Who's running for South Carolina House of Representatives in District 5? Meet Neal Collins and David Jones, the candidates on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election. Hear where they stand on the issues facing voters, then share this episode with your neighbors before Election Day.

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:

• Neal Collins
• David Jones
• Sample Ballot

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Who's running for Greenville County School Board in Area 20? Meet Robert Giles and Chuck Saylors, the candidates on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election. Hear where they stand on the issues facing our schools, then share this episode with your neighbors before Election Day.

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:

• Robert Giles
• Chuck Saylors
• Sample Ballot

Resources:

• Greenville Federal Credit Union
• Public Education Partners
• Greenville First Steps

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Who's running for Greenville County Council in District 28? Meet Kyle Long and Thomas Sanders, the candidates on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election. Hear where they stand on the issues facing voters, then share this episode with your neighbors before Election Day.

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:

• Kyle Long
• Thomas Sanders
• Sample Ballot

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Who's running for Greenville County Council in District 19? Meet Benton Blount and Cody Dean, the candidates on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election. Hear where they stand on the issues facing voters, then share this episode with your neighbors before Election Day.

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:

• Benton Blount
• Cody Dean
• Sample Ballot

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Who's running for Greenville County School Board in Area 18? Meet Becky McLaughlin and Ann Marie Middleton, the candidates on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election. Hear where they stand on the issues facing our schools, then share this episode with your neighbors before Election Day.

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:

• Becky McLaughlin
• Ann Marie Middleton
• Sample Ballot

Resources:

• Greenville Federal Credit Union
• Public Education Partners
• Greenville First Steps

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Greenville County needs 2,000 poll workers to run the November 2026 election. Dennis Stone of the county elections board explains what poll managers actually do, who can serve, and the simple steps to sign up at scvotes.gov.

Episode Resources:

• Apply to be a poll worker (statewide, any SC county)
• Greenville County Elections: sign up, training, and polling locations

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Six Greenville County School Board seats are up this November, and with no primary and no runoff, the most votes wins. Catherine Schumacher and Derek Lewis map out which areas are voting, why these nonpartisan races matter to everyone, and where to find unedited candidate interviews, questionnaires, and forums before you head to the polls.

Episode Resources:

• SC Votes Voter Registration and Sample Ballot Tool
• Greenville County Schools Current Trustee Directory
• InformEdSC
• Public Education Partners
• Greenville First Steps

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Dolly Parton's treasured legacy lives on in Greenville County. In this tribute episode, we explore how her Imagination Library has mailed 95,000 free books to local children, share how any family with a child under five can enroll for free, and celebrate that the program will continue for generations.

Episode Resources:

• Families can enroll by clicking here: Greenville County's Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Application
• Greenville First Steps helps sustain this program through personal donations. Anyone who is interested, can donate here: Donate - Greenville First Steps
• Find Your Local Imagination Library Program
• Imagination Library Curated Book List and Curriculum

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

How does a fast-growing county protect its farms, parks, and historic places before they disappear? Carlton Owen of the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust explains how $7 million in local tax dollars leveraged $43 million in protected land, and how landowners and residents can get involved.

Episode Resources:

• Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust & Newsletter Signup
• Interactive Map of GCHNRT Projects
• South Carolina Conservation Bank
• Upstate Forever’s Guide to Land Conservation
• Episode on the Foothills Trail
• Episode on ReWa
• Episode on State Parks

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Vincent Sheheen spent twenty years in the statehouse before coming home to be mayor of Camden. He joins Katy Smith to talk about the growth worries that unite South Carolinians across party lines, how a small city can welcome newcomers without sprawling, and why Camden is worth your next weekend.

Episode Resources:

• Listen to Bourbon in the Back Room Podcast
• “The Concise Guide to South Carolina State Government” by Vincent Sheheen
• Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site and Visitor Center

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.

Greenville County has no shortage of services for parents. What it lacks is the connective tissue that helps families actually reach them. Derek Lewis talks with Dr. Tim Green of Openfields and Catherine Schumacher of Public Education Partners about the Parenting Landscape Assessment, why availability is not the same as access, and the "No Wrong Doors" initiative now taking shape.

Episode Resources:

• InformEdsc
• Public Education Partners
• Greenville County 2024-2026 Needs Assessment
• Public Education Partners Strategic Plan
• Openfields Official Website

Simple Civics:

• Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville
• Get in touch
• Support Simple Civics with a tax-deductible contribution
• Sign up for the Simple Civics newsletter.
• View our entire catalogue

Simple Civics: Greenville County is produced by Podcast Studio X.