies to do their jobs better and more effectively fight crime.

“I've always been involved in law enforcement to some degree,” Taylor said. “I think people are ready to look at new technology, at new things that are out there that will make the jobs of the deputies easier.”

Taylor and his wife, Betty Jo, have four children and one grandchild. He is the son of Ethel Taylor and the late Herbert Taylor.

For more information on Taylor and his candidacy, log on at www.VoteDavidTaylorSheriff.com.