Daniel Prince
Political forums for county races scheduled this week on WBCU
Early voting begins today across the state of South Carolina. In Union County, you can vote early at the Union County Voter Registration and Elections Office at 1246 South Duncan Bypass. The office will be open for early voting from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday, November 5. It will be closed on Sunday. You will be asked to present your photo ID when checking in to vote. If you want to cast a ballot by mail, you can request an absentee ballot by 5 p.m. Friday, October 28. You can call or visit the county voter registration office to receive or be mailed an absentee application. The application is due back no later than October 28. Absentee ballots must be received no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 8. For details on the absentee ballot process, call the voter registration office at 429-1616.
On the ballot this year are contested races for governor, secretary of state, treasurer, state superintendent of education, commissioner of agriculture, US Senate, US House District 5, County Supervisor, County Council Districts 1 and 4, Soil and Water District Commission, School Board Districts 4, 5, and 9 (it should be noted that School Board District 5 candidate Tommy Mann has announced he is withdrawing from the race; however, his name will remain on the ballot), and City Council District 1. Other races appearing on the ballot will include Browns Creek Watershed Conservation District and Fire District Commissioners for Jonesville, Monarch, Santuc, and Southside. In addition, there will be two statewide constitutional amendments on the ballot. The first is to increase the amount of money the state government must keep in the General Reserve Fund, known as its “rainy day fund” from 5% of the previous year’s revenue to 7%, increasing by .5% each year for four years until it reaches that amount. The second is to increase the amount of money the state government must appropriate to the Capital Reserve Fund, otherwise known as the “reserve and capital improvements fund” from 2% to 3% and require that the fund’s first priority would be to offset midyear budget cuts at state agencies should that be necessary. A yes vote would make those changes, while a no vote would keep things the same in those funds.
WBCU will continue with our political forums this week, as we invite in the candidates for the contested races in our county. Today, Union County Council District 1 is featured, with Danny Bright and Tracie Farr Campbell. On Tuesday, October 25, County Council District 4 is scheduled, with Annie Smith and Jennifer Wood. On Wednesday, October 26, the candidates for Union County Supervisor, Phillip Russell and Timika Wilson, are scheduled to come in. This Thursday, Ann White will be in. She has launched a write-in campaign for SC House District 42 against Rep. Doug Gilliam. Gilliam has declined to attend. On Friday, Kelly Wilburn Shropshire, who is running unopposed for the School Board District 8 seat, will come in to introduce herself to the voters. If you have questions for the candidates, you can email them to daniel@wbcuradio.com, or call them in during the forum at 427-2411.