By Avery Beaton, Assistant Editor
Early voting has come to an end in South Carolina, and Election Day is tomorrow.
For those voting on Election Day, here’s what to expect for this year’s ballot.
Presidential Candidates
The US is a two-party country, meaning that there are only two main political parties in our government.
The two primary candidates are Vice President Kamala Harris (D), with her Vice-Presidential pick Tim Walz, and former President Donald Trump (R), with his Vice-Presidential pick JD Vance.
US House of Representatives
For those in South Carolina districts four and five you will be electing your district Representatives for Congress. The candidates running for district four are Mark Hackett (C), Kathryn Harvey (D), and William Timmons (R).
Mark Hackett is running under the Constitution party, and currently has no further information on his campaign. The Constitution party’s mission is “to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity through the election, at all levels of government…”
Kathryn Harvey is running under the Democratic party, challenging incumbent William Timmons for his seat. Harvey is a native to Spartanburg, and her goals when in office are to “Increase funding for public schools, protect Social Security and Medicare, protect reproductive freedom, and fight for affordable living.”
William Timmons is the current Republican representative for district four since 2019 and is running to hold his seat. In addition, he is a representative on the Republican Steering Committee. His main campaign points are “securing the border, supporting the 2nd amendment, and upholding the integrity of our elections.”
For those in district five there are two candidates: Evangeline Hundley (D) and Ralph W Norman (R).
Evangeline Hundley is running again this year after running in 2022 for the same seat. She believes that “South Carolinians and all taxpaying citizens have a right to good healthcare, to living wages, to debt free public education… and to equal economic opportunity for all.”
Ralph W Norman has been the current representative for district five since 2017. Norman’s key running statement is, “I’ve seen firsthand how conservative, pro-growth, pro-family policies help this country do amazing things.”
State Senate
In districts five, eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen there are elections for state senators. For district five there is only one candidate, Tom Corbin, the current SC state senator since 2012.
In district eleven there are two candidates: Angela Geter (D) and Josh Kimbrell (R). Geter primary areas of focus are “education, infrastructure, and economic development.”
Kimbrell has been the district eleven state senator since 2020; he currently has no campaign website but does have a Facebook page.
The two candidates for district twelve are Dr. Octavia Amaechi (D) and Roger Allen Nutt (R). Dr. Amaechi is advocating for small business support, reproductive freedoms, and infrastructure improvements. Roger Nutt is a current SC state representative since 2020 and is campaigning heavily on fixing our roads.
For districts thirteen and fourteen there is only one candidate. District thirteen has running incumbent Shane Martin, who has been in office since 2008.
Incumbent Harvey Peeler is the only candidate for district fourteen and has been in office since 1980.
State House of Representatives
Several districts will have elections for the state house of representatives, those districts are 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38. Districts 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, and 37 only have their incumbents on the ballot.
District 30 has candidates Brian Lawson (R) and Ysante McDowell (D). Lawson is the current incumbent, having been in office since 2022. He states on his campaign website that he has a “common sense approach and Christian values.”
McDowell has no values listed on her website states, she does state that she is “A candidate for all people. God, faith, and family.”
The two candidates for district 33 are Travis Moore (R) and Clemson Turregano (D). Moore has been the incumbent state representative since 2020. Turregano Ph.D. supports funding for public schools, permitless carry, and women’s reproductive freedom.
Running for representative in district 38 are candidates Josiah Magnuson (R) and JR Taylor (D). Magnuson has been representative since 2016, stating that he has been “rated one of the most conservative legislators in South Carolina…”
Taylor is running against Magnuson, with her core campaign points being “roads & infrastructure, thriving families & economy, reproductive freedom, and sustainable development.”
Local Positions
In Spartanburg there are some local positions that will be on the ballot, with all of them having only one candidate.
For solicitor circuit seven incumbent Barry Joe Barnette (R) runs uncontested.
Current Sheriff Chuck Wright (R) also runs uncontested.
For clerk of court incumbent Amy W Cox (R) stands as the only candidate on the ballot.
In addition, the current coroner Rusty Clevenger (R) remains the only candidate.
There are three city council positions up for election, in districts one, three and four. All these positions have the incumbents Mo Abusaft (D), David Britt (R), and Grant DeShields (R) running with no contesting candidates.
For the Spartanburg County Soil and Water District commission there are two candidates running: incumbent Mike Brady and contesting candidate Sam Coker.
Running for the Watershed Conservation District in Thicketty Creek are candidates Earby Cash, Robert Perrine, and Joey Shetley.
For those living in Woodruff and Roebuck area have the Commissioner of Public Works on the ballot, with Horace Jones running with no other candidates.
Fire District Commissioner
There are four local districts voting for their fire district commissioner, and those are Cherokee Springs, Hilltop, Holly Springs, and Mayo.
Cherokee Springs has candidates Jack Davis and Gene Grigg.
Hilltop runs uncontested with candidate Michael Henderson uncontested.
Holly Springs has candidates Scott Garrett and Tony Patton on the ballot.
Mayo will have candidates Dexter Blanton and Chris Martin running for commissioner.
Amendments and Referendums
There is one statewide constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot, the question is as follows: “Must Section 4, Article II of the Constitution of this State, relating to voter qualifications, be amended so as to provide that only a citizen of the United States and of this State of the age of eighteen and upwards who is properly registered is entitled to vote as provided by law?”
The Hilltop Area Fire District will have a question regarding a $2.5 million bond referendum, stating “Shall Hilltop…be authorized to issue and sell…general obligation bonds of the district…” to improve fire station conditions.
Cherokee Springs, Hilltop, New Prospect, and Westview-Fairforest all have a referendum regarding “the levy and collection of a tax of not more than thirty-six (36) mills upon all of the taxable property…for the purposes of paying the operational costs of the Westview-Fairforest Fire District.”
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