---
title: "Koch Keeps Myrtle Beach School Board Seat as Sasser Ousts Graham"
url: https://www.heremyrtlebeach.com/2026/11/04/horry-county-school-board-results-sasser-koch-winters/
date: 2026-11-04T06:19:45-05:00
modified: 2026-11-04T06:19:45-05:00
author: "Daniela Lorenzo"
categories: ["Politics"]
site: "HERE Myrtle Beach"
attribution: "HERE Myrtle Beach"
---

# Koch Keeps Myrtle Beach School Board Seat as Sasser Ousts Graham

> MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Republican Sonya Sasser defeated incumbent Democrat Janet Graham in the District 7 race for the Horry County Board of Education, the school board serving Myrtle Beach and the rest of the county, on Tuesday, ending a run on the board for Graham that began in 2012. Unofficial results showed Sasser with

*Source: [HERE Myrtle Beach](https://www.heremyrtlebeach.com/2026/11/04/horry-county-school-board-results-sasser-koch-winters/) — November 4, 2026 by Daniela Lorenzo*

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Republican Sonya Sasser defeated incumbent Democrat Janet Graham in the District 7 race for the Horry County Board of Education, the school board serving Myrtle Beach and the rest of the county, on Tuesday, ending a run on the board for Graham that began in 2012.

Unofficial results showed Sasser with 5,348 of the 10,319 votes cast, or 51.83 percent. Election officials have not yet certified the count.

Seven of the 12 board seats were on the ballot this year, but only three drew more than one candidate. In the other two contested races, the incumbents held on.

In District 1, which covers Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, Republican David Koch won a second term over Democrat Louis Palm, taking 13,683 of 19,634 votes, or 69.69 percent. Koch first won the seat in 2022.

In District 3, which takes in Carolina Forest and part of Myrtle Beach, Republican Tracy Winters beat Democrat Diane Middleton with 9,304 of 15,178 votes, or 61.3 percent. Winters was appointed to the board in 2021.

Four Republicans had no opponent: Melanie Wellons for board chair, Meredith Kennedy in District 2, Pam Dawson in District 6 and Jason Morgan in District 10. The new board will work with Superintendent Clifford Jones, whose contract was extended at a board meeting Monday night.