Nick Shalosky

Last updated

Nicholas Shalosky (born 1987) is a native South Carolina attorney and politician. While still in college, he won a seat as a write-in candidate for the Charleston County Constituent District No. 20 School Board using only campaigning on the Internet through Facebook; he did not spend any funds. He won with 22 votes. [1] [2] He represented the 20th District, downtown Charleston, for a four-year term, which ended in 2012. [3]

Contents

Shalosky is the first openly gay elected official in South Carolina history. [1] [4] [5] When elected, Shalosky was the youngest openly gay elected official in the United States. [2] [6] [7]

He is an attorney in Charleston, SC. In October 2013 Shalosky was selected as a Diversity Fellow at the Charleston School of Law.

Personal life and education

Nick Shalosky grew up in Conway, South Carolina. [1] He "came out" about his sexuality during his sophomore year of high school. [8] His parents still live there. His mother is Vanessa Viles Shalosky. She spoke of her experiences raising a gay child at Charleston School of Law's "My Gay Child" forum. [9]

Nick Shalosky has been a public figure about his sexuality; he spoke at Myrtle Beach and South Carolina Pride gatherings; in 2009 he attended the National Equality March in Washington, D.C.

He attended the College of Charleston where he was a political science major. [6] In his undergraduate years, he was a member of the South Carolina Student Legislature, and the Charleston 40. [6] He graduated in 2010 with a degree in Political Science and Geography. He went to Charleston School of Law, where he also served as a research assistant, and was a member of the Moot Court Board. He was a MUSC Presidential Scholar and served as the President of the Alliance for Equality. [6]

In March 2013 during his last semester of the Charleston School of Law, Shalosky traveled to Washington, DC to hear oral argument related to same-sex marriage cases at the US Supreme Court. California's Proposition 8 was assessed in terms of the constitutionality of marriage equality (or inequality) at the state level, while the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) case challenged federal law. [10] [11]

He graduated in 2013 with a Juris Doctor. Shalosky incorporated his experiences into a 2014 class offering at the Charleston School of Law, "Gender Issues and the Law," which he developed as a Diversity Fellow. [12]

Marriage and family

He and his partner Naylor Brownell, a medical resident, became engaged New Year's Eve in 2012 but could not legally marry in the state of South Carolina until November 2014. [6] [7] [10] [13]

Political career

Shalosky was involved in politics in the late 2000s and became the secretary of the SC Stonewall Democrats chapter; he was also one of the founding board members of the group. [8] He learned about the Stonewall Democrats through Tom Chorlton, a professor and former executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club, a forerunner organization of the Stonewall Democrats. [8] Shalosky participated in the 2008 presidential campaigns volunteering for Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and the successful candidate Barack Obama. [1] At local events he questioned Republican candidates on their positions on gay rights. [1]

He also ran his own campaign as a write-in candidate for the Charleston County School Board. [1] This resulted from his findings during an independent research project at the College of Charleston on the impacts of new technology and the Internet on local elections. Learning of a school board seat that had not attracted candidates 2 weeks before the election, Shalosky he established a moderate online presence using the social networking site Facebook to promote his candidacy. [1] "I thought it would be interesting to see how students could use social networking sites to get one of their own elected." [1] [5] He did not spend any money to campaign. [14] At the time, Obama's campaign was being praised for its use of social media to engage younger voters. [15]

According to The Digitel, Shalosky said he was conducting a "social experiment" to see how use of Facebook could affect a local campaign. [16]

He wrote on Facebook:

"I am doing sort of an experiment to see how Facebook can really effect {sic} a local campaign. Write in my name Nicholas Shalosky and see if we can get any attention. If you think I'm being too egotistical I wouldn't mind deciding on a name to vote for, but I think it would be interesting to see what happens on election day!" [16]

Preliminary election results showed different winners, who were sworn in and attended meetings, than were ultimately certified by the election board following the count of votes for write-in candidates. [17] [18] Shalosky won a seat on the 7-member school board based on the 22 votes cast for him. He had no opponent for the seat. He represented downtown Charleston's 20th District for a four-year term, starting in November 2008. [15] [19]

