Update: Lexington Mayor Pro-Tem Hazel Livingston officially announced her candidacy for mayor in the upcoming Nov. 7 election on Aug. 16.

“With the support of my husband, family, friends, and many Town of Lexington residents, I am humbled to announce today that I am running for Mayor of our beloved Town of Lexington,” Livingston is quoted. “Guided by the principle that power belongs to the people, I promise to be a steadfast advocate for each citizen, ensuring their voices lead the decisions of Town Council. I couldn’t be more excited to begin my campaign today, and to work together with the wonderful people of our community to usher in a new era of citizen-led progress where people-centered leadership forges a brighter future for all in Lexington. ”

Lexington’s mayor pro-tem will run against the mayor who has held the seat for nearly a decade.

According to a town official – and confirmed by a change in the title of her campaign Facebook page – Hazel Livingston will file to run for the office Aug. 16 when filing for the Nov. 7 election opens. She is set to run opposed to current Mayor Steve MacDougall, who confirmed to the Chronicle last month that he will seek another term.

MacDougall, who was first elected mayor in 2013, was at the forefront of intense public backlash after the announcement of the planned Smallwood Cove resort on Lake Murray, which was ultimately canceled July 19 when the property owners pulled out.

When the project was announced at an early-May Town Council meeting, the mayor called it the largest development the town would ever see.

On Aug. 14, Livingston changed the name of her public Facebook to “Hazel Livingston for Mayor of Lexington.” 

No formal announcement of Livingston’s candidacy has been made, and she hasn't yet responded to the Chronicle’s requests for comment.

Livingston has served in her role as mayor pro-tem since 2004 and on council since 1998, having played a major role in town beautification efforts and leading the development of multiple parks, including the currently expanding Virginia Hylton Park. She was directly responsible for the formation of the Lexington Beautification Foundation.

Council Member Ron Williams told the Chronicle that Livingston would be the first female mayor that the town has ever seen, praising her efforts in the town's parks and greenspaces.

“She has certainly worked hard on parks and keeping green space and trying to make sure that the town has been fiscally responsible with the funds that we have,” Williams said “I'm looking forward to her being the mayor.”

Council Member Todd Carnes echoed this sentiment, stating that he has worked with Livingston since 2014 but known her for longer. When asked if this is a shift he would like to see on council, Carnes said he is definitely in support of Livingston running for mayor.

“I think she will make a tremendous mayor for the town of Lexington,” Carnes said.

“We're really all equals, but the mayor certainly has a lot more public responsibilities,” he said of how the mayor and council interact. “The best quality of mayor is great delegation and collaboration with the other six council members, whoever they may be. I expect that Hazel will be outstanding.”

According to Carnes, a change in mayor would not shift the vision and priorities of the town, mentioning that the town is driven by its Vision Plan, adding that it’s the mayor’s responsibility to lead the council to execute that document.

Williams told the Chronicle that Livingston has routinely been open to other ideas on where to take the town and how to improve it moving forward.

“It's going to be a great day for elections when she becomes mayor,” he said.

This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.