Tag: S.C. Election Commission

Special Election Set for S.C. House District 114

The most interesting contest in this fall’s general election in South Carolina will be the special election for S.C. House District 114, the former seat of deposed Speaker Bobby Harrell.

The S.C. Election Commission has determined a special election is called for after Harrell’s resignation from office and has set the date for a Republican s[ecoa primary as November 25, 2014. The Democratic Party candidate, Mary Tinkler, and Green Party candidate, Sue Edwards, are already set through the normal election primary process.

The election commission has set the special general election date for December 9th.

S.C. Supremes Deny Election Commission

S.C. Supremes Deny Election Commission

The S.C. Supreme Court Wednesday denied a petition by the S.C. Election Commission to dismiss a lawsuit by 7th Congressional district candidate Preston Brittain on certification of votes in the 7th Congressional race.

After the Election Commission threw out the 2300 plus votes cast for S.C. Rep. Ted Vick who had previously withdrawn his candidacy after an arrest in Columbia for DUI and weapon’s charges, and the Election Commission subsequently certified Gloria Bromell Tinubu as the Democratic Party nominee.

Brittain filed the suit In S.C. District Court last Friday, asking that the Election Commission be required to include Ted Vick’s votes in the total of votes cast, the result if successful would have triggered a runoff between Brittain and Gloria Bromell Tinubu.

Preston Brittain Campaign Claims Runoff

Preston Brittain Campaign Claims Runoff

The Preston Brittain for Congress Campaign sent out an e-mail to volunteers and supporters Wednesday night saying there would be a runoff for the 7th Congressional District Democratic nomination.

The e-mail said, “I am proud to announce that we have won a spot in the runoff election.”

However, indications are that the final determination will be made by the S.C. Election Commission when it meets Friday June 15, 2012 to certify the results from the June 12th primary election.

At issue are the nearly 2,300 votes Ted Vick received in Tuesday’s voting, two weeks after Vick dropped out of the race. Vick’s name remained on the ballot. The S.C. Election Commission did not include Vick’s votes in its published results on scvotes.org.

Chief Justice Recuses Self from Election Case

Grand Strand Daily and SC Hotline have joined forces to confirm that Chief Justice Jean Toal and Associate Justice Donald Beatty have recused themselves from the candidate filing case for the upcoming June 12th Republican and Democratic primaries.

The case is Michael Anderson and Robert Barber, Plaintiffs v. S.C. Election Commission, S.C. Republican Party, S.C. Democratic Party, et al.

Plaintiffs Anderson and Barber are seeking to stop the parties from certifying and the election commission from including on the June 12th primary ballot any candidate who did not strictly comply with state law by filing their Statement of Economic Interest form, with the S.C. Ethics Commission, at a different time from when their Statement of Intention of Candidacy was filed.

According to information from the Clerk of Court for the S.C. Supreme Court, Chief Justice Toal will be replaced on the bench by Justice G. Thomas Cooper, Jr. from the 5th Circuit Court while Justice Beatty will be replaced by former Supreme Court Associate Justice James Moore, who retired from the court in 2008.

How Far Will S.C. Supreme Court Go?

Part III of the Election Filing Mess

After reading the complaint and viewing exhibits included with the lawsuit by two Lexington County voters against the S.C. Republican and Democratic parties and the S.C. Election Commission, it is clear it will be very difficult for the S.C. Supreme Court to fail to disqualify some candidates who were late in fililng their Statement of Economic Interests.

Many incumbents and challengers, who filed for the upcoming June 12th primary elections, did not comply with either the letter of the law or with the spirit of the law by failing to file some required papers until after close of filing at noon March 30, 2012.

(Ed. Note: The complaint, exhibits and other documents included with the suit can be found in the election commission information pdf file below.}

S.C. Election Filing Mess – Part II

Every time we look at the mess created during election filing time by candidates who did not comply with state law, something else jumps out to further complicate the upcoming S.C. Supreme Court decision on two lawsuits filed to challenge discrepancies in the filings.

Yesterday we reported on the absolute mess in Horry County that, under strict adherence to state law, would disqualify enough candidates and incumbents to leave two county council, one state house, one state senate, sheriff, coroner, clerk of court, auditor and treasurer with no qualified candidates from either party to appear on the ballot.

That could mean all those seats are determined by write-in campaigns in November.

But, the mess does not end there. It seems the state legislators who passed the law could not be bothered to follow its provisions either.

Supreme Court to Hear Election Filing Case

The South Carolina Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear a lawsuit brought by two Lexington County voters claiming several candidates did not properly file for office.

At issue is the Statement of Economic Interests which candidates were required to submit when they filed for office. The deadline for filing was noon March 30, 2012.

South Carolina Code of Laws Section 8-13-1356 (B) states, “A candidate must file a statement of economic interests for the preceding calendar year at the same time and with the same official with whom the candidate files a declaration of candidacy or petition for nomination.”