He said, "Such rapid mobilization might not have been possible only two years ago. But with a Facebook page and a knowledge of online organizing, I secured my winning margin without spending a penny." [8] He was the only school board member elected who was under 40 years old. [5] His professor Bill Moore said Shalosky would start an "independent study of Internet use in politics as part of his curriculum." [15] Post and Courier columnist Ken burger noted that while more traditional advertising of radio and television had also changed the way politicians get votes, those mediums were "top-to-bottom communication," but the Internet allowed "grass-roots groups to dictate outcomes." [15] Burger believed that Shalosky's campaign was the beginning of what will likely be major change to local politics due to use of the Internet. [15]

During his term, in 2010 Shalosky was elected by the board members as vice-chairman of the District 20 Constituent Board. He later was elected by them as the board's chairperson, a rotating position. [6]

Honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Gibb</span> British politician (born 1960)

Nicolas John Gibb is a British politician who served as Minister of State for Schools from 2010 to 2012; 2014 to 2021 and from 2022 to 2023. He has served at the Department for Education under Conservative Prime Ministers David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. A member of the Conservative Party, Gibb served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton from 1997 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry McMaster</span> Governor of South Carolina since 2017

Henry Dargan McMaster is an American politician and attorney serving as the 117th governor of South Carolina since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 50th Attorney General of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011 and the 91st lieutenant governor of South Carolina from 2015 to 2017 under Governor Nikki Haley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ Victory Fund</span> United States political action committee

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, commonly shortened to Victory Fund, is an American political action committee dedicated to increasing the number of out LGBTQ+ public officials in the United States. Victory Fund is the largest LGBTQ+ political action committee in the United States and one of the nation's largest non-connected PACs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnet R. Maybank</span> American politician

Burnet Rhett Maybank was a three-term US senator, the 99th governor of South Carolina, and mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He was the first governor from Charleston since the American Civil War (1861-1865) and one of twenty people in United States history to have been elected mayor, governor, and United States senator. During his tenure in the Senate, Maybank was a powerful ally of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. His unexpected death on September 1, 1954, from a heart attack, led to Strom Thurmond being elected senator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charleston School of Law</span> Law school in Charleston, SC

The Charleston School of Law, often referred to by its initials CSOL, is a private law school in Charleston, South Carolina. It was established in 2003 and is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). The school was founded upon a principle of promoting public service by its students and graduates; each student must perform at least 50 hours of public service before graduation. According to the school's 2021 ABA-required disclosures, 85% of the Class of 2017 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation. The school was formerly a for-profit institution, but has since transitioned into non-profit status.

Robert Ford is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the South Carolina Senate from 1993 to 2013, representing District 42, which is located in Charleston. From 1974 to 1992, he served as a member of the Charleston City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenn F. McConnell</span> American politician

Glenn Fant McConnell is an American politician from South Carolina. He was a member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 41st District from 1981 to March 13, 2012. He ascended to the office of lieutenant governor on March 13, 2012 because he was the Senate President Pro Tempore. He served as the 89th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina until June 18, 2014. The office of lieutenant governor had become vacant because of the resignation of Ken Ard on March 9, 2012 due to his indictment by a state Grand Jury for ethics violations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States Senate election in South Carolina</span>

The 2010 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jim DeMint won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee Alvin Greene. However, DeMint did not serve out the full term to which he was elected; he resigned in 2013 to become president of The Heritage Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bakari Sellers</span> American politician

Bakari T. Sellers is an American attorney, political commentator, and politician.

David E. Clarenbach is a Wisconsin Democratic politician and gay activist who served nine terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly and as Speaker pro tempore for ten years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neal Collins (politician)</span> American politician

Neal Collins is a Republican member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing the 5th district. He was first elected in 2014, and re-elected in every subsequent election. In 2010, he was one of several candidates running for the open seat of 3rd congressional district of South Carolina in the House of Representatives, which was held by J. Gresham Barrett, but left to compete in the 2010 Gubernatorial election for the Governor of South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Scott</span> American politician and businessman (born 1965)

Timothy Eugene Scott is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator from South Carolina since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the Charleston County Council, a state representative, and a U.S. Representative. He also worked in financial services before entering politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Brandon</span> American politician from North Carolina

Marcus Brandon is a politician from Greensboro, North Carolina who served in the North Carolina House of Representatives. A Democrat, he represented the 60th district from January 2011 through the end of 2014. In 2015, Brandon became the executive director of NorthCarolinaCan a nonprofit education policy and advocacy organization.

