Greenville County Council District 17 - Meet Your Candidates for the 2026 Republican Primary

Meet the primary candidates for Greenville County Council Candidates District 17 in the Republican primary on Tuesday, June 9: Joe Dill, John Ehlers, Travis Forrester, and James Hoard. Your vote is so important for the 2026 election! Please take a listen and share with your neighbors.

How the interviews worked:

All candidates received the same question at the time of their invitation to join us, and they were given 10 minutes for their interview. Candidates were allowed to bring along a companion, such as a campaign manager, family member, or friend, and to record our session themselves. There were no edits made to the interview.

Candidate links:

• Joe Dill

• John Ehlers - No website as of the time of our recording

• Travis Forrester

• James Hoard

Resources:

• Sample Ballot

• Episode on the 2026 Primaries

Primary Election Context and District 17 Overview

Katy Smith:

On Tuesday, June 9th, South Carolina holds its statewide primary elections. I'm Katy Smith with Greater Good Greenville, and over the next several weeks, we are pleased to bring you interviews with most of the candidates in contested races that are in Greenville County. 

Today, we feature candidates for the Republican primary for Greenville County Council, District 17, which generally covers northern Greenville County, including part of Travelers Rest, Blue Ridge, and Tigerville. Whichever candidate wins in the June primary will essentially be the new county council member, as they have no opposition from another party's candidate in November. 

But first, a quick primer on why primaries are so important. The statewide primaries are when political parties choose their candidates to be on the ballot in the general election on November 3rd. This primary on June 9th will be for important offices like State House of Representatives, Governor, state superintendent of education, Congress, one of our U.S. Senate seats, and our Greenville County Council. 

Some of these primary races will determine the winner in November because no one from a different party has filed to run, meaning that practically speaking, the June 9th primary is the election. In South Carolina, we don't register to vote by party, and all primaries are open, meaning you're free to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary ballot. 

Of course, there are other parties, but they don't have a primary in our state. We did an episode that explains how all this works, and we'll link it in the show notes for you. If you want to see which district you live in and who will be on your ballot, you can check out the links on the episode page for a sample ballot from the South Carolina Election Commission. 

All of the details on how these interviews worked are at the end of the episode and in the show notes. But in short, know that each candidate had the same three questions and 10 timed minutes to respond. To find links to each candidate's campaign information, please check the show notes. 

For this episode, we are joined by candidates for the Republican primary for Greenville County Council District 17: Joe Dill, John Ehlers, Travis Forrester, and James Hoard. 

Meet Joe Dill - Greenville County Council District 17 Candidate

First up, alphabetically, is Joe Dill. I'm pleased to be here with Joe Dill, who is running for Greenville County Council in District 17. Thanks so much for joining us today.

Joe Dill:

Thank you for having me. I'm glad to be here.

Katy Smith:

Great. Tell us about yourself and why you're running for office.

Joe Dill:

I've served on county council for 24 years, and prior to that, I served on school board for 12 years. I also served as chairman of the Greenville County School Board, and I've been the president of the South Carolina Association of Counties. 

I'm a member of the Appalachian Council of Governments. I was on the Greenville County Election Commission. I'm a member and past president of the Slater Marietta Lions Club. I'm also the minister of music at Blue Ridge Baptist Church.

Katy Smith:

Thank you. What do you believe are the biggest issues facing your constituents?

Joe Dill:

I think right now it's several things. One is the rapid growth, the infrastructure that's caused by all the growth, and also the need for additional law enforcement.

Katy Smith:

Thank you. What would be your priorities if elected?

Joe Dill:

I think we need to talk about a little history here. A year before I was taken out in the last election, a lot of changes were made on the county council. Developers and real estate agents from around the country got involved and spent a lot of money to get me off.

They saw that Greenville County was going to be a place where you could really flourish, grow, and do a lot of building. I had a lot of ordinances in place to protect the northern part and the southern part of Greenville County. 

This election took me out and changed all of that roughly five years ago. My number one priority is to try to get back those ordinances that were protecting us from overgrowth, or what some people call urban sprawl.

We should be requiring that the developer that builds a subdivision fixes the roads, does the road improvements, and the infrastructure. With that, we've got this problem of not enough law enforcement. 

Law enforcement, not just the deputies, runs through the whole system all the way to the courthouse where I work. We see every day that the numbers are growing. There are some good people moving in here and there are some bad people moving in here. 

The court system is just flooded, just like our neighborhoods are becoming flooded with overgrowth. I've been working with people in the community now for four years, trying to develop a plan. We're ready to release that plan, but they've got to have somebody that's got to vote. 

We've got some good people on county council who understand the problems and they want to do something about it. I can help them by being there and knowing from past experiences. My leadership will help them to be able to do those things.

Katy Smith:

Well, thank you so much for joining us and thank you for your willingness to serve.

