Six candidates – five republicans and one democrat – are trying to become Greenville County's next sheriff.

A special primary will take place on January 7. If necessary, a runoff will take place on January 21.

The election will take place on March 10. The winner will serve the remainder of former Sheriff Will Lewis's unexpired term.

These are the six candidates.

More:Republican Greenville County sheriff's candidates make their case in first debate

A.T. Smith

Alvin Thomas Smith wants to run the office where he got his start in law enforcement four decades ago.

Smith began his law enforcement career as a 19-year-old dispatcher with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and quickly rose through the ranks at the sheriff’s office. He then left to become a field agent with the U.S. Secret Service and eventually rose to the No. 2 position at the agency as its deputy director before he retired after nearly 30 years with the agency.

► Here's a full profile on A.T. Smith.

Paul Guy

Paul Guy, the only candidate running as a Democrat for Greenville County Sheriff, says he wants to give deputies a louder voice in decision making at the Sheriff's Office.

A former Greenville County Sheriff's Office Sergeant, Guy worked as an undercover narcotics deputy beginning in 1980 and said he fell in love with the intelligence gathering side of policing.

► Click here to read Guy's full profile.

Lt. Robert Whatley

During his 26-year tenure at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Lt. Robert Whatley said he’s often remarked how he would run the agency differently than the sheriff in office, particularly in the past decade or so.

So this year, he decided to enter the race for Greenville County sheriff.

► Click here to read Whatley's full profile.

Sean Zukowsky

In the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting, the Broward County Sheriff's Office was under new leadership following public criticism of the office's response to the shooting.

Greenville County Sheriff's Office deputy Sean Zukowsky was asked by the newly appointed Broward County Sheriff to help rebuild the sheriff's office. He resigned from the Greenville County Sheriff's Office in January and became the undersheriff in Broward County for about nine months.

► Click here to read Zukowsky's full profile.

Darius Hall

Darius Hall is a captain in the public affairs department of the Greenville County Sheriff's Office who announced his intent to run for sheriff in January 2019.

Hall has worked at the sheriff's office since 1994. He was a uniform patrol sergeant, narcotics sergeant and worked on the SWAT team for 14 years. He was promoted to Lieutenant over the Narcotics, Gang, Directed Patrol and Property Crimes Units and supervised federal agents with the FBI, DEA, ATF and Secret Service. In 2017 he was promoted to captain and now works in the community with activists and churches.

► Click here to read Hall's full profile.

Hobart Lewis

About three years after leaving the Greenville County Sheriff's Office to vie for the agency's top position, Hobart Lewis has launched another campaign for sheriff.

Lewis, a Republican, served with the Greer Police Department from 1994 to 2004. He left at the rank of sergeant to work as an HVAC mechanic before taking a job with the Sheriff's Office. He resigned his deputy position to run against then incumbent Sheriff Steve Loftis.

► Click here to read Lewis' full profile.