Wendell G. Gilliard is an American politician, steelworker, and union official. A Democrat, Gilliard serves as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing the 111th District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina</span>

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. The elections coincided with a gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Templeton</span> American politician (born 1970)

Catherine Templeton is an American attorney and political figure from South Carolina. She was a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor of South Carolina in the 2018 election. Templeton is the former President of US Brick and the former Director of the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation in the Cabinet of Governor Nikki Haley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Cunningham (American politician)</span> American politician (born 1982)

Joseph Kendrick Cunningham is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 2019 to 2021. The district includes much of South Carolina's share of the Atlantic Coast, from Charleston to Hilton Head Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina</span>

The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 3, 2020, to elect the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of South Carolina. Incumbent Republican Governor Henry McMaster ran for re-election for a second full term in office and secured the Republican nomination in the June 14 primary. Joe Cunningham, former United States Representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district, was the Democratic nominee. McMaster won the general election with 58% of the vote — a larger margin than in 2018.

Michael R. Nelson is an American politician who served as Mayor of Carrboro, North Carolina from 1995 to 2005 and as a county commissioner for Orange County from 2006 to 2009. Nelson, who is a co-founder of Equality North Carolina, was the first openly gay mayor in North Carolina. At the time of his inauguration, he was one of five openly gay mayors in the United States. When he left his mayoral office in 2005, he was the longest-serving mayor in Carrboro's history.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Forty under 40: POLITICS; gay school board member". The Advocate. Jun 1, 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 Shalosky, Nicholas A. "HSS Scholar" (PDF). College of Charleston. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Charleston County 2012 General Election Results".
  4. ↑ http://polisci.cofc.edu/PDF/Political%20Science%20Annual%20report.pdf Page 19 Archived September 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 3 "Facebook Got Me Elected: How the New Media Helped Make Me the First Openly-Gay Official in South Carolina by Nick Shalosky". The Bilerico Project. February 18, 2009. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Welcome Our Newest Member and Diversity Fellow, Nicholas A. Shalosky". Charleston School of Law. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  7. 1 2 Ball, Molly (Jan 20, 2012). "How Serious Is Stephen Colbert?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 20 September 2014. Naylor Brownell and Nick Shalosky, a gay couple in their 20s who attended Colbert's speech, said they planned to follow his instructions and vote for Cain.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Armendariz, Rebecca (February 21, 2009). "College student is first openly gay official in S.C." Southern Voice. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2014. Alt URL
  9. ↑ Shalosky, Nick. "My Gay Child". Nick Shalosky via Facebook. Retrieved 20 September 2014. Parents share their candid stories of the challenges and joys of rearing a gay child. Vanessa Viles Shalosky Ms. Shalosky and Mr. Shalosky are the parents of Nicholas Shalosky. Nick is a new attorney and a 2013 graduate of Charleston School of Law. Ms. Shalosky and Mr. Shalosky live in Conway, South Carolina.
  10. 1 2 Cohen, Susan (29 March 2013). "Local gay law student gets into the Supreme Court for marriage equality arguments". Charleston City.
  11. ↑ Petersen, Bo. "Charleston law student gets glimpse of historic hearing". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  12. ↑ Drerup, Kat (2014-01-22). "Course Profile: Gender Issues and the Law". Charleston School of Law. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  13. ↑ "2:14-cv-04010 #37 South Carolina Order Condon v. Haley et al".
  14. ↑ Marsocci, Jeffrey G. (February 25, 2009). "LGBT College Student Achieves Two Political Firsts". Rainbow Legal Talk. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Burger, Ken (Jan 25, 2009). "The Future of Politics in America". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  16. 1 2 "C of C student runs for local seat". Giant Hawk Media/The Digitel. November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  17. ↑ Courrégé, Diette (Dec 13, 2014). "Questions on election results involve downtown constituent school board". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  18. ↑ Courrégé, Diette (Dec 14, 2008). "Board in flux over write-ins". The Post and Courier.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  19. ↑ Haire, Chris (March 4, 2009). "Best Display of Gumption by a 20-something". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  20. ↑ Hambrick, Greg (6 May 2009). "Local Nick Shalosky Makes Advocate's 40 Under 40 List". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  21. ↑ "Gay Politics Report". Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute. May 8, 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.