Joe Dill:

Thank you.

Meet John Ehlers  - Greenville County Council District 17 Candidate

Katy Smith:

Next up is John Ehlers. I'm pleased to be joined by John Ehlers, who is running for Greenville County Council, District 17. Thanks so much for being here, John.

John Ehlers:

You're welcome. Thanks for having me.

Katy Smith:

Absolutely. Tell us about yourself and why you're running for office.

John Ehlers:

There's a lot to tell. Let's start with why I'm running. I think the thing that started it was when we had the major tax increase with the former councilman of my district. That really just set things in motion for me. 

I was there at the county meeting. My wife had dissected the budget; she had probably spent 40 hours on it. We knew a lot about it and we had reached out to him. We were really very much against it because it just had so much waste in the budget. 

Basically, that's what really got the ball rolling. I pretty much swore that night after the vote was yes that I’m running. I didn't like it. I was very upset. My goal is to reverse it if I can—not just vote against tax increases, but maybe lower taxes if possible. 

Anything's possible. It might be grand, the thought of it at this point, but that's what I want to do. I've lived in District 17 most of my life. I've worked in District 17 and the surrounding areas. 

I have had the opportunity to travel the country doing work for various companies, and I really enjoyed that part. But when we were younger, I remember people saying, "Can't you just wait to get out of Greenville? You want to get out of Greenville and go to someplace bigger and better." 

My answer was always, "No, I like it here. I love where I live." There was never really a "grass is greener on the other side" sort of thing. I just liked it here. 

Katy Smith:

Thank you. What do you believe are the biggest issues facing constituents?

John Ehlers:

I think in my district, the biggest issue for them right off the top is taxes. They're getting hit. We had the reassessment where everyone's value went up even more, so they're taxed off of that new value. 

Another thing that I may not have the ability to do anything about on council is the power bills. We're up there with Blue Ridge Electric Co-op, and they've got a peak hour, which was pitched as giving you the opportunity to save money. 

But people's power bills have tripled. I have a few rental properties and the tenants are struggling. They're behind in a lot of the bills. We work with them, but I see the power bills. 

For people that are wealthy, it's like a mosquito bite. It's a nuisance. But for people who are not so wealthy, it's more like a snake bite. It hurts and it's hurting them. I think that's probably the top issue. 

Of course, everyone's got issues with the roads. There's a lot going on with the roads. Some are state-owned and some are county-owned. I just drove down Poinsett Highway to get here. 

I noticed the road was in good condition, but we don't seem to be able to fix the manhole covers. They're like gigantic holes. It's not that the road is so bad, but it seems bad when you hit one of those. 

That's not necessarily a big expense to repair, but I think it gives people the idea that our roads are bad because they're hitting things that weren't made correctly to begin with. Those are two of the big ones. 

A lot of people are really concerned about their local fire departments and the paramedic service. So that's probably three on the list. Somewhere between two and three, let's put development. 

The majority of my district is very concerned with overdevelopment. We see all around Greenville just people getting crammed in with more houses. Take Woodruff Road, for instance. 

If you've been here for any period of time, you remember when that was farmland. Now it's a parking lot and a business area. We don't want that in North Greenville County. I'd say 90% of the people feel that way. That is another big concern up there in my area.

Katy Smith:

Thank you. What would be your priorities if elected?

John Ehlers:

One priority is just to make sure we don't raise taxes. We've got a lot of issues, one being Sheriff Hobart Lewis. He wants more money for his guys, and I've spoken with a lot of people about that. 

The general consensus is that they don't get paid enough. If Sheriff Hobart Lewis needs more money, then we need to get him some more money. But let's not immediately think about raising taxes to do that. 

There's plenty of money there. We just need to take it from some other projects that maybe aren't as important as the sheriff's patrol. That's a pretty important thing in the county. We need law and we need enforcement. 

Making sure we don't get a tax increase would be a top thing for me. The next priority would be looking at ways to curb the development in North Greenville County. That's really high up there and might be tied for first place because I'm deeply concerned about that.

More priorities would be transparency in our local government. As I said before, I've had a unique opportunity to get an earful from my wife about the budget. I saw a lot of things that I personally did not think we should be paying for. 

I didn't think it should even be in the budget. It could be taken care of by other entities than the taxpayer in Greenville County. I am also concerned about the fire department in my local area getting more funds for what they need. 

How do I get that money to them? I go back to what can we cut? What are we spending money on that we don't necessarily need? Or we could just decide it's more important over here with law enforcement and our paramedics. 

Katy Smith:

Thank you. We have a little bit more time. Is there anything else you'd like to share with listeners?

John Ehlers:

Wow, that was a quick 10 minutes. I know this isn't a video podcast, but I just came in and I'm actually still working. I just took a break from working. I live in this district, I grew up here, and I work here every day. 

