This week we are running an entire series dedicated to the #DOWNBALLOT.

Coroners are elected in counties in 20 states in the country.

To learn more about about what a coroner does, and what is important to consider when voting for a coroner, we speak with Darnell Hartwell. He is currently chief deputy coroner of Berkeley County, South Carolina, which encompasses parts of North Charleston and its outskirts. He is also a Republican candidate for coroner of Berkeley County running unopposed in the November midterm election

Interview Highlights

Melissa Harris-Perry: What kind of skill set does it take to do that kind of work?

Darnell Hartwell: The job of the coroner involves several different professions, we have to know some things about medical, law enforcement, legal. Again, we have extensive amount of hours and trainings that we have to have and maintain to be able to keep up with the qualifications and to be able to keep up with the changing times of things that we're seeing. Currently, right now we're seeing in Berkeley County, South Carolina, and other parts of the country as well, is the opioid pandemic. Again, we have to maintain knowledge on these changing things as well.

Melissa Harris-Perry: You did have a primary campaign. What does it mean? What does it look like to campaign for coroner?

Darnell Hartwell: Yes. Well, it was a busy campaign season for me. My candidate actually was in law enforcement for a number of years as well. He definitely had some of the requirements. Listening to the constituents here in Berkeley County, it was hard to beat the experience that I have. Again, working for the coroner's office for nearly 20 years, I've had the opportunity to work for three coroners and my career here with the Berkeley County Coroner's Office and my whole career was here working throughout this office.

I have investigated well over 5,000 deaths. I have several thousand hours of death investigating training, law enforcement training, medical investigating training. One of my campaign stumps was experience matters. You will want your coroner to be experienced, you want to be experienced in the investigation, you want to be able to have community connections, great relationships with law enforcement agencies, doctors' offices, hospitals. Throughout my career, I was able to build great relationships with all those entities here in Berkeley County.