Passions ran high, and so did voter turnout, as residents of James Island's unincorporated areas flocked to the polls Tuesday and voted 3-to-1 to once again form a town.

The town will be Charleston County's fourth-largest municipality, with nearly 20,000 residents.

With all precincts counted, the unofficial results were 3,068 in favor of incorporation, and 1,078 opposed. Pro-town voters were the majority in 20 of 22 precincts.

'It's about the best day of my life,' said June Waring, a James Island Public Service District commissioner who was active in the incorporation effort.

After the results were tallied, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley reiterated the city's intention to file a legal challenge, contesting the incorporation on constitutional and other grounds.

Legal action by the city resulted in two previous James Island incorporations being dissolved by the courts, most recently in 2004.

'We'll do what we said we would do if the vote went this way,' Riley said. 'We feel it has several legal defects, and we feel obligated to pursue them.'

Those in favor of forming a town made it clear at the polling places that they hold Riley personally responsible for previously thwarting their ambitions.

'It's hot and I like to stay in the air conditioning, but it's not fair what Joe Riley has done, and we should have our own town,' said Lisa Bryant, explaining what brought her out to the polling place on Camp Road. 'Hopefully my husband will get out and vote, too, or he'll be in big trouble.'

At the Folly Road polling place, Marsha Williams blamed Riley for traffic problems that came with development on James Island.

'I think (voting) is important because Mayor Riley has annexed James Island to the max,' she said.

Opponents of incorporation were equally fervent.

Retiree Chuck Oshinsky was urging people to vote 'no' at the busy polling station on Harbor View Road.

'I like it the way it is,' he said. 'I think this area is wise enough to vote ?no' because we already get the services we need from the James Island Public Service District.'

When a pro-town resident warned him that he was too close to the polling place to be campaigning, Oshinsky compared supporters of incorporation to the governments of World War II-era Germany and Russia.

The recently formed and surprisingly well-financed No New Town Taskforce had poll-watchers in place Tuesday, along with advocates of a 'no' vote on incorporation. 'Vote No' signs were posted at major intersections, and the group earlier ran a full-page newspaper ad and sent direct mail pieces urging people not to support incorporation.

A large portion of James Island is within the Charleston city limits, and the properties within the city are not affected by the vote. The new town will comprise the area that was unincorporated Charleston County, with basic municipal services provided by the James Island Public Service District and Charleston County.

Opponents of forming a town think new taxes will follow. Supporters argued that incorporation would mean lower taxes, after the new town gets its share of local option sales tax money.

In the special incorporation election, turnout was 35 percent. In last week's primary election in Charleston County, turnout was 14 percent.

The next step for the new municipality will be to schedule another election to choose public officials. The date has not yet been set, but will likely be in late July.

Mary Clark, who was mayor of the last town of James Island, said she'll run for mayor once again. 'I have to,' she said. 'I've come this far, and people fear that if I don't, someone less qualified may run.'

Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.