Pawleys Island, S.C. — A computer glitch delayed the recount of the votes for School Board District 6.
When the election results were certified on Friday, Richard Kerr led Peggy Wheeler-Cribb by just 21 votes, 1,723 to 1,702.
The closeness of the vote automatically triggered a recount, which was supposed to take place on Monday morning.
However, officials had trouble with the computer systems they use to recount the votes, and because it was a holiday, they couldn’t reach the company to get help, said Donna Mahn, the county’s director of voter registration and elections.
The recount was scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning.
Whatever the outcome, the losing candidate will probably file a protest which could force a new election. Some voters in one of the district’s precincts were given a ballot with the wrong school district race on it.
Georgetown County voters turned out in high numbers for last week’s election, but participation was less than in 2008.
According to official figures released by the Georgetown County Election Office, 31,273 of the county’s 42,801 registered voters cast a ballot in this election. That is a turnout of 73.07 percent.
In 2008, 79.1 percent of the county’s voters voted.
In the presidential race, Georgetown County did not follow the nation which elected Barack Obama to a second term.
Locally, Republican Mitt Romney was the winner by a vote of 16,526 to 14,163. Romney nabbed 53.3 percent of the vote; Obama got 45.7 percent.
Straight party votes
It was not a good day for the petition candidates as none of them won.
And one of the reasons can be found in the numbers.
Nearly half of the people who voted in Georgetown County cast a straight party ballot.
According to the unofficial information, there were 8,772 Democrat straight party votes while 6,996 Republicans voted straight party. Among the others, there were 72 Libertarian straight party votes, 175 Working Families party, 24 Constitution party and 36 Green party.
Some, but not all, who voted straight party did separately vote for some of the petition candidates.
Rice wins District 7
In the race for the new District 7 Congressional seat, Tom Rice was declared the winner on Election Night but his opponent, Gloria Bromell Tinubu did not concede the race until the next morning.
Tinubu was trying to become the first black woman elected to Congress from South Carolina. The former Atlanta city councilwoman also served in the Georgia Legislature before moving back to her native South Carolina last year.
District-wide, Rice had 55 percent of the vote.
In Georgetown County, Rice defeated Tinubu 16,491 to 14,067.
The district running from the shore on the Grand Strand west to Florence County, then north to the North Carolina state line trends strongly Republican.
Voters reject sales tax
There will not be an additional one percent added to sales taxes in Georgetown County.
Voters rejected the capital improvement tax by a vote of 15,138 to 12,932.
Clerk of Court
Democrat Incumbent Alma White will remain the county’s clerk of court after defeating petition candidate Tammie Avant 15,582 to 10,962.
“I am so thankful for the vote of confidence,” White said. “I think it says the voters believe the office is being run well and that I am doing a good job.”
Sheriff wins again
For the sixth time since 1992, Lane Cribb, a Republican, was elected sheriff of the county. On Tuesday, he defeated petition candidate Darryel Carr 18,097 to 8,740.
“I felt like I was going to win but I am always relieved when it’s over,” Cribb said.
Cribb was asked if he plans to seek a seventh term in 2016.
“I promise I will not run if I pass away before the next election. Otherwise, I am running,” he said.
County Council District 5
Austin Beard won a second term on County Council by defeating Democrat Ben Dunn and petition candidate Bubba Grimes.
The unofficial results were: Beard 1,240, Dunn 814, Grimes 791.
“I felt that I was the best candidate,” Beard said. “If I didn’t feel that way I wouldn’t have run.”
This being his first re-election campaign, he wasn’t sure what to expect, especially with two challengers.
“I had to run as if every day was the last day,” he said. “Continue to stand in front of people and talk and ask for their votes.”
Auditor
Republican Brian Shult was elected to replace Linda Mock, who chose not to run for re-election.
Shult received 11,893 votes, to beat petition candidates Kathy Harrelson, 10,015 votes, and Rod Stalvey 2,279 votes.
“I was pleased and grateful,” Shult said. “I had a lot of help. I’m grateful to everybody who helped me win.”
Having never run for a contested office before, Shult was surprised by “the scope of the campaign.”
“As much as you know about the election process, until you’re in there and deal with the process on a day-to-day basis you don’t know,” he said. “It was revealing once you got in.”
He is excited about starting the position in July and plans to spend the next seven months learning the job and day-to-day operations and studying the laws, regulations and fundamentals.
House District 103
Incumbent Democrat Carl Anderson easily beat back a challenge by Republican Tom Winslow.
Anderson pulled in 10,275 votes, as compared to Winslow’s 3,176.
“I want to thank the people of Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg counties for their continuing support and confidence in my service to the district,” Anderson said. “I look forward to working with all of my neighbors in the district and to further introduce myself to residents in the new areas of the district.”
Other results:
School Board District 3
Sandra Johnson: 1,536
Gene Footman: 740
School Board District 5
Elery Little: 1,573
Murray Vernon: 1,202
Coroner
Kenny Johnson: 21,284
Write-ins: 74
State Senate 32
Yancey McGill: 13,866
Write-ins: 87
S.C. House District 108
Stephen Goldfinch: 12,362
Write-ins: 96
Probate Judge
Waldo Maring: 20,677
Write-ins: 85
County Treasurer
Loretta Washington-Cooper: 24,116
Write-ins: 177
County Council District 2
Ron Charlton: 4,132
Write-ins: 29
County Council District 3
Leona Tiger Miller: 3,039
Write-ins: 14
County Council District 4
Lillie Jean Johnson: 3,244
Write-ins: 10
School Board District 1
Sarah Elliott: 3,223
Write-ins: 35
School Board District 4
Zelma Carr: 2,198
Write-ins: 18
By Scott Harper
sharper@gtowntimes.com
When the election results were certified on Friday, Richard Kerr led Peggy Wheeler-Cribb by just 21 votes, 1,723 to 1,702.
