Polling Places Open, Turnout Expect Light For Runoff

Polling places throughout South Carolina have been open since 7 a.m. Tuesday morning and thus far election officials say that everything is proceeding smoothly.

Today, voters from different portions of South Carolina will be choosing candidates, and in some cases even electing unopposed representatives, for public office. However, the South Carolina Election Commission is still reminding voters about several important items that they will need to know.

Voters who voted in one party’s primary on June 10 are restricted from voting in another party’s runoff. This means that some voters will have a runoff in their county or district but will not be eligible to vote due to previously voting in the opposing party’s primary.

News Channel 7 will have complete coverage of runoff races throughout the upstate and in South Carolina. Among the most hotly contested are for South Carolina Senate Seats.

Voters in District 12 will choose between incumbent Scott Talley and challenger Lee Bright in the runoff for the Republican nomination. In the June 10 Primary, Talley received 4,194 votes compared to Bright’s 3,600.

Incumbent Jim Ritchie is facing a stiff challenge from Shane Martin. Martin, a newcomer, received 4,700 votes compared to Ritchie’s 3,049 two weeks ago.

Other races of interest are for the Democratic nomination for the fourth district congressional seat. Ted Christian and Paul Corden are battling it out to challenge incumbent Bob Inglis in November’s general election. Corden received 6,178 votes, compared to Christian’s nearly 4,900.

There are also battles for the Union County Sheriff’s position between Howard Wells and David Taylor, Pickens County Clerk of Court, Greenville County Council 18 and Anderson County Council District 1.

The Greenville County Council race between incumbent Tony Trout and challenger Joe Baldwin has been a tense battle. Trout is under investigation for alleged wrongdoing involving miscommunication with a grand jury foreman last year.