The next Spartanburg County sheriff gets a smaller salary than his predecessor
- Charles Reams
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
Next Spartanburg County Sheriff to get a smaller paycheck than his predecessor
The winner of November’s special election for Spartanburg County Sheriff will receive a paycheck of less than half of former Sheriff Chuck Wright’s most recent salary, at least for the first year.
Council members voted Wednesday to set the first-year salary of the new sheriff at $100,000, plus a $15,000 stipend.
Wright’s salary had been $219,000 with a $15,000 stipend.
“It was quite a difficult discussion,” said council chairman Manning Lynch. “But it was a unanimous vote. We talked through things until everybody got to a good place.”
Lynch said council members “feel so betrayed and let down” by Wright, whose controversies include the alleged misuse of a county credit card.
He said the idea isn’t to punish the future sheriff, but to set a conservative baseline for pay at a time of uncertainty.
“Here’s the deal: according to state law, we cannot lower the sheriff’s salary – we can only raise it,” Lynch said.
He added, “Certainly, going down the road, the salary would likely go up.”
New sheriff's pay will be less than half of Wright's salary
Several of the candidates in the crowded special election Republican primary field weighed in on the news that their starting pay would be less than half of Wright’s most recent salary.
For Rusty Clevenger, who serves in an elected role as Spartanburg County Coroner, winning the sheriff’s race would mean taking a pay cut, at least at first. He currently makes a little more than $120,000 a year.
He said there are upper-level staff members of the Sheriff’s Office who earn more than their new boss will be paid after the special election – making it difficult for the next leader to “make effective change” during what is sure to be a challenging transition.
“I know of no other job where the structure is set up like it was introduced yesterday,” he said.
Nonetheless, Clevenger said the County Council’s decision on the salary would have no bearing on his campaign. “I have given my word," to serve, he said.
Another candidate, Ric Stephens, said he found the decision to reduce the sheriff’s pay “confusing.” He said it could make the job less attractive to experienced leaders.
Still, he said, “For me, it's not about the money and not about the title. I’m doing it for the children – and all the people – of Spartanburg County.”
On Facebook, Nick Duncan, who opposed Wright in last year’s GOP primary and was one of the first to announce a bid for the special election, described the council’s decision as “big news” and added, “I am still running for Spartanburg County Sheriff.”
Other candidates in the special election include Adam Crisp, Bill Rhyne, Gregg Satterfield, Randy Hollifield, Andy Clark, and Joseph Hawes.
What is the salary for sheriffs in Greenville and Anderson counties?
Official filing for sheriff begins on June 13 and runs through June 21.
Wright was one of the state’s highest-paid sheriffs.
Spartanburg’s next sheriff will have a lower starting salary than those in counties of a similar size.
A Spartanburg County spokesperson provided salary information from other counties for perspective.
The Greenville County Sheriff is set to make $211,343 in the 2026 fiscal year, and the Anderson County Sheriff will earn $163,720.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office has a staff of more than 500 employees, according to the office’s website.