The closeness of the vote automatically triggered a recount, which was supposed to take place on Monday morning.
However, officials had trouble with the computer systems they use to recount the votes, and because it was a holiday, they couldn’t reach the company to get help, said Donna Mahn, the county’s director of voter registration and elections.
The recount was scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning.
Whatever the outcome, the losing candidate will probably file a protest which could force a new election. Some voters in one of the district’s precincts were given a ballot with the wrong school district race on it.
• • •
Georgetown County voters turned out in high numbers for last week’s election, but participation was less than in 2008.
According to official figures released by the Georgetown County Election Office, 31,273 of the county’s 42,801 registered voters cast a ballot in this election. That is a turnout of 73.07 percent.
In 2008, 79.1 percent of the county’s voters voted.
In the presidential race, Georgetown County did not follow the nation which elected Barack Obama to a second term.
Locally, Republican Mitt Romney was the winner by a vote of 16,526 to 14,163. Romney nabbed 53.3 percent of the vote; Obama got 45.7 percent.
Straight party votes
It was not a good day for the petition candidates as none of them won.
And one of the reasons can be found in the numbers.
Nearly half of the people who voted in Georgetown County cast a straight party ballot.
According to the unofficial information, there were 8,772 Democrat straight party votes while 6,996 Republicans voted straight party. Among the others, there were 72 Libertarian straight party votes, 175 Working Families party, 24 Constitution party and 36 Green party.
Some, but not all, who voted straight party did separately vote for some of the petition candidates.
Rice wins District 7
In the race for the new District 7 Congressional seat, Tom Rice was declared the winner on Election Night but his opponent, Gloria Bromell Tinubu did not concede the race until the next morning.
Tinubu was trying to become the first black woman elected to Congress from South Carolina. The former Atlanta city councilwoman also served in the Georgia Legislature before moving back to her native South Carolina last year.
District-wide, Rice had 55 percent of the vote.
In Georgetown County, Rice defeated Tinubu 16,491 to 14,067.
The district running from the shore on the Grand Strand west to Florence County, then north to the North Carolina state line trends strongly Republican.
Voters reject sales tax
There will not be an additional one percent added to sales taxes in Georgetown County.
Voters rejected the capital improvement tax by a vote of 15,138 to 12,932.
Clerk of Court
Democrat Incumbent Alma White will remain the county’s clerk of court after defeating petition candidate Tammie Avant 15,582 to 10,962.
“I am so thankful for the vote of confidence,” White said. “I think it says the voters believe the office is being run well and that I am doing a good job.”
Sheriff wins again
For the sixth time since 1992, Lane Cribb, a Republican, was elected sheriff of the county. On Tuesday, he defeated petition candidate Darryel Carr 18,097 to 8,740.
“I felt like I was going to win but I am always relieved when it’s over,” Cribb said.
Cribb was asked if he plans to seek a seventh term in 2016.
“I promise I will not run if I pass away before the next election. Otherwise, I am running,” he said.
County Council District 5
Austin Beard won a second term on County Council by defeating Democrat Ben Dunn and petition candidate Bubba Grimes.
The unofficial results were: Beard 1,240, Dunn 814, Grimes 791.
“I felt that I was the best candidate,” Beard said. “If I didn’t feel that way I wouldn’t have run.”
This being his first re-election campaign, he wasn’t sure what to expect, especially with two challengers.
“I had to run as if every day was the last day,” he said. “Continue to stand in front of people and talk and ask for their votes.”
Auditor
Republican Brian Shult was elected to replace Linda Mock, who chose not to run for re-election.
Shult received 11,893 votes, to beat petition candidates Kathy Harrelson, 10,015 votes, and Rod Stalvey 2,279 votes.
“I was pleased and grateful,” Shult said. “I had a lot of help. I’m grateful to everybody who helped me win.”
Having never run for a contested office before, Shult was surprised by “the scope of the campaign.”
“As much as you know about the election process, until you’re in there and deal with the process on a day-to-day basis you don’t know,” he said. “It was revealing once you got in.”
He is excited about starting the position in July and plans to spend the next seven months learning the job and day-to-day operations and studying the laws, regulations and fundamentals.
House District 103
Incumbent Democrat Carl Anderson easily beat back a challenge by Republican Tom Winslow.
Anderson pulled in 10,275 votes, as compared to Winslow’s 3,176.
“I want to thank the people of Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg counties for their continuing support and confidence in my service to the district,” Anderson said. “I look forward to working with all of my neighbors in the district and to further introduce myself to residents in the new areas of the district.”
Other results:
School Board District 3
Sandra Johnson: 1,536
Gene Footman: 740
School Board District 5
Elery Little: 1,573
Murray Vernon: 1,202
Coroner
Kenny Johnson: 21,284
Write-ins: 74
State Senate 32
Yancey McGill: 13,866
Write-ins: 87
S.C. House District 108
Stephen Goldfinch: 12,362
Write-ins: 96
Probate Judge
Waldo Maring: 20,677
Write-ins: 85
County Treasurer
Loretta Washington-Cooper: 24,116
Write-ins: 177
County Council District 2
Ron Charlton: 4,132
Write-ins: 29
County Council District 3
Leona Tiger Miller: 3,039
Write-ins: 14
County Council District 4
Lillie Jean Johnson: 3,244
Write-ins: 10
School Board District 1
Sarah Elliott: 3,223
Write-ins: 35
School Board District 4
Zelma Carr: 2,198
Write-ins: 18
By Scott Harper
sharper@gtowntimes.com
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