2024 SC election day is here: How to vote, what’s on your ballot in Rock Hill region
Tuesday is election day in South Carolina, where voters will choose candidates ranging from the race for president down to school boards.
York, Chester, and Lancaster counties had record turnout for early voting that ran through Saturday where around half of registered voters cast ballots early. This year is the first race with the president at the top of the ticket that South Carolina has had early voting.
Even with early voting at huge levels, elections officials still expect a heavy turnout Tuesday, said Alan Helms, director of the York County elections office.
Total voter turnout in 2020 was 69% of the county’s 196,000 registered voters, but could easily push past that after Tuesday, Helms said.
Likewise, Winthrop University political science professor Scott Huffmon said early voting numbers this year show a widespread interest to participate in the election, and Tuesday should see more of the same.
South Carolina voters do not register to vote by party or as unaffiliated as they do in neighboring North Carolina and some other states. That makes it almost impossible to determine if the record early voting totals in the state favor Republicans or Democrats in Tuesday’s election, said Huffmon and Adolphus Belk, another Winthrop political science professor.
How to look at your ballot
Registered voters can go to scvotes.org and see their sample ballot.
On the website, click on the voters tab at the top. Then, click on ”Get my sample ballot.” Log in with required information, which includes your county, name, date of birth and the last four digits of your social security number.
When logged in, click on “sample ballot.” Your ballot will appear on the screen and look just like the ballot you will receive when you vote.
Referendums: Roads and schools
There are around $2 billion in referendums on area ballots.
Voters will decide a $410 million Pennies for Progress road improvement referendum in York County.
In Lancaster County, there is a $588 million school bond vote and a one-cent road tax vote for $405 million over 15 years.
School bonds are also on the ballot in Chester County over a proposed $227 million, and $90 million in the York school district.
Congressional, S.C. General Assembly races
Voters in all three counties will choose whether incumbent Republican Ralph Norman or Democrat challenger Evangeline Hundley wins the 5th District U.S. House of Representatives slot in a rematch of the 2022 race. Norman beat Hundley by 30 points two years ago.
Norman, a Rock Hill businessman and developer, has been in office since 2017.
Both Huffmon and Belk said Norman is a heavy favorite to retain the seat. York County is a majority conservative area that continues to lean Republican, the Winthrop experts said.
There are also contested races for the S.C. General Assembly in York County.
In the fast growing Fort Mill area, State House District 26 voters will elect a new representative. Republican David Martin, a lawyer, faces Democrat Matt Vilardebo, who ran for the seat in 2022.
State Senate District 17 pits incumbent Democrat Mike Fanning against Republican challenger Everett Stubbs. The district covers Fairfield and Chester County, plus parts of York County and Lancaster County. A lawyer from Chester, Stubbs won the June Republican primary. Fanning, of Fairfield County, has been in the senate since 2015.
In State Senate District 26 that covers parts of Tega Cay, Fort Mill and Indian Land in Lancaster, incumbent Republican Michael Johnson faces Workers party candidate Kiral Mace.
Several legislative races have only one candidate on the ballot. York County also has unopposed races where Republicans are the only candidates for sheriff, solicitor, clerk of court, and coroner.
Lancaster County
▪ State Senate District 27 in Lancaster County, Republican Allen Blackmon is running against Democrat Yokima Cureton.
▪ State House District 45 has incumbent Republican Brandon Newton against democrat Nicole Ventour.
▪ State House District 44 pits incumbent Republican Mike Neese against democrat Katie Crosby.
▪ State House District 53 has incumbent Republican Richie Yow against Democrat Bruce Wallace.
▪ Lancaster County Council District 1 has Republican Stuart Graham versus petition candidate Barbara Scannell.
Chester County
Voters in Chester County have competitive races for clerk of court, county council district 3, and school board district 1.
▪ Clerk of Court has Democrat A. Tenna Thompson Cook against petition candidate Betty Jo Lawson.
▪ Chester County Council District 3 pits Republican Bobby Rains against Democrat Ken Hines.
▪ Nonpartisan Chester County school board District 1 has Delores Ann Crockett and Tara Thomas.
School boards
All four York County school districts have nonpartisan elections for school board.
▪ Fort Mil schools: Six candidates are seeking three seats. They include Ellen Abramo, incumbent Anthony D. Boddie, Denise Casey, incumbent Scott Frattaroli, Michelle K. Hoffman and incumbent Kristy Thames Spears. The top three vote-getters win.
▪ Rock Hill schools: Five seats are up for election — two at-large seats and three districts.
One at-large race has Lacy Daniel, incumbent Bryan McAlinden, and Kevin Thompson. McAlinden was appointed to the seat in 2023. The second at-large seat has Jennifer Hutchinson and Fred Jordan.
District 1 has Montrio Belton and Matt Hiers. District 3 shows James Burns, and incumbent Mildred B. Douglas. Burns is an incumbent at-large member running for the District 3 seat. District 5 has Corree Carelock, incumbent Windy Cole, and Melissa Harris.
▪ Clover schools: Three seats are up for election, with two competitive races and one unopposed. Seat 4 has Nataly Burgio and Kenda Cook. The at-large seat shows Kevin Johnson and incumbent Tracy Bell Stiff.
▪ York schools: The district has four seats seats up for election, with one competitive race and three unopposed. The District 3 competitive race has Delandris Jones and incumbent Chris Revels.
Need more information?
A list of voting precincts and more information also is available on county elections office web sites and at the S.C. Election Commission web site scvotes.gov.
For questions, call your county elections office. Those numbers are 803-684-1242 in York County, 803-285-2969 in Lancaster County and 803-385-2562 in Chester County.
This story was originally published November 4, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
