Mayor & Council

Mayor Jeffrey Graham was elected Mayor of Camden in 2008.  Jeffrey Graham takes pride in his hometown: Camden, South Carolina. He was born and raised in this historic city and remains deeply engaged in the life of his community.

Jeffrey is a graduate of Camden High School, and graduated in 2004 from Presbyterian College with a degree in Business Administration. Jeffrey also met his wife, Sara, while a student at Presbyterian. She is employed at Graham Realty, Inc. as a realtor. He and Sara are the proud parents of a son, Edwards.

Jeffrey is involved in the local business community. He is currently vice-president of Graham Realty, Inc.; a member and former vice president of tourism for the Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce; a board member of the Rotary Club of Camden; and past chair of the Camden Polo Match on behalf of the Kershaw County Fine Arts Center.

He is a member of the Kershaw County United Way Partnership Committee and the Applied Technology Education Campus (ATEC) Advisory Council.

Jeffrey is Chairman of the Kershaw County Democratic Party where he serves as the youngest county party chairman in South Carolina. He and his wife are devoted members of Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church where they serve on multiple committees and volunteer with the youth program.

 

Councilmember Patrick D. Partin was elected to Camden City Council in 2000 and re-elected in 2004 and 2008. He is married to Mary Elizabeth F. Partin (Maj) and they have two children – David and Elizabeth. Councilmember Partin is a graduate of the Citadel (1973) and the University of S. C. School of Law (1978) and is a Self-Employed Attorney. Councilmember Partin attends Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church. 

 

 

 

 

 

Councilmember Alfred Mae Drakeford was elected to Camden City Council in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. She is married to Ernest Drakeford, Jr. and they have one daughter, Kimberly. Councilmember Drakeford is a graduate of the University of South Carolina (1984) and is retired from E. I. DuPont and Company with over 33 years of service. Her community involvements include serving on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity, Kershaw County Fine Arts Center, Girl Scouts of the Congaree, Inc. and member of the City Construction Board of Appeals. Councilmember Drakeford was named Kershaw County Humanitarian of the Year January 2005 and she is a lifetime member of St. John Baptist Church.

 

 

 

 

Councilmember Walter M. Long, Jr. was elected to Camden City Council in November 2006. He is a 1989 Graduate of Camden High School and a 1993 Graduate of The Citadel.  Walter is a Vice President with First Palmetto Savings Bank at its main office in Camden.  He is a current member & past president of the Camden Rotary Club, past president of the Camden Jaycees, and a member of Grace Episcopal Church.  Walter and his wife Staci are lifelong residents of Camden and they have three children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Councilmember X. Willard Polk is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. Originally from Beaufort, SC, he has lived in Camden since 1972. He is a member of Grace Episcopal Church and has been married to his wife, Kay (Nutting), a native Camdenite, for 45 years.

He retired from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division after serving first as Director of Administration and later as a Special Agent specializing in forensics auditing and insurance fraud investigations.

In addition, he served almost 32 years in the South Carolina Army National Guard with service as an Army Corps of Engineer Officer in various command and staff.

He was appointed to the City of Camden’s Parks and Streets Commission in 2003 and served as its Chairman from 2004 until 2010.
In addition, Willard is a former member of the Camden Airport Commission, President of the Camden Tree Foundation , Treasurer of the Historic Camden Foundation Board of Trustees, Secretary-Treasurer of the SC Archives and History Foundation as well as a member of its Advisory Board and Executive Committee, founding member of the Richard Rowland Kirkland Foundation, Executive Committee and CFO of the Palmetto Chapter of the Army Engineer Association, Co-Treasurer for Major General Bob Livingston for Adjutant General Campaign, and a member of the Family Support Group for Company C, 151st Signal Battalion, Camden, SC.