I'm a blue-collar guy. I'm not a three-piece suit guy at all. If anyone knows me at all, they definitely know I'm not a politician. I've already been told I'm probably the most extreme candidate running for District 17 as far as my beliefs. 

But my beliefs are a reflection of the people in my district. I think I heard Lindsey Graham say when he did a vote recently where most of his constituents did not agree, that he was "voting his conscience." 

I will never be voting my conscience. I am voting the conscience of my district. I speak to people a lot. In my line of work, I have a small electrical company, so I'm in people's homes every day. 

I've been basically campaigning for about three years now, and I speak with people daily. They have a problem, they call me, and I fix that problem. That's why they keep calling me. I've never done any advertising. 

I want to apply that to this whole concept of being on county council. I want to fix some problems. Some problems we maybe don't even know are there. Some we know are there, but people don't think there is any kind of solution because they're not thinking outside of the box. 

I'm just a regular guy. I'm not a politician. Anyone who knows me or eats breakfast with me at the local restaurant in Marietta knows who I am and where I'm coming from. I am one of the people in District 17.

Katy Smith:

Well, thank you so much for joining us, and thank you so much for your willingness to serve.

John Ehlers:

You're welcome. Thank you.

Meet Travis Forrester - Greenville County Council District 17 Candidate

Katy Smith:

Next, we hear from Travis Forrester. I'm pleased to be joined by Travis Forrester, who's running for Greenville County Council District 17. Thanks so much for being here, Travis.

Travis Forrester:

Katy, thank you for having me. I really appreciate the opportunity to be with you guys today.

Katy Smith:

Tell us about yourself and why you're running for office.

Travis Forrester:

My name is Travis Forrester. I've spent most of my life here in District 17, mostly in the Blue Ridge community. My in-laws live in Travelers Rest in District 17. 

I've spent most of my life in the civil service field and public service, just really trying to do my best to serve people. When this opportunity came up because Joey Russo decided not to seek re-election, my phone started ringing. 

Family, friends, and partners I've worked with in the past said, "We really need someone strong on council to represent 17, and we think you would be the perfect fit for that job." 

District 17 has given so much to my family and my kids. It is a great place to live, work, and go to school. Because it's given so much to me, I want to do my best to turn around and give that back to District 17 and be the strongest voice for our constituents.

Katy Smith:

What do you believe are the biggest issues facing constituents?

Travis Forrester:

The biggest push right now for us up in 17 is growth and taxes. I think that's countywide. The person elected for council in 17 has to understand that we're not just 17's council; we're the whole county's voice. 

We have to make sure that we protect everybody while making sure that 17 is at the forefront. Financial responsibility across the board ties into taxes and also public service. 

All of our civil service partners need to be taken care of and need to be at the forefront to keep us safe and keep us functioning as a normal society. They need to make sure that they're taken care of.

Katy Smith:

What would be your priorities if elected?

Travis Forrester:

As we've traveled the district and attended different events, the thing I want people to know they're getting out of Travis is that I'm not a politician. I'm a resident of 17. 

I'm service-minded. I want to do what's right for the people. That starts with integrity, accountability, and most of all, transparency. I think we've had a lot of backdoor agreements and handshakes that constituents are not aware of, and that's not fair to them. 

Transparency needs to be at the forefront. They need to know what's going on and why it's going on. They need a voice. I've spent most of my career in civil service and the school district having hard conversations, even if it wasn't popular. 

I go to people face to face and say, "This is why this is being done," even if I know they aren't going to like it. That's what they need in 17. They need somebody that's going to stand up and tell them exactly how it is. 

I bring integrity and transparency to the table. There's not enough of that in politics, and I think it's because we have too many politicians in office and not enough of the common man.

Katy Smith:

We have a little bit more time. Is there anything else you'd like to share with listeners?

Travis Forrester:

I just want to say: do your homework. Constituents of 17 and in the county alike, do your homework. Make sure you vet the candidates that are running to represent you. 

Most of all, get out on June 9th and vote. That is your voice. That is how you put who you want in the office. It is your constitutional right to pick who you think will lead best. So just do me a favor and get out on June 9th and vote.

Katy Smith:

Well, thanks so much for joining us, and thanks so much for your willingness to serve.

Travis Forrester:

Thank you so much for this opportunity. I think it's a great thing you guys are doing.

Meet James Hoard - Greenville County Council District 17 Candidate

Katy Smith:

Last up is James Hoard. I'm pleased to be joined by James Hoard, who is a candidate for County Council District 17 in the Republican primary. Thanks so much for joining us.

James Hoard:

Well, thanks for having me. I'm glad to be here.

Katy Smith:

Tell us about yourself and why you're running for this office.

