South-Carolina
Who’s eligible, ways to vote: What SC voters need to know about upcoming runoffs
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A week from Tuesday, around 30 runoff elections will take place across South Carolina.
These are for races in which no candidate received a majority of votes during last week’s primaries, ranging from local races like sheriffs and county council to seats representing South Carolinians on Capitol Hill and at the State House.
“You’re picking the candidates that are either going to run against someone from the other party or if they’re unopposed, that’s a mainline right to that office in November,” Sara Ballard, executive director of the nonpartisan organization South Carolina Women in Leadership, said.
That is especially the case throughout much of South Carolina, where the vast majority of legislative districts lean heavily toward one party or the other, making them uncompetitive in a general election.
But the South Carolina Election Commission said runoffs are usually low-turnout races, with most garnering single-digit turnout among eligible voters.
“With such low turnout, your vote really goes further, so it really matters,” John Michael Catalano with the South Carolina Election Commission said.
The first thing to know is who’s eligible to vote in runoffs.
For starters, you must be a registered voter in the district or county where the runoff is.
If you voted in last week’s primary for that race, you are only eligible to vote in the runoff for that same party.
For example, if you voted in a Democratic primary, and there is now a Republican runoff for that race, you are not eligible to vote in that runoff.
“But if you didn’t vote in the primaries at all, you still can vote in the runoffs, and you can pick either party,” Catalano said. “You don’t have to vote in the primary to vote in the runoffs.”
As with last week’s primaries, South Carolinians have three ways to vote in runoffs, but they are on a condensed timeline.
People who meet certain qualifications can vote absentee by mail, like if they are 65 or older.
If you voted this way for the primary and checked a box on your absentee ballot request form that asked for you to be sent a runoff ballot if one of those races advanced to a runoff, the South Carolina Election Commission will send that to you.
But if you did not do that and want to request a mail-in ballot, that deadline has already passed.
The Election Commission is asking absentee voters to return their mail-in ballots in person, if they can.
“Because that’s just faster and you can cut out the mail that way. But if you’re not able to do that — you’re living too far away or whatever reason — just be sure to drop that in the mail as soon as possible,” Catalano said.
But there are still other ways to vote, including three days of in-person early voting.
That starts this Wednesday and will run through Friday, at locations in every county where there is a runoff, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Locations can be found here.)
“It’s a tight schedule, so we’re really urging voters not to delay, vote as soon as you’re able to,” Catalano said.
Eligible voters can also head to the polls on runoff day, which is next week Tuesday, June 25.
Polls will be open that day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the counties where there is at least one runoff.
South Carolinians voting in person, or if they are voting absentee by mail and returning their ballot in person, will need to bring a photo ID with them.
The following is a list of all runoffs that will be held on June 25, sorted by county:
Abbeville
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
Allendale
- County Council, District 1 – Democratic
Anderson
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
- State House of Representative, District 9 – Republican
Calhoun
- State House of Representatives, District 93 – Democratic
- State Senate, District 26 – Republican
Charleston
Colleton
- Clerk of Court – Democratic
Dillon
- County Council, District 1 – Democratic
- County Council, District 3 – Democratic
Edgefield
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
Georgetown
- County Council, District 3 – Democratic
Greenville
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
- State Senate, District 6 – Republican
- State Senate, District 12 – Republican
- State House of Representatives, District 28 – Republican
- County Council, District 20 – Republican
- County Council, District 22 – Republican
- County Council, District 25 – Democratic
Greenwood
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
- State Senate, District 10 – Republican
Kershaw
- State Senate, District 35 – Democratic
- State Senate, District 35 – Republican
Laurens
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
- County Council, District 7 – Republican
Lee
- State Senate, District 35 – Democratic
- State Senate, District 35 – Republican
Lexington
- State Senate, District 10 – Republican
- State Senate, District 23 – Republican
- State Senate, District 26 – Republican
- State House of Representatives, District 93 – Democratic
McCormick
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
Newberry
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
Oconee
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
Orangeburg
- State House of Representatives, District 93 – Democratic
- Coroner – Democratic
Pickens
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
- Sheriff – Republican
- County Council, District 5 – Republican
Richland
- State Senate, District 22 – Democratic
- State Senate, District 26 – Republican
- State Senate, District 35 – Democratic
- State Senate, District 35 – Republican
Saluda
- US House of Representatives, District 3 – Republican
- State Senate, District 10 – Republican
- Probate Judge – Republican
- Spartanburg
- State Senate, District 12 – Republican
- State House of Representatives, District 34 – Republican
- County Council, District 4 – Republican
Sumter
- State Senate, District 35 – Democratic
- State Senate, District 35 – Republican
York
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Advocates, caregivers, patients, and community leaders gathered at the South Carolina State House on Friday for the inaugural South Carolina Sickle Cell Day.
Organizers said the event focused on raising awareness of sickle cell disease.
The South Carolina CBO Collective Caucus hosted the event at 10 a.m., coinciding with World Sickle Cell Day and Juneteenth.
Organizers said the gathering brought together healthcare professionals, legislators, advocates, and supporters from across the state to discuss education, support, and action related to sickle cell disease.
The program is designed to amplify the voices of individuals and families impacted by the disease and encourage conversations about healthcare access, advocacy, research, and community support, organizers said.
Attendees heard personal stories and learned about challenges faced by those living with sickle cell disease.
“World Sickle Cell Day is a powerful call to action for all of us,” said founder and CEO of The B Strong Group Brenda Green. She said the collaboration expands support, strengthens community response, and stands with affected families.
The B Strong Group, founded in 2017 and based in Columbia, is a nonprofit organization focused on sickle cell awareness, advocacy, and caregiver support.
The group organizes blood drives, caregiver workshops, and awareness campaigns under the motto “Educate, Advocate, Empower.”
An 87-year-old businessman in Columbia, South Carolina says he has no plans to retire.
Leonard Fabrizio works as a retailer at Brittons of Columbia, a locally-owned men’s clothing store.
“I’m not the type of person who can sit around by myself,” said Fabrizio. “I just enjoy the interaction and that’s the big thing, is the interaction with people. It’s always been the drive in this business for me, said Fabrizio.
Fabrizio’s retail career began as a college student when he worked at J.C. Penney. He has watched Columbia grow and has owned a store and managed several others.
His advice is to “Be patient. It takes time to build a business. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s rewarding. It’s fun. But you have to have compassion for the business.”
Fabrizio recently celebrated another birthday alongside those who have supported his career.
(WPDE) — June 9 marked International Batten Disease Awareness Day, shining a light on a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
It primarily affects children and causes harmful waste material to build up inside the cells of the brain and nervous system.
One South Carolina family used the day to raise awareness as their 2-year-old son, Sam Stockton, lives with CLN2 Batten disease.
Sam was diagnosed at 16 weeks old, and his family says they travel every other week for enzyme-replacement therapy while also searching for clinical research opportunities.
Through Hope for Sam, the family is working to spread information about Batten disease and support other families facing rare diseases.
“Just the more you know about rare diseases, I never knew that over 300 million people worldwide live with rare diseases. And that means there’s less access to care because people aren’t researching it and not as many people have it. So the more information that’s out there, we feel is the better,” Jordan Stockton said.
There are 13 known types of Batten disease, and there is no cure. Researchers estimate the disease affects about two to four out of every 100,000 births in the United States.
The Stockton family says they have found support through the Batten Disease Support, Research and Advocacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families navigate the disease while providing resources.
More information and donation details are available at this link.
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