Author: Paul Gable

Absentee Vote Glitch Affects Two Horry County Primary Election Races

Grand Strand Daily has learned that a computer glitch caused incorrect absentee vote totals to be credited to candidates Tuesday night resulting in a change of results for two Horry County primary election races.

According to sources involved in the process, an apparent fault was first discovered Wednesday morning in the absentee vote totals credited to the Horry County Council District Five candidates.

The sources said that some of the absentee vote totals are stored in a computer prior to election night, those being the early voters in the county. Other absentee votes are registered on paper ballots that were cast in the traditional absentee method.

When the paper ballot vote totals were added to the computer vote totals, the addition of approximately 300 extra votes were credited to candidate Clif Smith, according to sources. None of the other candidates received the benefit of extra votes.

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Anti-Incumbent Fever Rages in Horry County Primaries

Anti-incumbent fever raged through Horry County primaries Tuesday as five of six incumbents running in contested primaries lost.

One of the causes for the upsets, if you can call them that, was the pitiful, approximately 13%, voter turnout countywide.

The only survivor was S.C. House District 56 representative Mike Ryhal who won in a rematch against challenger Dennis DiSabato who Ryhal defeated two years ago to win the new house district seat.

The two biggest surprises of the night were the losses by incumbent S.C. House District 104 representative Tracy Edge and by Horry County District Three council member Brent Schulz.

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Primary Election Day

It’s Primary Election Day in South Carolina.

Get out and Vote! Polls open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m.

This is your chance to have a say in who governs and on what issues over the next several years.

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The Battle for Horry County Probate Judge

It is not often a race for probate judge takes center stage in an election cycle, but that is exactly what is happening in the Republican Primary contest for Horry County Probate Judge.

The race pits three term incumbent Horry County Probate Judge Deirdre Edmonds against Kathy Ward, a former Associate Judge of the Probate Court, who worked under Edmonds for nearly 12 years.

On the basis of qualifications, this is no contest. It goes to Judge Edmonds hands down!

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Ethics Reform – Not So Fast

Watered Down Ethics Reform Bill Nears Approval

A very watered down ethics reform bill was reported out of conference committee Wednesday and received an overwhelming vote of yeas in the S.C. House yesterday.

The bill must be approved by the Senate before going to Gov. Nikki Haley’s desk for signature.

But, the key measure needed for real ethics reform in South Carolina was left behind by the conference committee.

South Carolina’s legislators just can’t allow themselves to be at the mercy of an independent ethics commission, so the House and Senate Ethics Committees remain as the investigatory bodies for the state’s legislators.

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Coast RTA Funding Agreement Far Exceeds Special Committee Recommendations

Horry County has apparently found a way to exert the influence it desires over Coast RTA decisions with a proposed funding agreement between the county and the bus agency.

After failing for the last two years to have its membership on the Coast RTA board increased, the county will now have the ability to virtually dictate decisions to the Coast RTA board if the new funding agreement is approved by both sides.

The funding agreement goes far beyond recommendations made by a Special Committee on Coast RTA appointed by Horry County Council Chairman Mark Lazarus. The committee deliberated through four sessions before approving a report to Horry County Council that recommended continuing funding for the agency.

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Paul Price Endorses Reese Boyd for Horry District 5

Retiring Horry County Council District 5 member Paul Price issued the following press release today endorsing Reese Boyd to succeed him.

Price said after careful consideration, he believed Boyd was the best choice to represent the citizens of District 5 in the upcoming term.

The endorsement comes at a key time with the Republican Primary being held on Tuesday June 10th to decide among four candidates who will replace Price on the November ticket.

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Mixed Messages on Atlantic Beach Bikefest

Local and state officials are sending a lot of mixed messages about the Atlantic Beach Bikefest next year.

So far this week, Atlantic Beach Mayor Jake Evans said the town supported the Atlantic Beach Bikefest and it would continue. The next day, Governor Nikki Haley reiterated the Atlantic Beach Bikefest was bad for South Carolina and it needed to end.

Each admitted they had not talked to the other. Is picking up a phone so hard?

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Candace Howell for Horry County District Eight

One clear choice has emerged in the race to replace retiring council member Carl Schwartzkopf in Horry County District Eight. That choice is Candace Howell.

Howell brings a new voice and a new perspective to Horry County issues rather than the same old, tired mentality of too many candidates. She is focused on improving Horry County, especially in the area of jobs, so that today’s children can have a bright future in their home area.

Schwartzkopf recently said of Howell, “Candace Howell would bring a breath of fresh air and a change in perspective to Horry County Council. She is far and away the most impressive candidate in the race.”

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Eargle Endorses Jeff Johnson for S.C. House District 58

Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle endorsed Jeff Johnson for S.C. House District 58 yesterday.

When GSD talked to Eargle, she said, “I have known Jeff since he was a small boy. He is a wonderful person. His family has supported me since I first ran for the statehouse in the mid-1970’s, walking neighborhoods and knocking on doors. I am very happy to be able to encourage people to vote for Jeff.”

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