James Hoard:

My name is James Hoard, and I've been a resident of Taylors in Greenville County in this district for about 19 years. I moved here in 2007 looking for a place to set up roots. 

I knew people in the area and that's what drew me here. I had acquaintances and some family that lived down here. I've been politically active for all of those 19 years, working outside the government in various groups. 

I've been involved with the Republican Party and grassroots issues the entire time I've been here. I'm a very political person. As soon as I got here, I was asking where I could plug in, how to get involved, and how I could help. 

I've been doing that for 19 years as an outsider looking in. There comes a point when you can only do so much from the outside. I thought I could put my talents on the inside and maybe make a bigger difference. 

About four years ago, when our current councilman was elected, I had a face-to-face meeting with him. I said if he was a good councilman, I would be his biggest champion. 

I also told him that if he didn't do what I thought was good, then I was going to run against him. Well, he started out good, but then six months into his term, he was the swing vote to raise taxes to the highest tax rate in 30 years. 

I told him then that I was running against him. I've been gearing up and anticipating running against him. Now he's not running for reelection, so it's an open seat. That is the motivating factor for why I'm doing this.

The number one reason I'm running is to keep control of our taxes. We need to be fiscally responsible and fiscally transparent. We can't be raising taxes every year. We have to get control of the spending. 

Greenville City raised taxes last year 12%. Greer went up 8%. The school board went up 8%. All these different areas keep raising taxes. Greenville County went down a mill and a half, but it was a reassessment year. 

I got a cut in my millage rate, but my property taxes went up because my value went up. It's still a tax increase. Taxes are a huge issue as far as getting control of where we are spending our money without raising taxes. 

Government never loses money. Whether you have a bad year or a good year, you have to pay your taxes. Their revenues are always going to be there and they're always going to get a little bit more every year because of how it's calculated. 

We need to look at those revenue increases and allocate them better. We need to look at what we have to spend money on as far as the core functions. Then we look at the things that maybe we don't have to spend money on. 

Can we start with the waste and put that towards the core functions of government? We can fund everything we have to do without raising taxes if we get rid of the waste that's there. Everyone is against waste, fraud, and abuse. 

Since I'm not on council, I don't have that line-item detail of the budget yet. It's a bit of a cliche to say you'll fight waste, but we do need to look at it. Wherever I can find anything that is not being spent properly, I want to route it to where it needs to be. 

Then there are the extracurricular things that might be nice to spend money on, but are they necessary? Is that something government should be doing? Taxes, fiscal accountability, and transparency are the main things. 

We need to think about elderly people on fixed incomes. They can't afford to have their taxes raised every year by the schools, cities, and the county. That is the biggest issue. Development is also always a big topic. 

I have a little bit of a different take on development. You have one side that says ban it all because we're full. The other side says let's just build everything and pave it over. But there really is a middle ground. 

You can't ban people from moving here. People want to come here, and it's a free country. How do you deal with those people coming in through proactive measures without flat-out banning things or paving over the entire county? 

There has to be control and some very reasonable, measured, practical things we can do. District 17 is largely unzoned. Zoning is a big topic; you either love it or hate it. I think it's time to start having a conversation about it. 

How can we use zoning to attack some of these issues? Can we zone out agriculture areas? Can we say this is farming area only and we're not going to allow certain types of projects there? 

We can say we want our commercial development in one part of the county and residential in another. I don't think we go in tomorrow and zone everything to solve all the problems, but we have to have the conversation. 

We need to learn all about it and figure out where we can apply it properly. LDRs are great, but they don't really tell you "what goes where." We need all the tools in the tool belt. Those are some of the biggest issues affecting our district.

Katy Smith:

Thank you. What would be your priorities if elected?

James Hoard:

My priorities would be very much what I already said. Taxes are number one. Let's keep taxes low. Development is another; let's figure out how we can use all the tools in our chest. 

The third priority would be regarding my service on the library board for the past four years. There has been a lot of talk about that, and you can be on one side of the issue or the other. 

I've been fighting for and protecting families and trying to put parents first. Parents have control over their kids. They are the ultimate authority. I've been trying to basically defend and stand up for kids. 

It's not the government's job or some other entity's job to teach kids and tell them what they need. It's the parents' responsibility. I've been fighting for family issues and family values and those types of things.

Katy Smith:

Thank you so much for joining us today, and thank you for your willingness to serve.

James Hoard:

Thank you for having me. It's a great pleasure.

About the Candidate Interview Process

Katy Smith:

Thanks for listening to The Candidates. Here is more detail on our process. All candidates received the same three questions at the time of their invitation to join us shortly after the filing period closed, and they were given 10 timed minutes for their interview. 

Candidates were allowed to bring along a companion, such as a campaign manager, family member, or friend, and to record our session themselves. There were no edits made to the interviews. We've put links to the participating candidates' preferred internet presence on the episode page.